John 9:24
So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The phrase "Give glory to God" here isn't a simple thank you for the healing; it's an official oath, an adjuration used to compel the man to tell the truth, meaning "swear that you are confessing the whole truth, under God." They're not acknowledging a miracle and asking him to credit God for it, but demanding he confess any supposed deception, implying they know Jesus is a sinner and thus incapable of true miracles.
Having already questioned the parents and failing to discredit the miracle, the religious leaders call the formerly blind man back a second time. They attempt to pressure him into recanting his testimony about Jesus by using a solemn adjuration to "give glory to God" and asserting their own certain knowledge that Jesus is a sinner. This is a strategic move to force the man to choose between acknowledging God's truth (as they define it, by condemning Jesus) or appearing to defy God himself by defending Jesus.
When these religious leaders wanted the man to change his story, they didn't just ask him to lie. They used a sacred phrase to compel him to speak what they believed was the truth.
The phrase "Give glory to God" wasn't just a suggestion; it was a form of oath, a solemn appeal to speak truthfully in God's presence. Think of it like saying, "Swear to God, tell us the truth!" They were reminding the healed man that honesty honors God, especially when confronting a difficult situation or previous wrongdoing. It's a powerful reminder that God's name is invoked not just for prayer, but for a commitment to honesty, even when it's hard.
The religious leaders presented their 'knowledge' as undeniable fact. But the man healed from blindness had his own powerful testimony.
The authorities declared, 'We know that this man is a sinner.' Their 'we know' was meant to carry weight, representing their position and supposed spiritual insight. They believed their religious standing gave them the unquestionable authority to label Jesus. However, the man's response, 'Whether he be a sinner, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see,' contrasts their pronouncements with his direct, personal experience. His simple, undeniable reality of seeing versus their abstract, authoritative condemnation reveals a core tension: human authority often crumbles in the face of undeniable personal encounter with God's work.
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Understand the original words
hamartōlos · Greek Noun/Adjective
A term used in Scripture to describe a person who misses the mark of God's standard of righteousness. It often implies a state of rebellion, moral failure, or spiritual uncleanness in the sight of God.
didōmi doxa tō theō · Greek Verb phrase
An expression used in a legal or religious context to demand an oath of truthfulness. It means to speak the truth before God, acknowledging that God knows the facts and that one should not lie.
The religious leaders' insistence that Jesus is a 'sinner' is rooted in their strict interpretation of the Sabbath laws, which they believed Jesus violated. Their confrontation with the healed man reveals their bias and their struggle to accept evidence that contradicts their preconceived notions about who Jesus is.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind
During His ministry, Jesus heals a man who had been blind from birth. This act challenges religious authorities, particularly the Pharisees, who accuse Jesus of violating the Sabbath.
c. AD 30-33
Man Questioned by Religious Leaders
The man's healing occurs on the Sabbath, leading to his questioning by Jewish leaders who doubt the miracle and condemn Jesus. They question the man, his parents, and then the man again.
c. AD 30-33
Man Excommunicated
Because the healed man insists on Jesus' divine power and refuses to condemn Him, the religious leaders excommunicate him from the synagogue.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus Meets the Healed Man
Jesus later finds the man, reveals Himself to him, and the man responds with faith, recognizing Jesus as the Son of God.
This passage uses the same phrase, 'Give glory to God,' as an oath to compel confession, showing a similar context of demanding truth from someone suspected of wrongdoing.
1 Samuel 6:5This verse also employs the phrase 'Give glory to God' as part of an oath, urging the people to confess their sin and acknowledge God's power in a difficult situation, mirroring the insistence of the religious leaders.
John 5:44This verse highlights a similar tension where the religious leaders seek glory for themselves rather than from God, contrasting with the simple truth the formerly blind man is trying to convey.
Acts 4:18Like the leaders in John 9, the authorities in this passage try to silence those who speak truth about Jesus, demonstrating a recurring conflict between religious power and authentic testimony.
vincentJohn 9:24: "Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner."
Give God the praise (δὸς δόξαν τῷ Θεῷ)Rev., give glory to God. Compare Joshua 7:19; 1 Samuel 6:5. This phrase addressed to an offender implies that by some previous act or word he has done dishonor to God, and appeals to him to repair the dishonor by speaking the truth. In this case it is also an appeal to the restored man to ascribe his cure directly to G…
bensonJohn 9:24: "Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner."
John 9:24-29 . Then again called they the man — The court, finding that nothing could be learned from the man’s parents, by which the miracle could be disproved, called the man himself a second time, and tried, by fair words, to extort from him a confession to the disparagement of Jesus. They said, Give God the praise — If the cure was really wrought in the mann…
The phrase "Give glory to God" here isn't a simple thank you for the healing; it's an official oath, an adjuration used to compel the man to tell the truth, meaning "swear that you are confessing the whole truth, under God." They're not acknowledging a miracle and asking him to credit God for it, but demanding he confess any supposed deception, implying they know Jesus is a sinner and thus incapable of true miracles.
Having already questioned the parents and failing to discredit the miracle, the religious leaders call the formerly blind man back a second time. They attempt to pressure him into recanting his testimony about Jesus by using a solemn adjuration to "give glory to God" and asserting their own certain knowledge that Jesus is a sinner. This is a strategic move to force the man to choose between acknowledging God's truth (as they define it, by condemning Jesus) or appearing to defy God himself by defending Jesus.
Having already questioned the parents and failing to discredit the miracle, the religious leaders call the formerly blind man back a second time. They attempt to pressure him into recanting his testimony about Jesus by using a solemn adjuration to "give glory to God" and asserting their own certain knowledge that Jesus is a sinner. This is a strategic move to force the man to choose between acknowledging God's truth (as they define it, by condemning Jesus) or appearing to defy God himself by defending Jesus.
"So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.”" — The phrase "Give glory to God" here isn't a simple thank you for the healing; it's an official oath, an adjuration used to compel the man to tell the truth, meaning "swear that you are confessing the…
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