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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comRobertson Word Pictures - John 9:6 - 9:6
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
He spat on the ground (eptusen chamai). First aorist active indicative of the old verb ptuō for which see Mar 7:33. Chamai is an old adverb either in the dative or locative (sense suits locative), in N.T. only here and Joh 18:6. Jesus was not asked to cure this man. The curative effects of saliva are held in many places. The Jews held saliva efficacious for eye-trouble, but it was forbidden on the Sabbath. “That Jesus supposed some virtue lay in the application of the clay is contradicted by the fact that in other cases of blindness He did not use it” (Dods). Cf. Mar 8:23. Why he here accommodated himself to current belief we do not know unless it was to encourage the man to believe.
He made clay (epoiēsen pēlon). Only use of pēlos, old word for clay, in N.T. in this chapter and Rom 9:21. The kneading of the clay and spittle added another offense against the Sabbath rules of the rabbis.
Anointed his eyes with the clay (epechrisen autou ton pēlon epi tous ophthalmous). First aorist active indicative of epichriō, old verb, to spread on, anoint, here only and Joh 9:11 in N.T. “He spread the clay upon his eyes.” B C read epethēken (first aorist active indicative of epitithēmi, to put on).