Chapter Nine

¹ And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? The Lord goes out of the temple, contriving some respite from the wrath of the Jews; but He turns to the healing of the blind man, by this sign softening their hardness and disobedience, even though they were nothing profited; and at the same time showing them that not in vain, nor in boast, did He say the, “Before Abraham was, I am.” For lo, He accomplishes a wonder such as no one ever before. For though some have opened the eyes of a blind man, yet not of one born blind; it is manifest, then, that as God, and being before Abraham, He accomplishes this thing never yet accomplished from eternity. And of set purpose He came to the blind man, and not he to Him. So then the disciples also, seeing Him gaze attentively upon the blind man, ask: “Who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?” The question, then, appears to be in error. For how could this man have sinned before he was born? For surely the apostles received not the Greek follies, that the soul, dwelling before the body in another world, sins, and then so pays this penalty, the descent into the body. For, being fishermen, they would not even have heard any such thing, since these are the doctrines of the philosophers. The question, then, appears senseless, but not to him that gives heed. For learn: the apostles, having heard Christ saying to the paralytic, “Behold, you are made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come to you,” when they saw the blind man, are in perplexity, and say as it were such things: “Grant that that man was paralysed for sins; but concerning this man what would you say? Did he himself sin? But it cannot be said; for he is blind from birth. But did his parents? But neither this; for a child is not punished for his father.” Not so much, then, asking, as being in perplexity, they say these things. The Lord, then, loosing their perplexity, says: “Neither did this man sin (for how, before he was born?), nor his parents.” And He says this not as freeing them from sins. For He said not simply that “His parents sinned not,” but added, “that he was born blind.” For his parents indeed sinned, but not thence was the blindness to him. For it is not just that the sins of fathers be laid upon children that do no wrong. And this God teaches through Ezekiel, saying thus: “This proverb shall no more be used, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge”; and He also lays it down through Moses, “The father shall not die for the child.” But, “How, then,” one says, “is it written, Recompensing the sins of the parents upon the children to the third and fourth generation?” It is to be said, then, that first, this sentence is not general, nor spoken of all, but only of those that came out of Egypt. Then consider me also the sense of the sentence. For it says not this, that “For the things wherein the fathers sinned, the children are punished,” but that “The sins of the fathers—that is, the punishments for the sins—shall be recompensed also to their children, as having sinned in like manner.” For lest they that came out of Egypt should suppose that, even if they sinned worse than the fathers, they would not be punished with the same, He says that “It shall not be so, but the sins of the fathers—that is, the penalties—shall come upon you also, because you became not better, but committed the same, or even worse.” And if you see oftentimes even infants snatched away, ostensibly for the punishment of the parents, yet know well that out of love to man God snatches these from life beforehand, that, living, they may not become worse than their parents, and live to the hurt of their own soul or of many others. But these things the abyss of the divine judgments holds hidden with itself; and let us go on to what follows.

² Jesus answered, Neither has this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night comes, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. Behold again another perplexity. For one might inquire, How said He this? For the man was wronged, deprived of light, that the works of God might be made manifest? and was it not possible otherwise for these to be made manifest? What wrong were you wronged, O man? “Being deprived,” he says, “of light.” And what harm from being deprived of the sensible light? On the contrary, he was rather benefited. For together with the bodily sight he was also enlightened in the eyes of the soul. So that the blindness turned to good for him, since through the healing he recognised the true Sun of righteousness. The blind man, then, was not wronged, but benefited. Then know you also this, O every searcher of divine things, that the “That,” and the “In order that,” are in many places of the Scripture set not causally, but as marking the outcome; as that in David, “That you might be justified in your sayings.” For David sinned not for this, that God might be justified, but, as of outcome, David having sinned, it comes to pass that God is justified. For when God had given him so much as he was not worthy to receive, but he transgressed the commandment of God, and wrought murder upon adultery, and abused the kingdom to the setting at nought of God; what else comes to pass of outcome, than altogether the, God, being judged and contending with David, is justified, and bears off the victory, the king being condemned? Because, from whom he received the kingdom, His laws he set at nought, for this very thing, that he was king. For being a private man, he could not have so easily wrought two such evils. Do you see that the “That you might be justified” is set not causally, but according to outcome? And ten thousand such things will you find also in the Apostle, as that in the Epistle to the Romans: “For that which may be known of God is manifest among the Greeks; that they may be without excuse.” And yet not for this did God give the Greeks the knowledge, that they might be without excuse in stumbling. For He gave it that they might not stumble; then, since they stumbled, of outcome the knowledge turned for them to the being without excuse. And again: “The law entered, that the offence might abound”; and yet not for this was it given, but rather that sin might be restrained. But since they that received the law would not restrain it, the law became to them to the abounding of sin; for greater was sin reckoned to them, because, having the law, they sinned. So then here also the “That the works of God might be made manifest” is set not causally, but as marking the outcome; for it came to pass of the blind man’s being healed, that God was glorified. For as oftentimes a builder of a house works one part, but leaves another unfinished, that, if ever one disbelieve him, that he is not the builder of the part, he may, by finishing also that unfinished part, show that of the part already built he too is the craftsman; so also our God Jesus, healing the maimed members, and restoring them to the natural state, shows that He is also the Creator of the other members. And in saying, “That the glory of God might be made manifest,” He speaks concerning Himself, not concerning the Father; for the Father’s glory was manifest; His own glory had to be made manifest, and that He it is who from the beginning formed man. And no small glory altogether is it to be made manifest, that He, the man now appeared, created in the beginning, as God, the man. And that He says this concerning Himself, hear what follows. For He adds, “I must work the works of him that sent me.” I, He says, must manifest myself, and do works that can prove me doing the same things as the Father. Observe how He said not, “Such works as the Father does, I must also work,” but, “Those very things which the Father does. For I must,” He says, “work those very works which He that sent me does.” And these I must work while it is day—that is, While the present life stands, and men can believe on me; since the night comes, when no man can work—that is, believe; for He names faith “work.” In the age to come, then, no man can believe. For the present life is “day,” because we can work as in the day (even if Paul names it night, both because they that here pursue either virtue or vice are unknown, and as compared with the future light that shall shine round the righteous); but the age to come is “night,” because there no man can work, even if Paul calls it day, because of the shining-forth of the righteous, and the manifestation of the things lived by each. In the age to come, then, there is no faith, but both willing and unwilling they shall obey. “When, therefore, I am in the world, I am the light of the world”; for through the teaching and the showing of the wonders I enlighten souls. So that I must even now enlighten the souls of many, through the healing of the eyes; for since I am light, I must enlighten both sensibly and spiritually.

³ When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, and said to him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing. Having said these things, Jesus, he says, stood not at the words, but added also the work. For He spat on the ground, and, making clay, anointed the eyes of the blind man; showing through the clay that He it is who also formed Adam from clay. For to say, “I am he that formed Adam,” seemed offensive to the hearers; but, shown through the work, it no longer gave offence; for this cause also He fashions the eyes from clay, by that manner of creation by which He also created Adam. And He not only fashioned the eyes, nor only opened them, but also bestowed the seeing; which is a token that He also breathed the soul into Adam; for, that not working, the eye, though it be perfect, could never see. And He used spittle to the recovery of sight. For since He was about to send him to Siloam, lest the wonder should be inscribed to the water of the spring, but that we might learn that the power that went forth from His mouth, it both fashioned and opened his eyes; for this cause He spat on the ground, and made clay from His mouth. Then, lest you should suppose that the wonder was of the earth, He commands him to wash, that he may altogether put off the clay. But some say that the clay was not put off, but was created into eyes. And He commands him to go to Siloam, at once that we may learn the faith of the blind man, and how obedient he was; for he reasoned not, “If it is altogether the clay, and the spittle, that supplies me the eyes, what need have I of Siloam, or of washing?” but he was persuaded by Him that commanded. And at the same time also that He might stop the mouth of the Jews’ thanklessness. For it was likely that many would behold him with the clay anointed upon his eyes, and would have given heed to him with exactness, so as not to be able to say afterward, “This is he; this is not he.” And thirdly, showing Himself not alien to the law and the Old Testament, by sending him to Siloam. And the evangelist interprets “Siloam” as “Sent,” that you may learn that Christ healed him there. For as Christ is the spiritual rock, so also Siloam—which is interpreted “Sent”—signified Christ; for He was the hidden one, unknown even to angels, who came suddenly and more astonishingly to take away all sin.

⁴ The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged? Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he. Therefore said they to him, How were your eyes opened? He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said to me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight. Astonished at the strangeness of the wonder, the neighbours were in doubt; and yet his going to Siloam, with his eyes anointed with clay, was for this very thing, that many might see him, and not afterward deny, as though forsooth not knowing him; yet nevertheless they still disbelieve. And not simply does the evangelist note that he was a beggar, but that he may show the unspeakable love to man of the Lord, how He condescended even to the lowly, so as to heal even beggars with much care; and that from this we also, learning, may not despise the least. And the blind man, neither ashamed of his former blindness, nor fearing the people, confesses that “I am he,” proclaiming his benefactor, and says, “A certain man, called Jesus.” He calls the Lord a man, since he as yet knew nothing concerning Him; but what he so far knew, this he confesses. And whence knew he Him, that He is Jesus? From His discourse with the disciples; for since the disciples asked the Lord concerning him, and He discoursed more to them, both that “I must work the works of him that sent me,” and that “I am the light of the world,” and such things no other taught but Jesus alone, and these words He often used—from these the blind man recognised that He is Jesus. The making of the clay, then, knowing it, he told; but the spitting no more. For the man told only what he truly knew.

⁵ Then said they to him, Where is he? He said, I know not. They brought to the Pharisees him that formerly was blind. And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes. Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said to them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see. Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keeps not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them. Since the Lord, when healing and working a wonder, was wont to withdraw because of His freedom from vainglory, the blind man, being asked, “Where is he?” says, “I know not,” speaking truly altogether in this also. And they bring him to the Pharisees, that he might be deemed worthy of a sharper and bitterer questioning. And the evangelist notes that it was the sabbath, that he may show their wickedness, as snatching at pretexts against Christ, and charging Him with the breaking of the sabbath, and through this trying to overshadow the wonder; wherefore they ask him not, “How did you receive sight?” but, “How opened he your eyes?” altogether slandering the Lord, as having wrought on the sabbath, forcing the blind man himself to be reminded that He made clay on the sabbath, namely. But he, as discoursing to those who had already heard, makes mention neither of the name of Jesus, nor of what the Lord spoke to him, but only that “He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and see.” For it was likely that the Pharisees had heard beforehand from those who brought the blind man to them, slandering perhaps the Lord, and saying, “See what things Jesus does on the sabbath.” And it is worthy to behold the boldness of the blind man, how he discourses even to the Pharisees without dismay. They indeed brought him, that, struck with fear, he might deny the healing; but he the more openly cries out, “I see.” Then said some of the Pharisees—but not all, but the more abject—“This man is not of God.” But others said, “How can a man that is a sinner do such things?” Do you see the many softened by the signs? Behold these are Pharisees and rulers, yet they are abashed by the sign, and plead in defence, and there was a division among them. This division first sprang up in the multitude; for some said, “He deceives the people,” and others, “Nay.” But now it springs up among the rulers also, and lo, many of the Pharisees, severed from the rest, advocate the wonder. Yet though they were severed, they more softly stood up for Christ, and rather doubtfully and double-mindedly than firmly. For hear what they say: “How can a man that is a sinner do such things?” Do you see the softness of their opposition? Observe also the malignity of the slanderers. For they say not, “This man is not of God, because he heals on the sabbath,” but, “because he keeps not the sabbath,” up and down bringing forward not the benefit, but the loosing of the day. And mark this also, how the rulers are duller than the multitude toward the good. For lo, the multitude first were divided in their opinions, and not all were of one voice against Christ; but the rulers later suffered this praiseworthy division. For it is possible also to be divided well; as the Lord also says, “I came to send a sword upon the earth”—the discord, namely, that is altogether to good and to godliness.

⁶ They say to the blind man again, What do you say of him, that he has opened your eyes? He said, He is a prophet. But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight. And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who you say was born blind? how then does he now see? Who were they that asked the blind man, “What do you say of him?” They were of the part of the right-minded. For since they said, “How can a sinner do such signs?” lest they should seem to advocate in vain, they bring forward as witness him that received the benefit, as one that had perceived the power, that they might stop the mouth of the slanderers. For observe how right-mindedly they ask. For they said not, “What do you say of him, that he made clay? that he kept not the sabbath?” but they make mention of the wonder, “that he has opened your eyes”; well-near whetting the healed man to say the fitting things in behalf of Christ. For they remind him, and prick him: “that he has opened your eyes. He benefited you,” they say, “so that you ought to proclaim him.” Wherefore also the blind man confesses for the present what he could, that “He is not a sinner, but of God. For He is a prophet, though others say that He is not of God, because he keeps not the sabbath.” And yet Christ, anointing the clay with one finger, seemed to loose the sabbath; but they, loosing it with their whole hand, by leading their beasts on the sabbath to watering, seemed to be godly. The hard and disobedient, then, summon his parents, wishing to cast them into agony, and through this into a denial of their son’s blindness. For since they could not stop the right-minded mouth, they affright the parents, expecting thus to wound the wonder. They set them, then, in the midst, and with much wrath make the question, or rather with much malignity. For they said not, “Is this your son, the once blind?” but, “Whom you say”; well-near saying this: “Whom you made blind, and everywhere spread abroad the report, having altogether feigned and lied.” But, O foul Pharisees, what father would endure so to lie against his own child? And by two things they straiten them, and force them to deny their son, both by saying, “Whom you say,” and by, “How then does he now see?” Do you see that, as though they had lied in the former thing—I mean, the child’s being blind—they bring forward this latter thing, his now seeing, as a sign that he was not blind? But indeed this is true, his having been blind before.

⁷ His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind: but by what means he now sees, we know not; or who has opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself. These words spoke his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him. Three questions the Pharisees brought to the parents of the blind man: whether he was their son, whether he was born blind, and how he received sight. And they confess the two—both that he is their son, and that he was blind—but the manner of the healing, being ignorant of it, they add not. And this also is altogether for the truth to be confessed more surely, that he himself who enjoyed the benefit, who is also the more worthy of belief, should bear witness to these things; as also his parents say, “He is of age.” For is he an infant, or imperfect, so as not to understand how he was healed? And such things his parents said, fearing the Pharisees; so still were they more imperfect and weaker than the child. For he, indeed, stands an undismayed witness of the truth; so was he enlightened in the eyes of the mind.

⁸ Then again called they the man that was blind, and said to him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner. He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see. Then said they to him again, What did he to you? how opened he your eyes? He answered them, I have told you already, and you did not hear: wherefore would you hear it again? will you also be his disciples? Then they reviled him, and said, You are his disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples. We know that God spoke to Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is. Since the parents stirred up that their son should be asked, this the insolent ones do; and they bring him forward, not so as to ask, but so as to suggest to him to accuse his healer. For the “Give God the praise,” this signifies: “Confess,” they say, “that Jesus wrought nothing in you (for this, they hold, is the glory of God, that nothing good be witnessed to Jesus); for we know,” they say, “that he is a sinner.” How, then, did you not convict Him, when He challenged you, saying, “Which of you convinces me of sin?” But the blind man, “Whether he be a sinner,” he says, “I know not”—that is, I examine not this now, nor pronounce; but this I know clearly, that He wrought a wonder upon me. Let the deed itself, then, be considered by itself, and let it cast its vote concerning Him. Then, since again they asked him, “What did he to you?”—altogether insulting the Saviour for the anointing of the clay that took place on the sabbath—and the man perceived that they made the question not so as to learn, but so as to insult, he answers them more smartly: “I no longer,” he says, “deem you worthy even of a word; for though I have often told it, you gave no heed.” Then he brings in what was especially able to wound them: “Will you also be his disciples?” He shows, then, that he himself wishes to be His disciple; and mocking and deriding them, he gently says these things, which is of a soul bold and undismayed, and not affrighted at their madness. But they, to insult him, say: “You are his disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples.” And they appear in this to be lying. For if they were Moses’ disciples, they would have been Christ’s also; as He Himself also said to them, “Had you believed Moses, you would have believed me.” And they said not, “We have heard,” but, “We know that God spoke to Moses.” And yet, though their forefathers reported it to them, they say they have exact knowledge of the things they received by hearsay; but Him whom they saw uttering divine things and from above, this man they call a deceiver.

⁹ The man answered and said to them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that you know not from whence he is, and yet he has opened mine eyes. Now we know that God hears not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and does his will, him he hears. Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. If this man were not of God, he could do nothing. “You, O Jews,” he says, “reject my healer, as not knowing whence he is; but I say that for this cause he is the rather marvellous, that, being a man not of the notable among you, nor of the glorified, he can do such things, so as to be plain on every side that he is of some greater power, not needing any human help.” Then, since beforehand some of them had said, “How can a man that is a sinner do such signs?” he henceforth takes up their judgment also, and reminds them of their own words. “For we know,” he says, “all of us, that God hears not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and does his will, him he hears.” Consider me from hence, how he not only freed the Lord from sins, but also shows Him exceedingly well-pleasing to God, and doing all His things, in saying, “But if any man be a worshipper of God, and does his will.” Then, since he knew them wishing to overshadow the wonder, he, being full of much understanding, proclaims the benefit: “For if this man were not of God, he could not have wrought so great a wonder, such as none from eternity. For the eyes of blind men were perchance opened, but not of men maimed from birth, but from some affliction; but this is the strange thing, which now came to pass.” It is manifest, then, that he that accomplished so great a wonder is greater than after the manner of man. But some raise a cold and sophistical perplexity. “How,” they say, “did he say that God hears not sinners? And yet, when men pray that their sins be forgiven, He hearkens; for He is loving to man. What, then,” they say, “is this which he here says, that God hears not sinners?” One ought not even to answer to such things; yet it must be said that the “God hears not sinners” signifies this, that God gives not to sinners to work signs. For the Spirit of God will not dwell in a body subject to sins. Yet when men ask remission of sins truly and from the heart, He hearkens, not as sinners, but as penitents. For at once they ask the remission, and have passed over from the rank of sinners to that of penitents. Fitly, then, is it said, that “God hears not sinners.” For neither does He give to sinners the grace of signs. For how should He, whom, even if they ever ask anything of the kind, He hates, as appropriating things nowise befitting them? and if He hearkens to those that ask remission, He hearkens not as to sinners, but as to penitents. And observe how he said, “If any man be a worshipper of God,” and added, “and does his will.” For many are worshippers of God indeed, but do not the will of God. And both must be present, both godliness, and the fulfilling of God’s will—that is, faith and works, or, as Paul names it, faith and a good conscience; and to speak more summarily, contemplation and practice. For then truly faith lives, when it has also the God-pleasing works, from which the good conscience arises, as from evil works the evil conscience; and the works then live, when they have also faith; but, separated from one another, they are dead; as it is said, “Faith without works is dead; and works without faith.” And observe me also how the truth gives boldness to him that was nothing worth, the beggar, and convicts the great and honoured among the Jews; so great is its power, as also the shrinking and the bold­lessness of falsehood.

¹⁰ They answered and said to him, You were altogether born in sins, and do you teach us? And they cast him out. Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said to him, Do you believe on the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said to him, You have both seen him, and it is he that talks with you. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him. So long as they expected the man to say things pleasing to them, they summoned him and questioned him, and not once only; but when they knew him from his answers not minding their things, but advocating the truth, they set him at nought, as born in sins; altogether senselessly bringing his blindness against him, and supposing that, as one condemned and sentenced before his birth, he was condemned to be born blind, which has no reason; and they cast him out of the temple as a confessor of the truth, they the sons of the lie. But behold the gain: he was cast out of the temple, and straightway the Master of the temple found him; he was dishonoured, in seeming, for Christ’s sake, and was honoured by the knowledge of the Son of God. For “Jesus found him,” he says, as if of set purpose come for this, that He might comfort him, even as a steward of the games receiving an athlete that had toiled much and been crowned. And what says He? “Do you believe on the Son of God?” What is this? after so great an opposition to the Jews, after so many words, does He ask, “Do you believe?” He does this not as being ignorant, but wishing to make Himself known to the blind man. For since he had not seen Him at all, not even after the healing (for how, being dragged about by the most wicked dogs, the Jews?), for this cause He asks him now, that, on his asking, “And who is the Son of God?” He may consequently show Himself. And at the same time He shows him that He greatly values his faith, as it were saying such things: “So great a people insulted me, but I make no account of them; one thing I care for, that you should believe.” But he, “And who is he, Lord, the Son of God?” uttered a word of a longing soul. And He, “You have both seen him,” He says, “and it is he that talks with you.” He said not, “I am he that healed you, that said to you, Go, wash”; but withdrawnly at first and obscurely, “You have seen him,” He says; then more openly, “And it is he that talks with you.” And the Lord seems of set purpose to say the, “You have seen him,” that He might altogether bring him to remembrance of the healing, and that from Him he received the power of seeing. And straightway he believes, and shows the work of a warm and true faith, worshipping, and confirming the word by the deed, and that he glorifies Him as God; for to God alone is worship rendered by custom. And take me this wonder as accomplished also spiritually. For blind he was—whether simply every man from birth, that is, from the being under generation (for with this altogether corruption also is yoked; for from the time we were condemned to mortality, and condemned to grow through passionate generation, from then a thick cloud and a coat of skin, as the sacred Oracles say, was poured over our spiritual eyes)—or also the people of the Gentiles. For this also is blind from birth, as the Greeks; from deifying the things under generation and corruption, being blinded, according to the, “Their foolish heart was darkened.” Such also were the magi among the Persians, who spent their life on generation and the casting of nativities. This blind man, then (whether simply every man, or the Gentile people), Jesus saw. For since he could not see the Creator, He out of bowels of mercy visited us, the dayspring from on high. And how did He see? “Passing by”—that is, not being in heaven, but having passed by in the words of emptying, and from heaven, according to the prophet, having looked down, and seen all the sons of men; and otherwise: “Passing by,” He saw the Gentile people—that is, not having come to it as His chief aim. For to the lost sheep of the house of Israel He came; then, as it were a by-work of the way, He made the visitation of the people sitting in the darkness of utter ignorance. And how does He heal the blindness? By spitting on the ground, and making clay. For who would believe that, as a drop dropping upon the earth, the Word came down upon the holy Virgin? This man shall anoint the spiritual eyes with the clay made of the spittle and the earth—that is, with the one Christ, who is of Godhead (whereof the drop and the spittle is a symbol) and of manhood (whereof the earth is a symbol, of which is the body of the Lord). Shall the healing, then, stop at believing? By no means; but he must also come to Siloam, the fount of baptism, and be baptized into the Sent, that is, Christ. For as many as were baptized spiritually, were baptized into Christ. And after one is baptized, he shall fall also into temptations. For he shall perhaps be led before kings and governors for the sake of Christ that healed him. He must, then, hold firmly, and stand on the confession unswervingly, not denying through fear, but, even if need be, becoming proscribed and cast out of the synagogue, according to the, “You shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake,” and “They shall put you out of the synagogues.” And though men cast out the confessor, being enemies to the truth, and persecute him from the things among them held sacred and honoured—wealth, I mean, and glory—Jesus will find him, and then the more, when he is dishonoured by the enemies, he shall be honoured by Christ, with the knowledge and the more exact faith. For he shall then the more worship Christ, as one appearing a man indeed, but being also Son of God. For there is not one Son of God, and another the Son of Mary (for this is the impiety of Nestorius), but one and the same Son of God and of man.

¹¹ And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said to him, Are we blind also? Jesus said to them, If you were blind, you should have no sin: but now you say, We see; therefore your sin remains. Since the Lord saw the Pharisees rather harmed than profited by the wonder, and for this cause worthy also of greater condemnation, He says that, “as it seems, and as the matters turn out, For judgment I am come”—instead of, to greater punishment and condemnation—“that they which see not might see, and that they which see”—such as the Pharisees—“might be made blind in the eyes of the soul.” For lo, he that from birth saw not sees, both in soul and in body; but they that seem to see were blinded in mind. For two recoveries of sight He here speaks of, and two blindnesses. But the Pharisees, ever gaping after sensible things, supposing that He spoke concerning sensible blindness, “Are we also,” they say, “blind?” being ashamed of this bodily blindness only. But the Lord, wishing to show them that it is better to be blind in body and not unbelieving, says: “If you were blind, you should have no sin.” For if of necessity from nature you had been maimed, there would have been given some pardon to you sick with unbelief; but now, saying that you see, and moreover being eye-witnesses of the wonder upon the blind man, and then being sick with unbelief, you are not worthy of pardon. For your sin remains unblotted out, and you shall be the more punished, inasmuch as you come not from the wonders you see to faith. And one might also thus understand the “If you were blind, you should have no sin”: “For you,” He says, “ask concerning bodily blindness, as being ashamed of this only; but I speak concerning your spiritual blindness, that if you were blind—that is, unlearned in the Scriptures—you would not have so great sin, as sinning in ignorance; but now you say that you see, and make yourselves prudent and learned in the law, so that you are self-condemned, and have the greater sin, as sinning in knowledge.”