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Joh_9:30-33. The passionateness of the Jews now emboldens the man to make a further confession (Joh_9:17).
ἐν γὰρ τούτῳ τὸ (see the critical notes) θαυμ . ἐστιν ] Why, herein (in this state of the case) is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence He is, and (that) He hath opened mine eyes. The force of the θαυμαστόν lies in καὶ ἀνέῳξε , etc., in virtue of the groundless nature of that ignorance to which actual testimony was thus borne; see Joh_9:31-33. Concerning a man who has done that, ye ought surely to know, etc. γάρ , “respicit ad ea, quae alter antea dixerat, et continet cum affirmatione conclusionem, quae ex rebus ita comparatis facienda sit,” Klotz, ad Devar. p. 242. Comp. on 1Co_11:22. It is often thus used, especially when “miratio rei aut aliorum incredulitatis adsignificatur,” Ellendt, Lex. Soph. I. p. 332. Comp. Xen. Mem. iv. 2. 6.
ὑμεῖς ] Ye people, who ought to know this best.
Joh_9:31. The man now proves to them, onwards to Joh_9:33, how clearly it is evident from the act of Jesus that He is no sinner (Joh_9:16), but a pious man, yea, a man sent of God. He begins his proof with a major premiss, which he postulates as universally conceded and known ( οἴδαμεν , Job_27:9; Job_35:13; Psa_66:18; Psa_109:7; Pro_15:29; Isa_1:15), and which rests on the idea that miracles are answers to prayer (comp. Joh_11:41 ff.; Mar_7:34). A sufficient reason for not assuming that Jesus actually pronounced a prayer aloud in performing the miracle (as Ewald thinks), is the silence of John, who would scarcely have omitted this detail from a narrative so minute as this. Joh_9:32. Minor premiss; then in Joh_9:33, conclusion, both in popular form.
οὐδέν ] effect nothing—is restricted by the connection to miraculous deeds such as the one here recorded.