John 9:24

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.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(24) Then again called they the man that was blind.—He had not been present during the interview with his parents. They now wish him to believe that they have ascertained from his parents either that he was not their son, or that he was not really born blind. It is useless for him, therefore, to persist in his belief that a prophet had given him the power to see.

Give God the praise.—Better, Give glory to God. This phrase is very generally misunderstood, though almost all competent authorities are agreed as to its true meaning. It is not “Give God the praise for your cure, instead of this Man, who is a sinner. Trace the gift to its true source, and give glory to the true Giver.” This is wholly opposed to the context, for they are assuming that no cure has really taken place. The phrase is rather an adjuration calling upon the man to speak, as in God’s presence, and confess the whole truth. (Comp. the words of Joshua to Achan, “My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession unto Him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me,” Joshua 7:19. Comp. also 1Samuel 6:5; Jeremiah 13:16; 1 Esdras 9:8; Revelation 16:9.)

We know that this man is a sinner.—Some of them had said before that He was not from God, while others had felt that such miracles were inconsistent with the belief that He was a sinner. The man himself had declared his simple conviction that He was a prophet (John 9:16-17). They now assert, with the emphasis of an authority which is beyond question, that they know Him to be a sinner.

Benson Commentary

John 9:24-29. Then again called they the man — The court, finding that nothing could be learned from the man’s parents, by which the miracle could be disproved, called the man himself a second time, and tried, by fair words, to extort from him a confession to the disparagement of Jesus. They said, Give God the praise — If the cure was really wrought in the manner thou affirmest, acknowledge the power, sovereignty, and goodness of God, in working by so unworthy an instrument; for we certainly know this man, of whom thou speakest, is a profligate sinner, and deserves public punishment rather than esteem. Thus some explain the clause; and doubtless this would be the meaning of it, if the original words did properly signify, Give God the praise. But the expression, Δος δοξαν τω θεω, is literally, Give glory to God, that is, as they seem to have meant, by a free confession of the fraud, collusion, or artifice which they supposed was in this affair, and in which they believed the man to be an accomplice of Jesus. See Joshua 7:19, where the Jewish general adjures Achan in similar terms to confess his sin. Their speech was to this effect: Thou canst not impose upon us by this incredible story. We know that the man thou speakest of, who openly profanes the sabbath, is a transgressor, and therefore can have no authority or commission from God: it will, consequently, be the wisest thing thou canst do, to profess the truth honestly, as thereby thou wilt give glory to God. “As it is greatly for the honour of the divine omniscience and providence, that persons who are guilty of crimes not fully proved against them, should freely confess them, and not presume, against the dictates of conscience, to maintain their own innocence; there is a propriety in the phrase, taken in this sense.” — Doddridge. He answered, Whether he be a sinner, I know not — Having no personal acquaintance with him; one thing I know — And will stand to the truth of it; that, whereas I was blind — Even from my birth; now I see — Perfectly well, and owe my sight to the very person whom you condemn. “In this answer of the beggar there is a strong and beautiful irony, founded on good sense; and therefore it must have been felt by the doctors, though they dissembled their resentment for a little, hoping that by gentle means they might prevail with him to confess the supposed fraud of this miracle. They desired him, therefore, to tell them again how it had been performed: saying, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes? — They asked him this question before, (John 9:15,) but they now proposed it a second time, in order that the man, repeating his account of the servile work performed at his cure, might become sensible that Jesus had violated the sabbath thereby, and was an impostor. For gladly would they have prevailed with him to join them in the judgment which they passed upon Jesus. But their resistance of the truth appeared so criminal to him, that, laying aside fear, he answered, I have told you already, and you did not hear — That is, believe; wherefore would ye hear it again? — Are ye so affected with the miracle, and do ye entertain so high an opinion of the author of it, that ye take pleasure in hearing the account of it repeated, desiring to be more and more confirmed in your veneration for him? Will ye also — As well as I; be his disciples? — Being at length convinced of his divine mission. In this answer the irony was more plain, pointed, and severe, than in the former. By this, therefore, the rulers were provoked to the highest pitch; and reviled him, saying, Thou art his disciple — As is plain from the partiality thou discoverest toward him; but we are Moses’s disciples — And with great reason; for we know God spake to Moses — He clearly demonstrated his mission from God. As for this fellow, &c. — Whereas this fellow, who contradicts Moses, and breaks his laws, by his pretended cures performed on the sabbath; we know not whence he is —

Nor by what power or authority he does these things. “Their partiality here was inexcusable; for if they believed the mission of Moses, on the evidence of miracles, credibly attested indeed, but performed two thousand years before they were born, it was much more reasonable, on their own principles, to believe the mission of Jesus, on at least equal miracles, wrought daily among them, when they might, in many instances, have been eye-witnesses to the facts; and one of which, notwithstanding all their malice, they were here compelled to own, or, at least, found themselves utterly unable to disprove.”

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

9:24-34 As Christ's mercies are most valued by those who have felt the want of them, that have been blind, and now see; so the most powerful and lasting affections to Christ, arise from actual knowledge of him. In the work of grace in the soul, though we cannot tell when, and how, and by what steps the blessed change was wrought, yet we may take the comfort, if we can say, through grace, Whereas I was blind, now I see. I did live a worldly, sensual life, but, thanks be to God, it is now otherwise with me, Eph 5:8. The unbelief of those who enjoy the means of knowledge and conviction, is indeed marvellous. All who have felt the power and grace of the Lord Jesus, wonder at the wilfulness of others who reject him. He argues strongly against them, not only that Jesus was not a sinner, but that he was of God. We may each of us know by this, whether we are of God or not. What do we? What do we for God? What do we for our souls? What do we more than others?

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Give God the praise - This expression seems to be a form of administering an oath. It is used in Joshua 7:19, when Achan was put on his oath and entreated to confess his guilt. Joshua said, "My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the Lord God of Israel (in the Greek of the Septuagint, the very expression used in John, 'Give God the praise'), and make confession unto him." It is equivalent to an adjuration in the presence of God to acknowledge the truth; as the truth would be giving God praise, confessing the case before him, and trusting to his mercy. Compare 1 Samuel 6:5 The meaning here is not "give God praise for healing you," for they were not willing to admit that he had been cured John 9:18, but confess that there is imposture in the case; that you have declared to us a falsehood, that you have endeavored to impose on us; and by thus confessing your sin, give praise and honor to God, who condemns all imposture and falsehood, and whom you will thus acknowledge to be right in your condemnation. To induce him to do this, they added that they knew, or were satisfied that Jesus was a sinner. As they considered that point settled, they urged him to confess that he had attempted to impose on them.

We know - We have settled that. He has broken the Sabbath, and that leaves no doubt.

A sinner - A violator of the law respecting the Sabbath, and an impostor. See John 9:16.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

24-34. Give God the praise; we know that this man is a sinner—not wishing him to own, even to the praise of God, that a miracle had been wrought upon him, but to show more regard to the honor of God than ascribe any such act to one who was a sinner.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

See Poole on "John 4:23"

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Then again called they the man that was blind,.... That had been blind. After they had examined his parents, and could get nothing from them for their purpose, they try a second time what they could do with the son:

and said unto him, give God the praise; a phrase used when confession of sin was required; see Joshua 7:19; and this may be the meaning of it here; confess this fraud and imposture before the omniscient God, the searcher of hearts, and in so doing glorify that perfection of his. One and the same word, signifies both to confess the truth of anything, as a sinful action, Proverbs 28:13, and to give thanks and praise to God for any mercy and blessing, Psalm 45:17. Some take this to be the form of an oath, and that the Pharisees adjured the than by the living God, that he would tell the truth, and discover the cheat and collusion used in this affair of receiving his sight; and thought hereby to have deterred him from speaking of this benefit he had received from Christ, especially in such a manner as to reflect any honour upon the author of it. Or the sense may be, if this really is matter of fact, that thou wast born blind, and hast received thy sight by the means of this man, give all the glory of it to God, to whom alone it is due, and not to him. God sometimes works by wicked instruments, when the glory of what is done ought not to be ascribed to them, but to him.

We know that this man is a sinner; this they concluded from his breaking the sabbath, as they supposed; though they also aspersed his character, and accused him of other things, yet falsely; see Matthew 11:19; nor could they prove one single instance of sin in him, though they express themselves here with so much assurance.

Geneva Study Bible

Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, {d} Give God the praise: we know that this man is a {e} sinner.

(d) A solemn order, by which men were put under oath in ancient time to acknowledge their fault before God, as if it was said to them, Consider that you are before God, who knows the entire matter, and therefore be sure that you revere his majesty, and do him this honour and confess the whole matter openly rather than to lie before him; Jos 7:19; 1Sa 6:5.

(e) He is called a sinner in the Hebrew language, who is a wicked man, and someone who makes an art of sinning.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

John 9:24-25. Δὸς δόξαν τ. θεῷ] “Speciosa praefatio,” Bengel; for they expect a declaration prejudicial to Jesus, such as the man had hitherto refused to make, and therefore employ this sacred and binding requirement to declare the truth, by which God would be honoured, inasmuch as to speak the truth was to show reverence to Him. Comp. Joshua 7:19; Esr. John 10:11; John 3 Esr. John 9:8.

ἡμεῖς οἴδαμεν, etc.] This assertion of hierarchical authority (ἡμεῖς with emphasis) was intended to overawe the man, and give a bias to his judgment. In vain. With cautious reticence he prudently refers them simply to what had actually happened; this alone was known to him (comp. Soph. O. C. 1103: οὐκ οἶδα πλὴν ἕν); but not whether, etc.

τυφλὸς ὤν] being blind, namely, in his natural state, from birth. Comp. John 3:13.

Expositor's Greek Testament

John 9:24. Baffled by the parents the Pharisees turn again, ἐκ δευτέρου, a second time to the man and say: Δὸς δόξαν τῷ Θεῷ … ἐστιν. They no longer deny the miracle, but bid the man ascribe the glory of it to the right quarter; to God: not to Jesus, because they can assure him knowledge of their own, ἡμεῖς οἴδαμεν, that He is a sinner.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

24. Then again called they] Literally, They called, therefore, a second time. They had cross-questioned the parents apart from the son, and now try to browbeat the son, before he finds out that his parents have not discredited his story.

Give God the praise] Better, Give glory to God (comp. John 5:41 and John 8:54); it is the same word for ‘glory’ as in John 1:14, John 2:11, John 7:18, John 8:50. Even thus the meaning remains obscure: but ‘Give God the praise’ is absolutely misleading. The meaning is not ‘Give God the praise for the cure;’ they were trying to deny that there had been any cure: but, ‘Give glory to God by speaking the truth.’ The words are an adjuration to confess. Comp. Joshua 7:19; 1 Samuel 6:5; Ezra 10:11; 1Es 9:8; 2 Corinthians 11:31. Wiclif, with the Genevan and Rhemish Versions, is right here. Tyndale and Cranmer have misled our translators.

we know that, &c.] ‘We’ with emphasis; ‘we, the people in authority, who have the right to pronounce decisively. So it is useless for you to maintain that He is a Prophet.’

Bengel's Gnomen

John 9:24. Ἐκ δευτέρου, again) He had therefore been sent away after the conversation with him, described at John 9:17.—δός, give) A spacious preface. He gives glory to God, who confesses the truth, especially in a matter and cause attended with difficulties.—ἡμεῖς οἴδαμεν, we know) They attempt to prepossess and move him, as an unlearned man, by the weight of their authority, that he should call Jesus a sinner, and not avow Him as the Son of God [We see, say they; comp. John 9:41 (Now ye say, We see).—V. g.]—ἁμαρτωλός, a sinner) John 9:16, “This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the Sabbath day.”

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 24. - So they ("the Jews") called a second time the man that was (had been) blind, and said unto him; no longer asking for any details of the process of the cure, they sought with ingenuity to blunt the edge of the powerful testimony which this man had borne to the prophetic rank and even Messianic claims of Jesus, by inducing him to recant. Give glory to God, said they. Many have urged (see Calvin, De Wette, Lange, Lucke, and Meyer) that this is only a solemn form of adjuration, which corresponds with Joshua 7:19; Ezra 10:11; 3Esdras 9:8, and was a hypocritical appeal to the man to eat his own words on oath; and Godet urges, "They demanded that this guilty assertion, 'He is a Prophet,' should be blotted out by the contrary one,' He is a sinner.'" Moulton says, "A formula used when a criminal who was thought to be concealing the truth was being urged to make a full confession." Luthardt, Lampe, and others rightly observe that this adjuration theory, though it suits Joshua 7:19, does not fit 1 Samuel 6:5 or Jeremiah 12:16, and that the Pharisees rather wished the man to give glory direct to God, and not to Jesus. They implied that their action was dictated by zeal for the honor of God, and tempted the man to disclaim the mediation of Divine grace through the lips and at the will of Jesus. They add, We know (οἴδαμεν) absolutely, on theologic grounds beyond the comprehension of the poor man, and we can sustain it with all the weight of our tradition and custom - we know that this Man is a sinner. They give no reference, and do not condescend to particulars. They would overawe the man with their assumption of superior knowledge. John 9:24

Vincent's Word Studies

Give God the praise (δὸς δόξαν τῷ Θεῷ)

Rev., give glory to God. Compare Joshua 7:19; 1 Samuel 6:5. This phrase addressed to an offender implies that by some previous act or word he has done dishonor to God, and appeals to him to repair the dishonor by speaking the truth. In this case it is also an appeal to the restored man to ascribe his cure directly to God, and not to Jesus. Palgrave, "Central and Eastern Arabia," says that the Arabic phrase commonly addressed to one who has said something extremely out of place, is Istaghfir Allah, Ask pardon of God.

We know

The we is emphatic. We, the wise men and guardians of religion.