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| date | Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:16:17 +0000 |
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--- /dev/null Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000 +++ b/john/english/John9.html Tue Nov 24 20:16:17 2009 +0000 @@ -0,0 +1,1489 @@ +<html> +<head> +<title>Aquinas: John, Ch. 9</title> +</head> +<body style=text-align:justify><blockquote> +<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 60pt">9</span> +<p align=center><B>LECTURE I</B> +<BLOCKQUOTE><p>1 As he passed by, he saw a +man blind from his birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, +this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" 3 Jesus answered, "It was not +that this man sinned, or his parent, but that the works of God might be made +manifest in him. 4 We must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day; +night comes, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the +light of the world." 6 As he said this, he spat on the ground and made clay of +the spittle and anointed the man's eyes with the clay, 7 saying to him, "Go, +wash in the pool of Siloam" (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came +back seeing.<a href="#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1"><b>[1]</b></a></BLOCKQUOTE> + +<p>1293 After showing the +enlightening power of his teaching by his own words [cf. 1 118], our Lord +confirms this by his action, when he gives sight to one physically blind. In +regard to this three things are presented: first, the man's infirmity; +secondly, his healing (v 6); thirdly, a discussion among the Jews about this +health (v 8). In regard to the first he does two things: first, the man's +infirmity is mentioned; secondly, we see an inquiry about its cause (v 2). + +<p>1294 It should be noted in +regard to the first that Jesus hid himself and left the temple, and while +passing by he saw this blind man, as he passed by, he saw a man blind from his +birth. Three things are considered here. First, he passed by to avoid the anger +of the Jews: "Do not kindle the coals of a sinner lest you be burned in his +flaming fire" (Sir 8:10). Secondly, he wanted to try and soften their hardness +of heart by working a miracle: "If I had not done among them the works which no +one else did, they would not have sin" (15:24). Thirdly, he went on his way in +order to confirm his words by working a sign; for our Lord's works produce +faith in the things that he says: "He confirmed the message by the sign that +attended it" (Mk 16:20). + +<p>In +the mystical sense, according to Augustine, this blind man is the human race.<a +href="#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2">[2]</a> +Sin is a spiritual blindness: "Their wickedness blinded them" (Wis 2:21). The human race is blind from birth, because it contracted sin from his its +origin, for the blindness occurs through sin in the first man, from whom all of +us draw our origin. We read, "We were by nature," by natural origin, "children +of wrath" (Eph 2:3). + +<p>1295 Then (v2), the cause of +this man's infirmity is discussed: first, the disciples ask about its cause; +secondly, Christ explains it. + +<p>1296 In regard to the first, +three things are to be considered. The first is the reason for the disciples +questioning Christ. According to Chrysostom, this was because Jesus, leaving +the temple and seeing this blind man, looked at him intently, as though seeing +in him an opportunity to manifest his power. And so the disciples seeing him +look so intently at the blind man were impelled to question him.<a href="#_ftn3" +name="_ftnref3">[3]</a> + +<p>Secondly, +we see the seriousness of the disciples, because they say, <b>Rabbi</b>, +calling him Teacher, to indicate that they are questioning him in order to +learn. Thirdly, we see why they asked, <b>who sinned?</b> when they inquire +into the reason for the man's blindness. + +<p>It +must be said, according to Chrysostom, that because the Lord said to the +paralytic, when he healed him, "See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing +worse befall you," the disciples thought that his infirmity was due to sin.<a +href="#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4">[4]</a> +They also thought that every human illness arose from sin, as Eliphaz said: +"Think now, who that was innocent ever perished?" (Jb 4:7). Therefore, they +asked whether he had been born blind on account of his own sin or that of his +parents. It does not seem to have been on account of his own sin, because no +one sins before he is born, since souls do not exist before their bodies, nor +do they sin, as some mistakenly think: "Though they were not yet born and had +done nothing, either good or bad … not because of works but because of his +call, she was told 'The elder will served the younger'" (Rom 9:11). Nor does it +seem that he suffered on account of a sin of his parents, for we read: "The +fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall the children be +put to death for the fathers" (Deut 24:16). + +<p>Note +that people are punished with two kinds of punishment. One is spiritual and +concerns the soul; the other is bodily and concerns the body. A child is never +punished on account of his father with a spiritual punishment, because the soul +of a child is not from his father but from God: "All souls are mine," that is, +by creation, "the soul of the father as well as the soul of the child is mine: +the soul that sins shall be punished" [Ez 18:4]. Augustine also says this in +one of his letters.<a href="#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5">[5]</a> +But a child is punished on account of his father with a bodily punishment, +since he is of his father as far as his body is concerned. This is expressly +shown in Genesis (c 19) where when Sodom was destroyed the children of the +inhabitants of Sodom were killed on account of the sins of their parents. +Again, the Lord very often threatened to destroy the children of the Jews on +account of the sins of their parents. + +<p>1297 To understand why one +person is punished on account of the sins of another, we must realize that a +punishment has two aspects: it is an injury and a remedy. Sometimes a part of +the body is cut off to save the entire body. And a punishment of this kind +causes an injury insofar as a part is cut off, but it is a remedy insofar as it +saves the body itself. Still, a doctor never cuts off a superior member to save +one which is inferior, but the other way around. Now in human matters, the soul +is superior to the body, and the body is superior to external possessions. And +so it never happens that someone is punished in his soul for the sake of his +body, but rather he is punished in his body as a curing remedy for his soul. +Therefore, God sometimes imposes physical punishments, or difficulties in +external concerns, as a beneficial remedy for the soul. And then punishments of +this kind are not given just as injuries, but as healing remedies. Thus, the +killing of the children of Sodom was for the good of their souls: not because +they deserved it, but so they would not be punished more severely for +increasing their sins in a life spent in imitating their parents. And in this +way some are often punished for the sins of their parents.<a href="#_ftn6" +name="_ftnref6">[6]</a> + +<p>1298 Then when he says, <b>Jesus +answered</b>, our Lord reveals the reason for the man's infirmity: first, he +excludes the reason they assumed; secondly, he mentions the real reason; and +thirdly, he explains it. + +<p>1299 He excludes the reason +they assumed when he says, <b>it was not that this man sinned, or his parents</b>: +for the disciples had assumed that this was the reason for his infirmity, as +was said. But a contrary statement is found in Romans [3:23]: "All have sinned +and are in need of God's glory." And again we read that sin has passed into all +men from Adam. I answer to this that both the blind man and his parents did +contract original sin and even added other actual sins during their live, for +we read: "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not +in us" (1 Jn 1:8). But when the Lord says, <b>it was not that this man sinned, +or his parents</b>, he means that his blindness did not come as a result of +their sins. + +<p>1300 He mentions the real +reason when he says, <b>but that the works of God might be made manifest in him</b>, +for through the works of God we are led to a knowledge of him: "his invisible +nature has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made" (Rom +1:20); "The very works which my Father has given me to perform…they bear +witness to me" (5:36). But the knowledge of God is man's greatest good, since +his happiness consists in this: "This is eternal life, that they know thee the +only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent" (17:3); "Let him who +glories glory in this, that he understands and knows me" (Jer 9:24). If, +therefore, an infirmity occurs in order that God's works be manifested, and God +is made known through this manifestation, it is clear that such bodily +infirmities occur for a good purpose. + +<p>1301 It might seem that the +manifestation of God's works is not a sufficient reason for such an infirmity, +especially since neither he nor his parents sinned. Therefore, some say that +the words <b>but that </b>do not indicate the reason but merely the sequence of +events. The sense then being: the man was blind, and the works of God were +manifested in his cure. But this does not seem to be reasonable; and so it is +better to say that the reason is being given. For evil is twofold: the evil of +fault and the evil of punishment. Now God does not cause the evil of fault, but +permits it; yet he would not permit it unless he intended some good from it. So +Augustine says in his <i>Enchiridion</i>: "God is so good that he would never +permit any evil to occur, unless he was so powerful as to draw some good from +every evil."<a href="#_ftn7" name="_ftnref7">[7]</a> +Therefore, he allows certain sins to be committed because he intends some good; +in this way, he allows the rage of tyrants so that martyrs may be crowned. Much +more, therefore, should it be said that the evil of punishment, which he causes +- as Amos (3:6) says: "Does evil befall a city, unless the Lord has done it?" - +is never applied except for the good he intends. And among these goods the best +is that the works of God be manifested, and from them that God be known. +Therefore, it is not unfitting if he sends afflictions or allows sins to be +committed in order that some good come from them.<a href="#_ftn8" +name="_ftnref8">[8]</a> + +<p>1302 It should be noted, as +Gregory says in <i>I Morals</i>, that God sends afflictions to men in five +ways.<a href="#_ftn9" name="_ftnref9">[9]</a> +Sometimes they are the beginning of damnation, according to Jeremiah: "Strike +them with a double punishment." A sinner is struck with this kind of punishment +in this life so that without interruption or end he might be punished in the +other life. For example, Herod, who killed James, was punished in this life and +also in hell (Acts 12:23). Sometimes afflictions are sent as a correction, as +we read: "Your discipline will teach me" [Ps 17:36]. And sometimes a person is +afflicted not to correct past wrongs, but to preserve him from future ones, as +we read of Paul: "And to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, +a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep +me from being too elated" (2 Cor 12:7). Again, sometimes it is done to +encourage virtue: as when a person's past sins are not being corrected, nor +future ones hindered, but he is led to a stronger love by knowing the power of +the one who unexpectedly delivered him from some difficulty: "Virtue is made +perfect in infirmity" [2 Cor 12:9]; "Patience has a perfect work" [Jas 1:4]. +And finally, sometimes afflictions are sent to manifest the divine glory; thus +we read here, <b>that the works of God might be made manifest in him</b>. + +<p>1303 Next he explains the +true reason. And because he had mentioned God's works, first he states the +opportunity for manifesting God's works; secondly, the reason for this +opportunity or need, <b>night comes</b>; and thirdly, he explains this (v 5). + +<p>1304 He says, therefore, this +man was born blind <b>that the works of God might be made manifest in him</b>. +And it was necessary that they be manifested, for <b>we must work the works of +him who sent me</b>, that is, the works entrusted to me by my Father: "I have +come to do the will of him who sent me" (6:38). And below he says: "Father, I +have accomplished the work you gave me to do" (17:4). Or, these words can refer +to Christ insofar as he is God; and then they indicate the equality of his +power with that of the Father. Then the meaning is, <b>we must work the works +of him who sent me</b>, that is, the works which I have from the Father. For +everything that the Son does, even according to his divine nature, he has from +his Father: "The Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees +the Father doing" (5:19). + +<p>1305 I say we must work <b>while +it is day</b>. Our natural day is produced by the presence of the sun to the +earth. But the Sun of Justice or Righteousness is Christ, our God: "But for you +who fear my name the sun of righteousness shall rise" (Mal 4:2). Therefore, as +long as this Sun is present to us, the works of God can be done in us, for us, +and by us. At one time this Sun was physically present to us; and then it was +day: "This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in +it" (Ps 118:24). Therefore, it was fitting to do the works of God. He is also +present us by grace; and then it is the day of grace, when it is fitting to do +the works of God, <b>while it is day</b>; "The night is far gone, the day is at +hand. Let us then cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light" +(Rom 13:12); "Those who sleep, sleep at night" (1 Thess 5:7). + +<p>1306 If the presence of the +sun produces day, and its absence night, then, since the sun is always present +to itself, it is always day for the sun; and so for the sun, it is always the +time for acting and illuminating. But with regard to ourselves, to whom it is +sometimes present and at other times absent, it is not always acting and +illuminating. In the same way for Christ, the Sun of Justice, it is always day +and the time for acting; but not with respect to us, because we are not always +able to receive his grace due to some obstacle on our part. + +<p>1307 He mentions why this is +our opportunity when he says, <b>night comes, when no one can work</b>. Just as +there are two kinds of day, so there are two kinds of night. One is by the +physical departure of the Sun of Justice, which is what the Apostles +experienced when they were demoralized at the time of the passion, when Christ +was physically taken from them: "you will all fall away because of me this +night" (Mt 26:31). Then it was not the time for acting, but for suffering. + +<p>But +it is better to say that even when Christ was physically absent because of his +ascension, it was still day for the Apostles insofar as the Sun of Justice +shone on them, and it was a time for working. And so night in this passage +refers to that night which comes from the spiritual separation from the Sun of +Justice, that is, by the separation from grace. This night is of two kinds. One +is by the loss of actual grace through mortal sin: "Those who sleep, sleep at +night" (1 Thess 5:7). When this night comes, no one can perform works that +merit eternal life. The other night is total, when one is deprived not only of +actual grace by mortal sin, but even of the ability of obtaining grace because +of an eternal damnation in hell. Here there is a vast night for those to whom +it will be said: "Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire" (Mt +24:41). During this night no one can work, because it is not the time for +meriting, but for receiving according to one's merits. Therefore, while you are +living, do now what you will want to have done then: "Whatever your hand finds +to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or thought of knowledge or +wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going" (Eccl 9:10). + +<p>1308 He gives the reason for +what he has just said, saying, <b>as long as I am in the world, I am the light +of the world</b>. This is like saying: If you want to know what is that day and +what is that night of which I speak, I say that <b>I am the light of the world</b>, +for my presence makes day, and my absence night; "I am the light of the world" +(8:12). <b>As long as I am in the world</b> by my bodily presence - "I came +forth from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the +world and going to the Father" (16:28) - <b>I am the light of the world</b>. +And thus this day lasted until the ascension of Christ. Or again, <b>as long as +I am in</b> <b>the world </b>spiritually by grace - "I am with you until the +consummation of the world" [Mt 28:20] - <b>I am the light of the world</b>. And +this day will last until the consummation of the world. + +<p>1309 Next, when the +Evangelist says, <b>as he said this, he spat on the ground</b>, he describes +the healing of the blind man. Here five things were done by Christ. First, he +moistens the earth, <b>he spat on the ground</b>. Secondly, he made the clay, +as we read, he <b>made clay of the spittle</b>. Thirdly, Christ smeared the +man's eyes <b>and anointed the man's eyes</b>. Fourthly, he commands the man to +wash, with <b>go, wash in the pool of Siloam</b>. And fifthly, the man's sight +is restored, <b>and he came back seeing</b>. Each of these has both a literal +and a mystical explanation. + +<p>1310 The literal meaning is +explained by Chrysostom in this way.<a href="#_ftn10" name="_ftnref10">[10]</a> +Christ restored the man's sight by spittle in order to show that he +accomplished this by a power coming from himself, and that the miracle should +not be attributed to anything else: "Power came forth from him" (Lk 6:19). +Although our Lord could have performed all his miracles by his mere word, +because "he commanded and they were created" (Ps 148:5), he frequently used his +body in them to show that as an instrument of his divinity it held a definite +healing power. He made clay from his spittle to show that he who had formed the +entire first man can reshape the deficient members of a man. Thus, just as he +formed the first man from clay, so he made clay to re-form the eyes of the one +born blind. + +<p>He +rubbed the clay on the eyes of the one born blind to show, by healing what is +most important in bodies, that he was the creator of bodies. For man is more +excellent than all other bodily substances; and among his members, the head is +the more excellent; and among the organs of the head, the eye is more excellent +than the others: "The eye is the lamp of the body" (Mt 6:22). Therefore, by +repairing the eye, which is more excellent than the other bodily members, he +showed that he was the creator of the entire man and of all corporeal nature. +He said, <b>go, wash in the pool of Siloam</b>, so that it would not seem that +the clay he rubbed on the eyes had the power to heal them. Thus, as long as he +had the clay on his eyes, the man did not see, but saw only after he washed. + +<p>He +sent him some distance to wash, to the pool of Siloam, first, to overcome the +obstinacy of the Jews. For he had to cross the city, and so all would see the +blind man going with the clay on his eyes, and then returning with his sight +restored. Secondly, he did this to acclaim the obedience and faith of the blind +man; for perhaps he had frequently had clay put on his face, and had often +washed in the pool of Siloam, and yet had not seen. So he could have said: "Clay +usually makes me worse, and I have often washed in the pool but was never +helped," as we read of Naaman in 2 Kings (5:10). Yet he did not argue, but +simply obeyed. Thus it follows, <b>so he went and washed</b>. The reason why he +sent him to the pool of Siloam was because the Jewish people were signified by +that water: "Because this people have refused the waters of Shiloah that flow +gently" (Is 8:6) Therefore, he sent him to Siloam to show that he still loved +the Jewish people. + +<p>The +effect follows, because <b>he came back seeing</b>. This was predicted in +Isaiah (35:5): "Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened." + +<p>1311 Augustine gives the +mystical and allegorical explanation. He says that the spittle, which is saliva +that descends from the head, signifies the Word of God, who proceeds from the +Father, the head of all things: "I came forth from the mouth of the Most High" +(Sir 24:3). Therefore, the Lord made clay from spittle and the earth when the +Word was made flesh. <a href="#_ftn11" +name="_ftnref11">[11]</a> +He anointed the eyes of the blind man, that is, of the human race. And the eyes +are the eyes of the heart, anointed by faith in the incarnation of Christ. But +the blind man did not yet see, because the anointing produced a catechumen, who +has faith but has not yet been baptized. So he sends him to the pool of Siloam +to wash and receive his sight, i.e., to be baptized, and in baptism to receive +full enlightenment. Thus, according to Dionysius, baptism is an enlightenment: +"I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your +uncleanness" (Ezek 36:25).<a href="#_ftn12" name="_ftnref12">[12]</a> +And so this Gospel is appropriately read in Lent, on Holy Saturday, when those +about to be baptized are examined. Nor is it without reason that the Evangelist +adds the meaning of the pool, saying, <b>which means Sent</b>, because whoever +is baptized must be baptized in Christ, who was sent by the Father: "As many of +you as were baptized in Christ have put on Christ" (Gal 3:27). For if Christ +had not been sent, none of us would have been freed from sin. + +<p>According +to Gregory, however, the spittle signifies the savor of intimate contemplation, +which flows from the head into the mouth, because due to the love of our +Creator we have been touched even in this life with the savor of revelation.<a +href="#_ftn13" name="_ftnref13">[13]</a> +Thus the Lord mixed spittle with earth and restored sight to the man born with +his contemplation, and heals our understanding from its original blindness. + +<p align=center><B>LECTURE 2</B> + +<BLOCKQUOTE><p>8 The neighbors and those +who had seen him before as a beggar, said, "Is not this the man who used to sit +and beg?" 9 Some said, "It is he"; others said, "No, but he is like him." He +said, "I am the man." 10 They said to him, "Then how were your eyes opened?" 11 +He answered, "The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes an said to +me, 'Go to Siloam and wash'; so I went and washed and received my sight." 12 +They said to him, "Where is he?" He said, "I do not know." 13 They brought to +the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. 14 Now it was a Sabbath day +when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. 15 The 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 see." 16 Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from +God, for he does not keep the Sabbath." But others said, "How can a man who is +a sinner do such signs?" There was a division among them. 17 So 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." 18 The 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, 19 and asked them, "Is this your son, who you say was born +blind? How then does he now see?" 20 His parents answered, "We know that this +is our son, and that he was born blind; 21 but 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." 22 His parents said this because they feared the Jews, for the Jews +had already agreed that if any one should confess him to be Christ, he was to +be put out of the synagogue. 23 Therefore his parents said, "He is of age, ask +him."<a href="#_ftn14" name="_ftnref14"><b>[14]</b></a></BLOCKQUOTE> + +<p>1312 After the description of +the miraculous healing of the blind man, the Evangelist tells of the miracle +being examined. First, the miracle is examined by the people; secondly, by the +Pharisees (v 13); and thirdly, on account of his confession the blind man is +instructed and commended by Christ (v 35). In regard to the first, the +Evangelist mentions three things: first, we see an inquiry about the person who +received his sight; secondly, about the restoration itself (v 10); and thirdly +about the one who restored his sight (v 1). In regard to the first he does +three things: first, we have a question about the one who received his sight; +secondly, the different opinions about this are given; thirdly, the question is +settled. + +<p>1313 The question is asked by +the people. He says, <b>the neighbors and those who had seen him before as a +beggar said: Is not this the man who used to sit and beg? </b>Here two things +are to be considered. One is that due to the greatness of the miracle, it was +considered incredible. So we read below: "Never since the world began has it +been heard that any one opened the eyes of a man born blind" (9:32). This +fulfills for them what is said in Habakkuk (1:5), "I am doing a work in your +days that you would not believe if told." Secondly, we should note the +wonderful compassion of God, because our Lord performs miracles not only for +the powerful, but also for outcasts, since he healed, with great pity, those +who begged. This shows that he who came for our salvation rejected no one +because of their poverty: "Has not God chosen those who are poor in the world +to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom?" (Jas 2:5). Thus they explicitly +say, <b>Is not this the man who used to sit and beg? </b>This is like saying: +He is an outcast and does not deserve to be cured. But Baruch says the +opposite: "The giants who were born there…God did not choose them" (3:26). + +<p>1314 The opinions of the +people are presented when he says, <b>Some said</b>: It is he, the beggar, +because they had often seen him begging, and later hurrying through the town +when he went to the pool with the clay on his eyes. Thus they could not deny +that it was he. But others were on the contrary opinion, so they said, <b>No, +but it is like him</b>. The reason for this, as Augustine says, is that the +man's appearance changed when he regained his sight, for nothing is so +characteristic as the expression a person gets from his eyes: "A sensible man +is known by his face" (Sir 19:29).<a href="#_ftn15" name="_ftnref15">[15]</a> + +<p>1315 The question is settled +by the blind man because <b>he said</b>, the blind man, <b>I am the man</b>, +the one who used to beg. His voice was grateful. For since he could not be +ungrateful for such a great favor and was unable to show any other sign of +gratitude than to constantly declare that he had been cured by Christ, he said, +<b>I am the man</b>, the one who was blind and begged; and now I see: "Praise +God and give thanks to him…for what he has done for you" (Tob 12:6). + +<p>1316 Then (v 10), we see the +investigation of the act, which was the restoration of the man's sight. First, +we have the question asked by the Jews; secondly, the answer of the blind man +(v 11). + +<p>1317 They continue: If you +are the blind man who used to beg, then tell us, <b>how were your eyes opened? </b>This +question came from their vain curiosity because neither the one who was cured +nor we ourselves know how it was done: "Do not meddle in what is beyond your +tasks" (Sir 3:23). + +<p>1318 The blind man's answer +was remarkable; he says, <b>the man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes</b>…In +his answer he first points out the person who gave him his sight, saying <b>the +man called Jesus</b>. He was right in calling him a man; he knew that he was a +man, and he was a true man: "Born in the likeness of man" (Phil 2:7). For +although he had not seen Jesus, because he had left while still blind to go to +Siloam, he knew him from his voice and from the conversations of others about +him. + +<p>Secondly, +he tells what was done, saying, <b>he made clay and anointed my eyes</b>. Here +he shows that he is truthful, not asserting what is not certain. For our Lord +had made clay from spittle, but he did not know this; yet through his sense of +touch he recognized the clay which was made and placed over his eyes. So he did +not say, "He made clay from spittle," but only, he <b>made clay and anointed my +eyes</b>: "That which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we +have looked upon and touched with our hands…we proclaim also to you" (1 Jn +1:1). + +<p>Thirdly, +he mentions the command, saying, <b>and he said to me, Go to Siloam and wash</b>. +This was also necessary for us, for if we wish to be cleansed from our +blindness of heart, it is necessary that we be spiritually washed; "Wash +yourselves; make yourselves clean" (Is 1:16). + +<p>Fourthly, +he shows his obedience, saying, <b>so I went and washed</b>. He is saying in +effect: Because I heard this command and desired to see, I obeyed. And it is no +wonder, because we read: "For the commandment," that is, when obeyed, "is a +lamp and the teaching a light" (Prov 6:23). + +<p>Fifthly, +he mentions the good effect, saying, <b>and I received my sight</b>. It was +fitting that he be enlightened after obeying, because as it says in Acts +(5:32): "It is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him." +Notice the perseverance of the blind man. As Augustine says: "Look at him! He +became a preacher of grace. See him! He preaches and testifies to the Jews. +This blind man testified, and the hearts of the wicked were vexed, because they +did not have the light in their hearts which he had in his face."<a +href="#_ftn16" name="_ftnref16">[16]</a> + +<p>1319 Next, we have the +inquiry about the person who restored his sight (v 12). First, there is the +question asked by the Jews, <b>Where is he? </b>They asked this maliciously, as +they were thinking of killing him; for they had already formed a conspiracy +against Christ: "But now you seek to kill me" (8:40). + +<p>Secondly, +we have the answer of the blind man, <b>I do not know</b>. As Augustine says, +from these words it is clear that what was accomplished in him physically +represents what is accomplished spiritually at different stages.<a +href="#_ftn17" name="_ftnref17">[17]</a> +For at first, the blind man is anointed, and then sees after his washing. The +anointing represents the beginning of his physical health, and the washing +leads to complete health. In particular, an anointing produces a catechumen; +and the washing, that is, baptism, perfects and enlightens him. Thus we have a +representation of the difference in faith found at different stages. For when +he says, <b>I do not know</b>, this represents the imperfect faith of +catechumens: "You worship what you do not know" (4:22). This can also signify +our faith: "For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophesying is imperfect" (1 +Cor 13:9). + +<p>1320 Then when he says, <b>they +brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind</b>, we see his +examination by the Pharisees. First, they question the man born blind; +secondly, his parents (v 18). He does three things with the first. First, we +see the person to be examined; secondly, he mentions the intention of the +examiners; and thirdly we have the interrogation itself. + +<p>1321 The one to be examined, +the blind man, is led to the Pharisees by the people. <b>They brought</b>, that +is, the crowd, <b>to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind</b>. +They did this because the crowd was trying to find out from him where Jesus +was, so that if they found him they could bring him to the Pharisees and accuse +him of breaking the Sabbath. So because they did not have Christ they took the +blind man, so that by questioning him more roughly they might force him by fear +to make up something false about Christ: "I will go to the great, and will +speak to them; for they know the way of the Lord, the law of their God. But +they all alike had broken the yoke, they had burst the bonds" (Jer 5:5). + +<p>1322 The Evangelist shows +that their intention was perverse, saying, <b>it was a Sabbath day when Jesus +made the clay</b>. He says this to show their evil intention and the reason why +they sought Jesus, that is, to find a charge against him and detract from his +miracle by his supposed violation of the law. Nevertheless, it should be said +that "The Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath" (Mt 12:8). + +<p>1323 His examination is +conducted by the Pharisees, since it is said, <b>The Pharisees again asked him</b>. +First, they question him about what was done; secondly, about the person who +did it (v 16). + +<p>1324 The Evangelist does two +things about the first: first, he presents their interrogation; secondly, the +blind man's answer. They ask him about the sign he received, <b>the Pharisees +again asked him</b>, not in order to learn, but to find a reason to accuse him +of lying. The blind man answers them, not contradicting what he said before, +nor deviating from the truth. <b>He</b>, that is, the blind man, <b>said to +them, He put clay on my eyes</b>. We must, first, admire the perseverance of +this blind man, for although it may not seem such a great thing to have spoken +the truth when he, without danger, was questioned by the crowd, he showed +remarkable perseverance when in greater danger before the Pharisees he neither +denied what he had said before nor changed his account: "I will also speak of +thy testimonies before kings, and shall not be put to shame" (Ps 119:46). +Secondly, we should admire his skill, for it is good practice to first relate +an event in detail and with all its circumstances, and then if it has to be +repeated, to speak more concisely. So here, he does not repeat the name of the +one who spoke to him, nor that he was told to go and wash. But without +hesitation he relays only the essential, and says, <b>He put clay on my eyes</b>. + +<p>1325 Next (v 16), an inquiry +is made about the one who restored the man's sight. First, the different +opinions of the Pharisees concerning Christ are given; secondly, the opinion of +the blind man is sought (v 17). In regard to the first he does three things: +first, he presents the opinion of those who were blaspheming Christ; then, the +opinion of those who were commending him; thirdly, he concludes with the fact +that they were arguing and disagreeing among themselves. + +<p>1326 We should note, +concerning the first, that those who act maliciously against someone keep +silent if they see anything good in his work, and they reveal the evil, if any +is seen, even turning what is good into evil, according to "Beware of a +scoundrel, for he devises evil, lest he give you a lasting blemish" (Sir +11:33). This is what they are doing here: for they do not mention what seemed +good, that is, the restoration of the blind man's sight, but stress what they +can against Christ, that is, his breaking of the Sabbath. Thus <b>some of the +Pharisees said</b>, that is, those who were malicious and corrupt, <b>this man +is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath</b>. But Christ did keep the +Sabbath, for when the Lord forbade work on the Sabbath he had in mind servile +work, which is a sin: "Every one who does sinful works on the Sabbath breaks +the Sabbath. So Christ, who was without sin, rather than they, kept the +Sabbath. + +<p>1327 The opinion of those +commending him is presented when he reports them as saying, <b>How can a man +who is a sinner do such signs? </b>These others had some faith due to the signs +that Christ worked, but were still weak and imperfect; it was out of fear of +the Pharisees and the elders that they asked with hesitation, <b>How can a man +who</b> <b>is a sinner do such signs? </b>We read below that "Many even of the +authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess +it" (12:42). They should have shown how our Lord had not broken the Sabbath, +and have appropriately replied in defense of Jesus. + +<p>1328 The difference of +opinion among them is mentioned when he says, <b>there was a division among +them</b>; and this division was also found in the people. This was a sign of +their destruction: "Their heart is false; now they must bear their guilt" (Hos +10:2); "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste" (Mt 12:25). + +<p>1329 Next (v 17), they ask +the blind man for his opinion. And first we have the question the Pharisees +asked; secondly, the blind man's answer. + +<p>They +question him, saying, <b>what do you say about him? </b>According to +Chrysostom, this question was not asked by those who were blaspheming Christ, +but by those favorably disposed.<a href="#_ftn18" name="_ftnref18">[18]</a> +This is clear from the way they questioned him; for they call his attention to +the gift he received, saying, <b>since he has opened your eyes</b>. If the +others had been doing the questioning, they would not have said this, but would +rather recall that Christ broke the Sabbath. But these remind him of the +benefit that he received to make him grateful and lead him to testify to +Christ. + +<p class=MsoBodyTextIndent2>But according to +Augustine, this question was asked by Christ's enemies, who wanted to deprecate +this man who constantly professed the truth; or they were trying to get him to +change his opinion out of fear; or at least were attempting to exclude him from +the synagogue.<a href="#_ftn19" name="_ftnref19">[19]</a> + +<p>The +answer of the blind man remained the same, <b>he said, He is a prophet</b>. +Although up to this time, as though unanointed in heart, he did not yet profess +that Christ was the Son of God, he firmly expressed what he thought and did not +lie. For our Lord said of himself: "A prophet is not without honor except in +his own country" (Mt 13:57); "The Lord your God will raise up for you a +prophet…him shall you heed" (Dt 18:15). + +<p>1330 Next (v 18), we see his +parents questioned. First, we have the reason why they were questioned; +secondly, the question itself (v 19); thirdly their answer (v 20); and +fourthly, the reason for this answer (v 22). + +<p>1331 The reason for this +second questioning was the unbelief of the Pharisees. He says, <b>the Jews</b>, +that is, the Pharisees, <b>did not believe that he had been blind and had +received his sight, until they called the parents of the man</b>. They did this +in an attempt to nullify the miracle of Christ and to preserve their own glory: +"How can you believe, who receive glory from one another?" (Jn 5:44). + +<p>1332 The Pharisees now +question his parents. Here they ask about three things. First, about their son, +saying <b>Is this your son? </b>Secondly, about his blindness; and so they add, +<b>who you say was born blind</b>. They did not say, "who at one time was +blind," but <b>who you say</b>, implying that they made this up. What father +would lie in such a way about his son? Yet they were trying to make him say he +did. + +<p>Thirdly, +they ask how he had obtained his sight,<b> How then does he now see? </b>This +was like saying: Either it is false that he now sees, or that he was once +blind; but obviously the truth is that he sees; therefore it was false to say +that he had been blind: "The powerful man will test you through much talking, +and while he smiles he will be examining you" (Sir 13:11). + +<p>1333 Then, the answer of his +parents is given (v 20). The Pharisees had asked about three things; they +answer firmly about two and in regard to the third they refer them to their +son. First, they admit the first, namely, that he is their son; so they say, <b>we +know that this is our son</b>. They also admit the second when they add, <b>and +that he was born blind</b>. This shows that the truth always conquers what is +false, as we read in the apocryphal 3 Esdras (3:13): "Truth conquers all." Yet +as to the third question, how their son sees, they <b>answer, but how he now +sees we do not know</b>. + +<p>They +reply, secondly, about the person who gave him his sight, <b>now do we know who +opened his eyes</b>. They answer this way because the question was directed +against the one who gave sight to their son, and so they refer this to their +son, saying, <b>Ask him, he is of age</b>. This was like saying: He was born +blind, not mute; thus he can speak for himself in this matter. The testimony +about this miracle was from several sources so as to make it more believable: +the parents told what they knew, and their blind son confirmed that he had been +cured. + +<p>1334 The reason for their +answer is given when he says, <b>his parents said this because they feared the +Jews</b>; for they were still imperfect and did not dare do what our Lord says: +"Do not fear those who kill the body" (Mt 10:28). The reason for their fear was +<b>that the Jews had already agreed that if any one should confess him to be +Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue</b>. "I have said all this to you +to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues" (Jn +16:11). As Augustine says, it was no longer an evil to be cast out of the +synagogue, for the ones they rejected Christ welcomed.<a href="#_ftn20" +name="_ftnref20">[20]</a> + +<p align=center><B>LECTURE 3</B> + +<BLOCKQUOTE><p>24 So 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." 25 he answered, "Whether he is a sinner, I +do not know; one thing I know, that though I was blind, I now see." 26 They +said to him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?" 27 He answered +them, "I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to +hear it again? Do you too want to become his disciples?" 28 And they reviled +him, saying, "You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know +that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he +comes from." 30 The man answered, "Why, this is a marvel! You do not know where +he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen +to sinners, but if any one is a worshipper of God and does his will, God +listens to him. 32 Never since the world began has it been heard that any one +opened the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could +do nothing." 34 They answered him, "You were born in utter sin, and would you +teach us?" And they cast him out.<a href="#_ftn21" name="_ftnref21"><b>[21]</b></a></BLOCKQUOTE> + +<p>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; +secondly, they revile him (v 28); and thirdly, they condemn him (v 34). The +Evangelist does two things about the first. First, he shows how they tried to +get the man born blind to deny the truth; secondly, how they continued to +question him in order to malign him (v 26). In regard to the first he does two +things: first, he shows their malice; and secondly, the steadfastness of the +man born blind (v 25). 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. + +<p>1336 In regard to the first +he says, <b>for the second time they called the man who had been blind</b>, for +his parents had referred them to the blind man, <b>and said to him: Give God +the praise</b>. 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, <b>Give God the praise</b>. 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, <b>we know that this man is a sinner</b>. But, as Augustine +says, if he had done this, he would not be giving glory to God but rather, +being ungrateful, would be blaspheming.<a href="#_ftn22" name="_ftnref22" +title="">[22]</a> +But in truth, the Pharisees were lying when they said, <b>we know that this man +is a sinner</b>; for above (8:46), they could not convict him of sin, and he +said: "which of you convicts me of sin?" And no wonder, because "He committed +no sin; no guile was found on his lips" (1 Pet 2:22). + +<p>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, <b>Whether he +is a sinner, I do not know.</b> + +<p>Yet +because he had said before that "He is a prophet," is he not now saying, <b>Whether +he is a sinner I do not know</b>, 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 +say that he is a sinner; but I do not know that he is a sinner, and I am amazed +that you say this, because he accomplished a work which does not seem to be the +work of a sinner, because <b>though I was blind, now I see</b>, 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.<a href="#_ftn23" +name="_ftnref23">[23]</a> +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.<a href="#_ftn24" name="_ftnref24" +title="">[24]</a> + +<p>1338 They again question the +man born blind in order to malign him. First, we have the cunning interrogation +of the Pharisees; and secondly, the contemptuous reply of the blind man (v 27). + +<p>1339 He says, with respect to +the first, <b>They said to him: What did he do to you? </b>The blind man had +said that he had received his sight from Christ, which the Pharisees had not +asked about. It was their intention to malign Christ, so they now ask rather +how he did it. So they did not ask "How is it that you see?" but <b>How did he +open your eyes? </b>It was like saying: "He did this by some trick or sorcery, +didn't he?" "Those who seek my hurt speak of ruin, and meditate treachery all +the day long" (Ps 38:12). + +<p>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, <b>I have told you already and you would +not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? </b>This was like saying: I told +you once. Why do you want to hear it again? That's 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. "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). + +<p>Secondly, +he mocks the presumptuous intention of the Pharisees, saying, <b>Do you too +want to become his disciples? </b>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, <b>Do you too want to +become his disciples? </b>He means by this: If you are not investigating this +maliciously, you therefore wish to join him: "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.<a href="#_ftn25" name="_ftnref25">[25]</a> +Thus, he significantly says, <b>you too</b>, implying that he himself was a +disciple. He is saying in effect: <b>Do you want to become his disciples </b>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.<a href="#_ftn26" name="_ftnref26">[26]</a> + +<p>1341 Next, the Pharisees +revile the man born blind. First, we see them revile him; then, secondly, the +defense of the blind man (v 30). He does two things concerning the first: +first, he presents the revilement of the Pharisees; secondly, the reason behind +it (v 28b). + +<p>1342 With respect to the +first he says, <b>and they reviled him, saying, You are his disciple</b>. 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 continue in my word, you are truly my disciples" (Jn +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 in the Psalm 109 (v 28): "let them curse, but do thou bless"; +and in Matthew (5:11): "Blessed are you when men revile you." + +<p>1343 He next adds the reason +for their reviling when he says,<b> we are disciples of Moses</b>.<b> </b>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, <b>we are disciples of Moses</b>. But this pride of +theirs is false, because they neither followed Moses nor fulfilled his +commands: "If you believed Moses, you would believe me" (Jn 5:46); this was +like saying: You do not follow the servant [Moses], and later go against his +Lord. + +<p>Secondly, +they praise the dignity of Moses when they say, <b>we know that God has spoken +to Moses</b>. 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" (Ex 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). + +<p>Thirdly, +they hint at the dignity of Christ in a veiled manner when they say, <b>as for +this man</b>, Christ, <b>we do not know where he comes from</b>. 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" (8:19). But +their statement is false as they understood it, for when they said, we do <b>not +know where he comes from</b>, 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 of Jeremiah: "I did not send you prophets, yet +they ran" (23:21). + +<p>1344 Now, the blind man's +argument against the Pharisees is presented. First, he is amazed at their +harness of heart; secondly, he refutes their false opinion (v 31). + +<p>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," as we read in Esther [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, <b>Why +this is a marvel! You do not know where he comes from</b>. 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. + +<p>1346 The man born blind +refutes their false opinion by saying, <b>we know that God does not listen to +sinners</b>. 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 (v 32); and thirdly, he draws his conclusion (v 33). He +does two things abut the first: first, he mentions those whom God does not +hear; secondly, those he does hear (v 31b). + +<p>1347 God does not hear +sinners. In regard to this he says, <b>we know that God does not hear sinners</b>. +He is saying: Both you and I agree that sinners are not heard by God. Thus a +Psalm says, "They cried to the Lord and he did not hear them"; and again, "Then +they will call upon me, but I will not answer" (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 thou +from heaven and forgive thy people" [2 Chron 6:36-39]; and in Luke (18:14) we +read that the tax collector "went down to his house justified." + +<p>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." 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. <a href="#_ftn27" name="_ftnref27">[27]</a> + +<p>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 might works in your name?" +(Mt 7:22); and yet God did not know them. Thus, what the blind man said does +not seems to be true, namely, <b>we know that God does not listen to sinners</b>. + +<p>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. + +<p> + +<p>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: "The works +which the Father has granted me to accomplish…bear me witness that the Father +has sent me" (5:36). It was with this meaning that the blind man said that <b>God +does not listen to sinners</b>, that is, so that they could perform miracles as +a testimony to their supposed holiness. <a +href="#_ftn28" name="_ftnref28">[28]</a> + +<p>1350 Then when he says, <b>but +if any one is a worshiper of God</b>…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" (Mt 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, <b>If any +one is a worshipper of God</b> by sacrifices and offerings: "They will worship +him with sacrifice and burnt offering" (Is 19:21). These belong to the worship +of <i>latria</i>, which attests to one's faith. As to the second he says, <b>and +does his will</b> by obeying his commandments, <b>God listens to him</b>. + +<p>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 which no one +else did, they would not have sin" (Jn 15:24). + +<p>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 <b>if this man were not from God, he +could do nothing</b>, that is, freely, often and truly, because "apart from me +you can do nothing" (15:5). + +<p>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, <b>saying, you were born in utter sin</b>. 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 shall eat the good of the land" (Is 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, <b>you were born in utter sin</b>. But they were wrong, because +the Lord said: "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents." + +<p>They +say <b>in utter sin </b>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, <b>in +utter sin</b> means that he was in sin all his life, from his earliest years.<a +href="#_ftn29" name="_ftnref29">[29]</a> + +<p>They +are guilty of pride by rejecting what the man born blind was teaching, when +they say, <b>Would you teach us? </b>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. + +<p>They +are guilty of injustice by unjustly casting him out. Thus we read, <b>and they +cast him out</b>, 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!" (Lk 6:22). + +<p align=center><B>LECTURE 4</B> + +<BLOCKQUOTE><p>35 Jesus heard that they +had cast him out, and having found him he said, "Do you believe in the Son of +God?" 36 He answered, "And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?" 37 Jesus +said to him, "You have seen him, and it is he who speaks to you." 38 He said, +"Lord, I believe"; and he worshiped him. 39 Jesus said, "For judgment I came +into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may +become blind." 40 Some of the Pharisees near him heard this, and they said to +him, "Are we also blind?" 41 Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would +have no guilt; but now that you say, 'we see', your guilt remains."<a +href="#_ftn30" name="_ftnref30"><b>[30]</b></a></BLOCKQUOTE> + +<p>1354 After the Evangelist +showed how the Jews cast out the man born blind because he persisted in the +truth, he here shows how Jesus received him and taught him. First, we see +Christ teaching him; secondly, the devotion of the man born blind (v 38); +thirdly, the approval of his devotion (v 39). He does three things about the +first. First, he shows the eagerness of Christ to teach him; secondly, we see +the desire of the man born blind to believe (v 36); and thirdly, the teaching +of the faith is given to perfect him (v 37). + +<p>1355 Christ's eagerness to +teach is described in three ways. First, by his attentive consideration to what +was done to the man born blind. For just as a trainer carefully considers what +his athlete undergoes for his sake, so Christ attentively considered what the +man born blind underwent for the sake of the truth and because of his +assertions. And so he says that <b>Jesus heard</b>, attentively considered, +that the Pharisees <b>had cast him out</b>, of the temple: "Give heed to me, O +Lord, and to the voices of my adversaries" [Jer 18:19]. + +<p>Secondly, +we see Christ's eagerness from his efforts in searching for him, for the +Evangelist says, <b>and having found him</b>; for we are said to find what we +diligently seek: "She seeks diligently, until she finds it" (Lk 15:8). It is +clear from this that Christ was looking for him alone, because he found more +faith in him alone that in all the others. And we can see from this that God +loves one just person more than ten thousand sinners: "I will make men more +rare than fine gold, and mankind than the gold of Ophir" (Is 13:12). And in +Genesis we read that God was willing to spare Sodom for the sake of ten just +men. + +<p>Thirdly, +our Lord's eagerness is seen from the seriousness of his question; he said, <b>Do +you believe in the Son of God?</b> The blind man was an image of those to be +baptized. Thus the custom arose in the Church of questioning those to be +baptized about their faith: "Baptism…now saves you, not as a removal of dirt +from the body, but as an appeal to God for a clean conscience" (1 Pet 3:21). When +asked about his faith he does not say, "Do you believe in Christ?" but <b>Do +you believe in the Son of God?</b> He does this, as Hilary says, because it +would develop that some would profess Christ, and yet deny that he was the Son +of God and God, as Arius erred.<a href="#_ftn31" name="_ftnref31">[31]</a> +These words clearly exclude this error: for if Christ were not God, we would +not have to believe in him, since God alone is the object of faith, which rests +on the first truth. Thus he significantly says, <b>in the Son </b>(<i>in Filium</i>); +for I am certainly able to believe some creature, such as Peter and Paul (<i>credere +Petro et Paulo</i>), yet I do not believe in Peter (<i>credere in Petrum</i>), +but in God (<i>in Deum</i>) alone as the object of faith [cf. no. 901]. Thus it +is clear that the Son of God is not a creature: "You believe in God, believe +also in me" (Jn 14:1). + +<p>1356 Next he mentions the +desire of the man born blind to believe. We have to recall that this man had +not yet physically seen Christ: for he had not seen him when Christ anointed +his eyes and sent him to the pool of Siloam, and when he wanted to go back to +him he was detained by the Pharisees and the Jews. However, although he had not +physically seen Jesus, he believed that the one who opened his eyes was the Son +of God. And so he breaks out in words of desire and intense longing, and says, <b>And +who is he, sir</b>, namely, the Son of God, who opened my eyes, <b>that I may +believe in him? </b>It is clear from this that he knew something about Jesus, +and did not know other things about him. For if he had not known him, he would +not have argued so firmly on his behalf; and if he had not been ignorant of +other things, he certainly would not have said, <b>Who is he, sir? </b>"My soul +yearns for you in the night," that is, the night of ignorance (Is 26:9). + +<p>1357 Because, as we read in +Wisdom (6:16), "She," that is, Wisdom, "goes about seeking those worthy of +her," Christ reveals himself to the man born blind, who desired her, when he +says, <b>You have seen him, and it is he who speaks to you</b>. Here Christ is +giving him a teaching of faith. First, he mentions the gift he received, saying +<b>you have seen him</b>, that is, you, who did not see before, have now seen +him. He is saying in effect that the man born blind received the ability to see +from him: "Blessed are the eyes which see what you see" (Lk 10:23); "Lord, now +let your servant depart in peace…for my eyes have seen your salvation" [Lk +2:29]. Secondly, the teaching itself is given when he says, <b>It is he who +speaks to you</b>: "In these last days he has spoken to us by a Son" (Heb 1:2). + +<p>These +words refute the error of Nestorius, who said that in Christ the <i>suppositum </i>[or +person] of the Son of God is different from the <i>suppositum</i> of the Son of +man. They refute it because the one who spoke these words was born from Mary +and was the son of man, and the very same one is the Son of God, as our Lord +says. Therefore, there are two <i>supposita</i> [persons] in Christ, although +the natures [the divine and the human] are not the same.<a href="#_ftn32" +name="_ftnref32">[32]</a> + +<p>1358 Then when the Evangelist +says, <b>he said, Lord, I believe</b>, we see the devout faith of the man born +blind. And first, he professes with his lips the faith in his heart, saying, <b>Lord, +I believe</b>: "Man believes with his heart and so is justified, and he +confesses with his lips and so is saved" (Rom 10:10). Secondly, he shows it in +his conduct, <b>and he worshipped him</b>. This shows that he believes in the +divine nature of Christ, because those whose consciences have been cleansed +know Christ not only as the son of man, which was externally obvious, but as +the Son of God, who had taken flesh: for adoration is due to God alone: "You +will adore the Lord, your God" [Dt 6:13]. + +<p>1359 Next (v 39), the +devotion of the man born blind is commended: first, his devotion is commended; +secondly, we see the grumbling of the Jews (v 40); and then they are answered +(v 41). + +<p>1360 The man born blind is +commended for his faith. We read,<b> for judgment I came into this world</b>. +But on the other hand, we also read: "God sent the Son into the world, not to +judge the world" [Jn 3:17]. My answer is this: In the second statement [3:17] +he is speaking of the judgment of condemnation, about which we read: "Those who +have done evil [will rise] to the resurrection of judgment" (Jn 5:29), that is, +to a judgment of condemnation. And God did not send his Son for this purpose at +his first coming; he was sent to save us. But here in the present statement +[9:39], he is speaking of the judgment of distinction, about which we read: +"Vindicate me, O Lord, and distinguish my cause" [Ps 43:1]. For Jesus came to +distinguish the good from the evil. The words which follow show this: <b>that +those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.</b> + +<p>According +to Augustine, those who think they see do not see, and those who do not think +they see, see. Now, we are said to be blind, spiritually, insofar as we sin: +"Their wickedness blinded them" (Wis 2:21).<a href="#_ftn33" name="_ftnref33" +title="">[33]</a> +Thus, the one who does not recognize his own sins regards himself as seeing; +while one who recognizes himself as a sinner regards himself as not seeing. The +first is characteristic of the proud; the second, of the humble. So the meaning +is this: I have come to distinguish the humble from the proud, so that the +humble, <b>who do not see</b>, that is, who regard themselves as sinners, <b>may +see</b>, having been illuminated by faith, <b>and that those who see</b>, that +is, the proud, <b>may become blind</b>, that is, may remain in the darkness. + +<p>1361 Chrysostom understands +this passage in terms of the judgment of condemnation, so that the statement, <b>for +judgment I came into this world</b> is not understood in a causal sense, but it +indicates the sequence of events.<a href="#_ftn34" name="_ftnref34">[34]</a> +It is like saying: After my coming into the world, there follows for some the +judgment of condemnation increases in them. In Luke (2:23) we find something +similar: "This child is set for the falling and rising of many in Israel," not because Christ is the cause of their fall, but because this follows his +coming. He adds, <b>that those who do not see</b>, that is, the Gentiles, who +lacked the light of divine knowledge, <b>may see</b>, i.e., be admitted to the +knowledge of God: "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light" +(Is 9:2); <b>and that those who see</b>, the Jews, who did have a knowledge of +God - "In Judah God is known" (Ps 76:1) - <b>may become blind</b>, fall away +from the knowledge of God. The Apostle explicitly mentions this: "The Gentiles +who did not pursue righteousness have attained it" (Rom 9:30). + +<p>1362 Now we see the grumbling +of the Jews. They had understood our Lord's words in a bodily sense because +they had seen the man born blind physically restored to sight, and had thought +that our Lord was concerned only with the light in his eyes rather than in his +mind. And so they believed that he was warning and threatening them with +physical blindness when he said <b>may become blind</b>. Therefore, the +Evangelist says, <b>some of the Pharisees near him heard this</b>, the above +words. He says who were <b>near him</b>, to show their vacillation: for +sometimes they were with him because of some miracles which they saw, and then +would leave when the truth was made known to them: "They believe for a while, +and in time of tribulation fall away" (Lk 8:13). <b>And they said to him, Are +we also blind</b>, i.e., physically? Yet they were spiritually blind: "Let them +alone; they are blind guides" (Mt 15:14). + +<p>1363 Next, we see the Jews +silenced. According to Augustine, this shows the meaning of the previous +passage, that is, that our Lord was referring to spiritual blindness.<a +href="#_ftn35" name="_ftnref35">[35]</a> +He says, <b>If you were blind, you would have no guilt</b>, because you would +be running to the remedy. For sin is taken away by grace, which is given only +to the humble: "God gives grace to the humble" (Jas 4:6). <b>But now that you +say, We see</b>, i.e., proudly thinking that you do see, you do not recognize +that you are sinners, <b>your guilt remains</b>, i.e., is not taken away: "God +opposes the proud" (Jas 4:6). + +<p>Chrysostom understands this +passage as referring to physical blindness.<a href="#_ftn36" name="_ftnref36" +title="">[36]</a> +The meaning is then: <b>If you were blind</b>,<b> </b>physically, you would +have no guilt, because since blindness is a physical defect, it does not have +the nature of sin. <b>But now that you say, We see</b>, your sin is clear, +because while seeing the miracles that I do, you do not believe me: "Blind the +heart of this people" [Is 6:10]. + +<p>Here +is another explanation. <b>If you were blind</b>,<b> </b>i.e.,<b> </b>ignorant +of the judgments of God and of the sacraments of the law; <b>you would have no +guilt</b>, i.e., so much. As if to say: If you were sinning out of ignorance, +your sin would not be so serious. <b>But now that you say, We see</b>, i.e., +arrogate to yourselves an understanding of the law and a knowledge of God, and +still sin, then <b>your guilt remains</b>, i.e., becomes greater: "That servant +who knew is master's will, but did not make ready or act according to his will, +shall receive a severe beating" (Lk 12:47). +<BR><BR><BR> +<hr align=left size=1 width="33%"> + +<div id=ftn1> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1">[1]</a> +<span>St. Thomas refers to Jn 9:3 in the <i>Summa Theologiae</i>: +I-II, q. 87, a. 7, obj. 1; III, q. 40, a. 4, ad 1; Jn 9:4: <i>ST</i> III, q. +35, a. 8, obj. 3; q. 83, a. 2, ad 4; Jn 5: <i>ST</i> III, q. 46, a. 9, obj. 4; +q. 83, a. 2, ad 4; Jn 9:6: <i>ST</i> III, q. 44, a. 3, ad 2. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn2> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2"> +[2]</a> <i>Tract. +in Io</i>., 44, ch. 1, col. 1713; cf. <i>Catena Aurea, </i>9:1-7. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn3> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3">[3]</a> <i>In +Ioannem hom</i>., 56, ch. 1; PG 59, col. 305; cf. +<i>Catena Aurea, </i>8:1-7. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn4> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4"> +[4]</a> Ibid; +cf. <i>Catena Aurea, </i>8:1-7. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn5> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5">[5]</a> +Augustine, <i>Epistola XLIV</i>, ch. V no. 12, PL 33, +col. 179. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn6> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6"> +[6]</a> +summa-punishment as a corrective. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn7> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref7" name="_ftn7"> +[7]</a> cf. +Augustine, <i>Epistola CLV</i>, ch. I, no. 3; PL 33, col. 668 + +</div> + +<div id=ftn8> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref8" name="_ftn8"> +[8]</a> +Summa-evil of fault and evil of punishment + +</div> + +<div id=ftn9> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref9" name="_ftn9"> +[9]</a> <i>Moralia</i>, Praefatio, ch. 5 no. 12; PL 75, col. 523A, B; cf. <i>Catena Aurea, </i>9:1-7. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn10> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref10" name="_ftn10"> +[10]</a> <i>In +Ioannem hom</i>., 57, ch. 1; PG 59, col. 311; cf. +<i>Catena Aurea, </i>9:1-7. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn11> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref11" name="_ftn11"> +[11]</a> <i>Tract. +in Io</i>., 44, ch. 2, col. 1714; cf. <i>Catena +Aurea, </i>9:1-7. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn12> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref12" name="_ftn12"> +[12]</a> +Dionysius. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn13> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref13" name="_ftn13"> +[13]</a> <i>Moralia</i>, +Lib. 8, ch. 30, no. 49; PL 75. col. 832 C; cf. +<i>Catena Aurea, </i>9:1-7. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn14> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref14" name="_ftn14">[14]</a> +<span>St. Thomas refers to Jn 9:16 in the <i>Summa +Theologiae</i>: I-II, q. 107, a. 2, obj. 3; III, q. 40, a. 4, ad 1. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn15> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref15" name="_ftn15"> +[15]</a><i> +Tract. in Io</i>., 44, ch. 8, col. 1716; cf. <i>Catena Aurea, </i>9:8-17. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn16> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref16" name="_ftn16"> +[16]</a> Ibid., +8; cf. <i>Catena Aurea, </i>9:8-17. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn17> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref17" name="_ftn17"> +[17]</a> See <i>Tract +in Io</i>, 44, ch. 8, col. 1716-17. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn18> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref18" name="_ftn18"> +[18]</a><i>In +Ioannem hom</i>., 58, ch. 1; PG 59, col. 58; +cf. <i>Catena Aurea, </i>9:8-17. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn19> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref19" name="_ftn19"> +[19]</a> <i>Tract. +in Io</i>., 44, ch. 9, col. 1717; cf. <i>Catena +Aurea, </i>9:8-17. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn20> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref20" name="_ftn20"> +[20]</a> <i>Tract. +in Io</i>., 44, 10, col. 1717; cf. <i>Catena +Aurea, </i>9:18-23. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn21> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref21" name="_ftn21">[21]</a> +<span>St. Thomas refers to Jn 9:31 in the <i>Summa +Theologiae</i>: II-II, q. 83, a. 16, obj. 1; q. 178, a. 2, obj. 1; III, q. 64, +a. 1, obj. 2; Jn 9:32: <i>ST </i>III, q. 43, a. 4.<i> </i> + +</div> + +<div id=ftn22> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref22" name="_ftn22">[22]</a> +<i>Tract. in Io</i>., +44, ch. 11, col. 1718; cf. <i>Catena Aurea, </i>9:24-34. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn23> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref23" name="_ftn23"> +[23]</a> Augustine-this is not in <i>Tract in Io</i>. (so far as I +could tell) + +</div> + +<div id=ftn24> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref24" name="_ftn24"> +[24]</a> <i>In +Ioannem hom</i>., 58, ch. 2; PG 59, col. 317; cf. +<i>Catena Aurea,</i> 9:24-34. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn25> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref25" name="_ftn25"> +[25]</a> <i>Tract. +in Io</i>, 44, ch. 11, col. 1718. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn26> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref26" name="_ftn26"> +[26]</a> <i>In +Ioannem hom</i>., 58, ch. 2; PG 59, col. 318; cf. +<i>Catena Aurea</i>, <span style='color:#339966'>9:24-34. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn27> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref27" name="_ftn27"> +[27]</a> <i>Tract. +in Io</i>., 44, ch. 13, col. 1718; cf. <i>Catena +Aurea, </i>9:24-34. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn28> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref28" name="_ftn28"> +[28]</a> +Summa-sc 138-139 way in which God hears the prayers of sinners; miracles can +testify to a doctrine or to a person. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn29> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref29" name="_ftn29">[29]</a> +<i>In Ioannem hom</i>., +58, ch. 3; PG 59, col., 319; cf. <i>Catena +Aurea,</i> 9:24-34. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn30> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref30" name="_ftn30">[30]</a> + <span>St. Thomas<span> refers to +Jn 9:39 in the <i>Summa Theologiae</i>: III, q. 51, a. 2, obj. 2; Jn 9:41: <i>ST</i> +II-II, q. 15, a. 1, obj. 1. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn31> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref31" name="_ftn31">[31]</a> <i>De Trinitate</i>, 6 ch. 48; PL 10, col. 196B; cf. <i>Catena Aurea, </i>9:35-41. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn32> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref32" name="_ftn32"> +[32]</a> Ought +this to be concluding that there are two persons in Christ? + +</div> + +<div id=ftn33> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref33" name="_ftn33"> +[33]</a> <i>Tract. +in Io</i>., 44, 16, col. 1719; cf. <i>Catena +Aurea, </i>9:35-41. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn34> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref34" name="_ftn34"> +[34]</a> <i>In +Ioannem hom</i>., 59, ch. 1; PG 59, col. 323; cf. +<i>Catena </i><i><span style='color:#339966'>Aurea</i><span style='color:#339966'>, 9:35-41. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn35> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref35" name="_ftn35"> +[35]</a> <i>Tract. +in Io</i>., 44, ch. 17, col. 1719; cf. <i>Catena +Aurea, </i>9:35-41. + +</div> + +<div id=ftn36> + +<p><a href="#_ftnref36" name="_ftn36"> +[36]</a><i> In +Ioannem hom</i>., 59, ch. 1; PG 59, col. 323; +cf. <i>Catena </i><i><span style='color:#339966'>Aurea</i><span style='color:#339966'>, 9:35-41. + +</body></html>