The neighbors therefore, and they who before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged?
All Commentaries on John 9:8 Go To John 9
Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
His eyes being opened had altered his look. But he said, I amhe. He spoke gratefully; a denial would have convicted Him of ingratitude.
Lo, he is become a proclaimer of grace, an evangelist, and testifies to the Jews. That blind man testified, and the ungodly were vexed at the heart, because they had not in their heart what appeared upon his countenance. Then said they to him, Where is He? .
Here he is like one anointed, but unable yet to see: he preaches, and knows not what he preaches.
Some, not all: for some were already anointed. But they, who neither saw, nor were anointed, said, This man is not of God, because he keeps not the sabbath day. Rather He kept it, in that He was without sin; for to observe the Sabbath spiritually, is to have no sin. And this God admonishes us of, when He enjoins the Sabbath, saying, In it you shall do no servile work. What servile work is, our Lord tells us above, Whosoever commits sin, is the servant of sin. They observed the sabbath carnally, transgressed it spiritually.
It was Christ, who divided the day into light Au and darkness.
Or they sought how they could throw reproach upon the man, and cast him out of their synagogue. he declares however openly what he thinks: He said, He is a Prophet. Not being anointed yet in heart, he could not confess the Son of God; nevertheless, he is not wrong in what he says: for our Lord Himself says of Himself, A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country.
