Lecture 3 — Persecution of the blind man

^9:24^ They therefore called the man again who had been blind and said to him: give the glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner. [n. 1336]

^9:25^ Therefore he said to them: if he is a sinner, I do not know: one thing I know, that before I was blind but now I see. [n. 1337]

^9:26^ They then said to him: what did he do to you? How did he open your eyes? [n. 1339]

^9:27^ He answered them: I have told you already, and you have heard: why do you want to hear it again? Will you also become his disciples? [n. 1340]

^9:28^ They reviled him therefore and said: you are his disciple, but we are the disciples of Moses. [n. 1342]

^9:29^ We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know from where he comes. [n. 1343]

^9:30^ The man answered and said to them: why, this is a marvel! You do not know from where he comes, and he has opened my eyes. [n. 1345]

^9:31^ Now we know that God does not hear sinners, but if a man is a servant of God and does his will, he hears him. [n. 1346]

^9:32^ From the beginning of the world it has not been heard that any man has opened the eyes of one born blind. [n. 1351]

^9:33^ Unless this man were of God, he could not do anything. [n. 1352]

^9:34^ They answered and said to him: you were completely born in sins, and you are teaching us? And they cast him out. [n. 1353]

1335. After the questioning of the blind man and his parents, an attempt is made to make him deny the truth and affirm what is false.

First, they attempt to make him deny the truth;

second, they revile him:

and third, they condemn him:

At they reviled him therefore; third at they answered, and said to him: you were completely born in sins.

The Evangelist does two things about the first.

First, he shows how they tried to get the man born blind to deny the truth;

second, how they continued to question him in order to malign him: they then said to him: what did he do to you?

In regard to the first he does two things:

first, he shows their malice; and

second, the steadfastness of the man born blind: therefore he said to them.

The malice of the Pharisees is shown by their attempt to have him deny the truth, while the steadfastness of the blind man appears by his resolute profession of the truth.

1336. In regard to the first he says, they therefore called the man again who had been blind, for his parents had referred them to the blind man, and said to him: give the glory to God. They say one thing but mean another. For they wish to force him to say that his sight was not restored by Christ, or if they are unable to do this, to force him to admit that he was cured by him through sorcery. They do not say this openly, but implicitly, with an appearance of devotion. They attempt this by saying, give the glory to God. As if to say: your sight has been given to you. But only God can do this. Therefore, you should not attribute this to anyone but God, and not to this man, that is, Christ, because if you do this you are indicating that you have not received the gift of your healing from God, for the reason that God does not perform miracles through sinners. Thus they add, we know that this man is a sinner, as if to say: to admit that this man has not done anything, you must deny what you have said. But, as Augustine says, if he had done this, he would not be giving glory to God but rather, being ungrateful, would be blaspheming. But in truth, the Pharisees were lying when they said, we know that this man is a sinner; for they could not convict him of sin, and he said: **who among you will convict me of sin? **(John 8:46) And no wonder, because he committed no sin; no guile was found on his lips (1 Pet 2:22).

1337. Here we see the steadfastness of the blind man. For amazed at the hardness of the Pharisees, and impatient with what they were saying, he says, in all truth, if he is a sinner, I do not know.

Yet because he had said before that **he is a prophet **(John 9:17), is he not now saying, if he is a sinner, I do not know, out of fear, as if he were doubtful? Not at all! Rather, he is angry and mocking the Pharisees. He is saying in effect: you assert that he is a sinner; but I do not know that he is a sinner, and I am amazed that you assert this, because he accomplished a work which does not seem to be the work of a sinner: one thing I know, that before I was blind but now I see, by his kindness. According to Augustine, he said this in order not to be maligned nor to conceal the truth. For perhaps if he had said, I know that he is a just man, which was true, they would have maligned him. But according to Chrysostom, he said this to give them a more impressive testimony to the miracle, and to make his answer believable by calling attention to the gift itself he received.

1338. They again question the man born blind in order to malign him.

First, we have the cunning interrogation of the Pharisees; and

second, the contemptuous reply of the blind man: he answered them: I have told you already.

1339. He says, with respect to the first, they said to him: what did he do to you? For, because the blind man confessed that he received his sight from Christ, which they were not asking, but rather they were intending to calumniate Christ in this way of putting the question. So they did not ask how is it that you see? but how did he open your eyes? It was like saying: he did this by some trick or sorcery, didn’t he? As, those who seek my hurt speak of ruin, and meditate treachery all the day long (Ps 38:12).

1340. Now the man’s answer is given. The man born blind, because he really had received his sight, answers them further, not timidly, but with boldness. He first belittles the repeated questioning of the Pharisees, saying, I have told you already and you have heard: why do you want to hear it again? This was like saying: I told you once. Why do you want to hear it again? That is foolish. It looks like you are not paying attention to what I am saying. So, I have nothing further to say to you because your questioning is useless, and you want to cavil rather than learn. As it is written: he who tells a story to a fool tells it to a drowsy man; and at the end he will say: what is it? (Sir 22:8)

Second, he mocks the presumptuous intention of the Pharisees, saying, will you also become his disciples? When someone carefully investigates a matter, he does so either with a good intention, to accept it, or with an evil intention, to condemn it. Now because the Pharisees were carefully investigating this, and because the man born blind did not dare impute an evil intention to them, he takes the alternative, saying, will you also become his disciples? He means by this: if you are not investigating this maliciously, you therefore wish to join him: as it is written, can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then also you can do good who are accustomed to do evil (Jer 13:23). As Augustine says, the one who had received his sight gladly desired to give them light. Thus, he significantly says, will you also, implying that he himself was a disciple. He is saying in effect: will you also become his disciples as I am? I already see, and do not envy your coming to the light. And as Chrysostom says, from the steadfastness of the blind man we can see how strong truth really is, for when it convinces the lowly, it makes them noble and strong. And we can see how weak is a lie, which even if it is maintained by the powerful, shows and makes them weak.

1341. Next, the Pharisees revile the man born blind.

First, we see them revile him;

then, second, the defense of the blind man: the man answered.

He does two things concerning the first:

first, he presents the revilement of the Pharisees;

second, the reason behind it: but we are the disciples of Moses.

1342. With respect to the first he says, and they reviled him therefore and said: you are his disciple. This is, indeed, scornful, if you consider their vicious hearts. But if you consider their words, it is the greatest blessing. May we and our children be treated with such scorn! If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples (John 8:31). Still, the Evangelist stated that they reviled him by saying this because what they said came from their evil hearts: like the glaze covering an earthen vessel are smooth lips with an evil heart (Prov 26:23). We read about this revilement elsewhere: let them curse, but do thou bless (Ps 109:28); and: blessed are you when men revile you (Matt 5:11).

1343. He next adds the reason for their reviling when he says, we are the disciples of Moses. They were thinking of how they were ridiculed by the man born blind when he asked if they wanted to become Christ’s disciples; for they took pride in being disciples of Moses, whom they thought was greater. First, they set forth their own situation, saying, we are the disciples of Moses. Moses commanded a law in the precepts of justices (Sir 24:33). But this pride of theirs is false, because they neither followed Moses nor fulfilled his commands: **if you believed Moses, you would perhaps believe me also **(John 5:46); this was like saying: you do not follow the servant, and later go against his Lord.

Second, they praise the dignity of Moses when they say, we know that God spoke to Moses. Here they are telling the truth, for as we read: the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend (Exod 33:11); and, if there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, make myself known to him in a vision, I speak with him in a dream. Not so with my servant Moses; he is entrusted with all my house. With him I speak mouth to mouth (Num 12:6). Thus God spoke to Moses in a more excellent way than to the other prophets. And it is about this that they are speaking. However, it is clear that since God spoke his Word to Moses, the dignity of Moses came from the Word of God. And so the Word of God is of greater dignity than Moses: yet Jesus has been counted worthy of as much more glory than Moses as the builder of a house has more honor than the house (Heb 3:3).

Third, they hint at the dignity of Christ in a veiled manner when they say, as for this man, Christ, we do not know from where he comes. This is true, but not the way they understood it: for they did not know the Father, and Christ was from the Father: you know neither me nor my Father (John 8:19). But their statement is false as they understood it, for when they said, we do not know where from where he comes, they meant he had no authority and was unverified, so that is was not clear whether or not he came from God. They seem to be applying to him the words: I did not send you prophets, yet they ran (Jer 23:21).

1344. Now, the blind man’s argument against the Pharisees is presented.

First, he is amazed at their hardness of heart;

second, he refutes their false opinion: now we know that God does not hear sinners.

1345. Concerning the first, we must recall that we are not amazed at what happens frequently, and in the usual way; but we are amazed at what is unusual and great, whether this be good or evil. We are struck by unusual and great good: you are wonderful, my Lord, and your countenance is full of grace (Esth 15:17). We are also amazed at great evil: be appalled, O heavens, at this . . . for my people have committed two evils (Jer 2:12).

In line with this, the blind man says in answer, why, this is a marvel! You do not know from where he comes. He is saying in effect: it would not be remarkable if you regarded someone insignificant and like me as having no authority. But it is extremely amazing that you can see an explicit and evident sign of divine power in Christ and say that you do not know where he comes from, especially because he did open my eyes.

1346. The man born blind refutes their false opinion by saying, we know that God does not hear sinners. He is reasoning this way: whomever God hears is from God; but God heard Christ; therefore, Christ is from God.

He first states his main premise;

then the minor premise: from the beginning of the world;

and third, he draws his conclusion: unless this man were of God, he could not do anything.

He does two things abut the first:

first, he mentions those whom God does not hear;

second, those he does hear: but if a man is a servant of God and does his will, he hears him.

1347. God does not hear sinners. In regard to this he says, we know that God does not hear sinners. He is saying: both you and I agree that sinners are not heard by God. Thus it is said, they cried to the Lord and he did not hear them (Ps 17:42); and again, then they will call upon me, but I will not hear (Prov 1:28).

But there are statements which contradict this: if they sin against thee, for there is no man who does not sin, but later repent with all their heart, then hear from heaven and forgive your people (2 Chr 6:36–39); and we read that the tax collector went down to his house justified (Luke 18:14). Because of this Augustine says that this blind man is speaking as one who has not been anointed, as one who does not yet have complete knowledge. For God does hear sinners, otherwise it would have been futile for the tax collector to have prayed: God, be merciful to me a sinner (Luke 18:17).

Accordingly, if we wish to save the statement of the blind man we must say that God does not hear those sinners who persist in their sinning; but he does hear those sinners who are sorry for their sins, and who should be regarded more as repentant than as sinners.

1348. Yet there is a difficulty here. It is clear that miracles are not accomplished by us due to our own power, but through prayer. But sinners often perform miracles: Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name . . . and do many mighty works in your name? (Matt 7:22) And yet God did not know them. Thus, what the blind man said does not seems to be true, namely, we know that God does not hear sinners.

There are two answers to this. The first is general. Prayer has two characteristics, that is, it can obtain what it asks for and it can merit. Thus, sometimes it obtains what it asks, and does not merit; at other times, it merits and does not obtain. And so nothing prevents the prayer of a sinner from obtaining what it asks although it does not merit. This is the way that God hears sinners; not as a matter of merit, but they obtain what they ask from the divine power, which they acknowledge. The other answer is special and applies to this particular case, when the miracle that was done makes known the person of Christ.

1349. It should be mentioned that every miracle is a sort of testimony. Sometimes, a miracle is accomplished as a testimony to the truth that is being preached; at other times, it is a testimony to the person performing it. We must also realize that no true miracle happens except by the divine power, and that God is never a witness to a lie. I say, therefore, that whenever a miracle is performed in testimony to a doctrine that is being preached, that doctrine must be true, even if the person who is preaching it is not good. And when it is performed in testimony to the person, it is also necessary that the person be good. Now it is evident that the miracles of Christ were performed in testimony to his person: for the works that the Father has given to me that I might perform them . . . give testimony about me (John 5:36). It was with this meaning that the blind man said that God does not hear sinners, that is, so that they could perform miracles as a testimony to their supposed holiness.

1350. Then when he says, but if a man is a servant of God and does his will, he hears him, he shows that God hears the just through merit.

We must realize that the performing of miracles is attributed to faith: if you say to this mountain: be taken up and cast into the sea, it will be done (Matt 21:21). The reason for this is that miracles are accomplished by the omnipotence of God, on which faith relies. Therefore, whoever wishes to obtain something from God has to have faith: let him ask in faith (Jas 1:6). However, if he wishes to obtain it through merit, he must do God’s will. And these two conditions are mentioned here. As to the first, he says, if a man is a servant of God, by sacrifices and offerings: they will worship him with sacrifice and burnt offering (Isa 19:21). These belong to the worship of latria, which attests to one’s faith. As to the second he says, and does his will by obeying his commandments, he hears him.

1351. Here he takes the minor premise of his argument. He is saying: because of what Christ did, which no man has ever done, it is obvious that he did this by the action of God, and that he has been heard by God: if I had not done among them the works that no other man has done, they would not have sin (John 15:24).

1352. Next, he draws his conclusion. He is saying, in effect: from the kind of works that Christ does, it is obvious that he is from God. For unless this man were of God, he could not do anything, that is, freely, often and truly: for without me you can do nothing (John 15:5).

1353. Here the Pharisees condemn the blind man. In this condemnation they fall into three defects or sins, namely, untruth, pride, and injustice.

They fall into untruth in reviling the blind man, saying, you were completely born in sins. Here it should be noted that the Jews were of the opinion that all infirmities and temporal adversities beset us on account of our previous sins. This was the opinion given by Eliphaz: think now, who that was innocent ever perished? Or where were the upright cut off? As I have seen those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same. By the breath of God they perish (Job 4:7). The reason for this opinion is that in the old law temporal goods were promised to the good, and temporal punishment to the evil: if you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good of the land (Isa 1:19). Therefore, seeing that this man had been born blind, they believed that this happened on account of his sins, and so they say, you were completely born in sins. But they were wrong, because the Lord said: **neither this man nor his parents has sinned **(John 9:3). There is a lying rebuke in the anger of an injurious man (Sir 19:28).

They say completely to show that he is defiled by sins not only in his soul, insofar as all of us are born sinners, but even as regards the traces of sin which appear in his body, as blindness. Or according to Chrysostom, completely means that he was in sin all his life, from his earliest years.

They are guilty of pride by rejecting what the man born blind was teaching, when they say, you are teaching us? This was like saying: you are not worthy. This makes their pride clear: for no person, no matter however wise, ought to reject being taught by any inferior. Thus the Apostle teaches (1 Cor 14:30) that if something is revealed to one who is inferior, those who are greater should keep silent and listen. In Daniel, we read that all the people, and the elders, listened to the judgment of a young boy, Daniel, whose spirit has been raised up by God (Dan 13:60).

They are guilty of injustice by unjustly casting him out. Thus we read, and they cast him out, that is, because he spoke the truth. However, in this man born blind there is already fulfilled what our Lord had said: blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, on account of the Son of man (Luke 6:22).