“et interrogaverunt eos, dicentes : Hic est filius vester, quem vos dicitis quia cæcus natus est ? quomodo ergo nunc videt ?”
“And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see?”
“and asked, “Is this your son, the one you say was born blind? So how is it that he can now see?””
“and asked them, “Is this your son, whom you say was born blind? How then does he now see?””
“and asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say 3004, 3754 was born blind? How then doth he now see?”
[1.] The questions that were put to them (v. 19): They asked them in an imperious threatening way, "Is this your son? Dare you swear to it? Do you say he was born blind? Are you sure of it? Or did he but pretend to be so, to have an excuse for his begging? How then doth he now see? That is impossible, and therefore you had better unsay it." Those who cannot bear the light of truth do all they can to eclipse it, and hinder the discovery of it. Thus the managers of evidence, or mismanagers rather, lead witnesses out of the way, and teach them how to conceal or disguise the truth, and so involve themselves in a double guilt, like that of Jeroboam, who sinned, and made Israel to sin.
Verses 18-23 The Pharisees vainly hoped to disprove this notable miracle. They expected a Messiah, but could not bear to think that this Jesus should be he, because his precepts were all contrary to their traditions, and because they expected a Messiah in outward pomp and splendour. The fear of man brings a snare, ( Proverbs 29:25 ) , and often makes people deny and disown Christ and his truths and ways, and act against their consciences. The unlearned and poor, who are simple-hearted, readily draw proper inferences from the evidences of the light of the gospel; but those whose desires are another way, though ever learning, never come to the knowledge of the truth.