John 9:13 Commentary and Bible Study

Why did they do this? Why did the neighbours give this man to the Pharisees? It was ominous. We can imagine them, one either side, taking him to the Temple where the Pharisees were gathered. ‘This man claims he has been healed by Jesus.’ They all knew that the Pharisees had already threatened that anybody standing for Jesus would be put out of the Temple. It was by now well-known that the authorities were trying to get hold of Christ to try him and to kill him, and so these neighbours are terrified. Here is their neighbour who is enthusiastic about Christ and has been healed, and so they are fearful that action would perhaps be taken against them for harbouring him. From this verse, down in verse 13 all the way down to verse 34 there is the formal hearing of the Pharisees. As we read this passage yourself, we envisage a kind of court investigation convened. Another ominous note follows, ‘It was the Sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.’