The Life and Teachings
of Jesus
A Restatement of the Gospels

84. Before the Sanhedrin

        13They brought to the Pharisees [Sanhedrin]a the man who had formerly been blind. 14Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes.b 15The Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I now see.”
        16Some of the Pharisees said, “This man cannot be from God, for he does not observe the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them.
        17So they again said to the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?”
        He said, “He is a prophet.”
        18The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight. 19They asked them, “Is this your son who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”
        20His parents answered, “We know that this is our son, and he was born blind, 21but how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age; he will speak for himself.” 22His parents said this because they feared the Jews, for the Jews [Sanhedrin] had already agreed that if anyone should confess him to be the Messiah, he was to be put out of the synagogue. 23Therefore his parents said, “He is of age, ask him.”
        24So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and said to him, “Give God the praise; we know that this man is a sinner.”
        25He answered, “Whether he is a sinner, I know not; but one thing I do know, that whereas I was blind, now I see.”
        (Jn. 9:13–25) (continued)



a   “the Pharisees [Sanhedrin]”—The Sanhedrin was the high ruling body of the Jews. It was composed of Pharisees (scribes and rabbis) and Sadducees (priests and certain wealthy Jews) and was presided over by the High Priest. Since the Sanhedrin was the Jewish supreme court, it was they who would have conducted such an investigation into Sabbath breaking (healing the blind man on the Sabbath).

b   “Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes.”—Perhaps it was Jesus' plan to bring his life and teachings more forcefully to the attention of the rulers of the Jews by this act of healing on the Sabbath day.

Jn. 9:13  Pharisees [Sanhedrin] the (See fn. a above.) / Pharisees the (RSV)
Jn. 9:15  I now see (Mof) / I see (RSV)
Jn. 9:16  man cannot be from (TCNT) / man is not from (RSV) • not observe the (Phi) / not keep the (RSV)
Jn. 9:19  They asked / and asked (RSV)
Jn. 9:22  Jews [Sanhedrin] had (See fn. a above.) / Jews had (RSV) • be the Messiah, he (Ch. 13, fn. c) / be Christ, he (RSV)
Jn. 9:25  I know not (KJV) / I do not know (RSV) • but one (Bas) / one (RSV) • I do know (Wms) / I know (RSV) • that whereas I (KJV) / that though I (RSV)   (164:4/1813–5)

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