John 9:17-25 They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet. But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight. And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then does he now see? His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind: But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself. These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him. Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner. He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.
The blind sinner was more sensible than all the religious leaders of the day. From only one miracle and one brief contact with Jesus, he knew that He was a prophet.
‘Did not believe’ this is why they were so blind. The Jews would not believe facts when they were seen. They would not believe that He was even a prophet, which, according to the Jews themselves, permitted one to break the sabbath.
‘These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews’ most people church will not stand up for truth and righteousness.
‘That if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.’ This means that anyone acknowledging Jesus as the Messiah was to be cut off from all religious connections with synagogue worshipers. It was the first time a law was made against Christians. This is why Christians had to form their own congregations.
‘Give God the praise’ these were the words used in making an oath. To give God praise was equivalent of swearing to tell the truth (Jos. 7:19). While they sought to put him under an oath they put their own words in his mouth to say that Jesus was a sinner, and the man answered very wisely: “one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.”
Living the Word 