The man’s question, "Why, this is an amazing thing!" isn't just a statement of surprise; it's a pointed challenge. He highlights the stark contrast between their supposed knowledge as religious leaders and their ignorance about the source of Jesus' power, emphasizing that they are the ones truly missing the obvious truth.
The man answered, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The religious authorities, embarrassed by Jesus' miraculous healing of a man born blind, are now interrogating the formerly blind man. They dismiss Jesus as a sinner and try to force the man to agree, even commanding him to "give glory to God" by recanting his testimony about Jesus. The healed man, however, stands firm, pointing out the absurdity of their position: they, who claim special knowledge, don't know where Jesus came from, yet he undeniably opened his eyes, a miracle never before seen.
The religious leaders are stumped. They can't explain Jesus' power, so they resort to insults. But this man, newly sighted, has a clear line of reasoning.
In John 9:30, the man directly confronts the religious leaders with a simple, powerful logic. He highlights the stark contrast between their supposed knowledge and his undeniable experience.
Their Ignorance vs. His Experience
The leaders claim they don't know Jesus' origin or authority ('we know not whence he is,' John 9:29). Yet, this man, who was born blind, has had his eyes opened by Jesus. This isn't a matter of theological debate for him; it's a lived reality. The miracle is the irrefutable proof that Jesus' power is from God, something the learned leaders ought to recognize but refuse to.
The 'Marvel' of Their Blindness
He calls it a 'marvel'—not that Jesus healed him, but that they, the supposed experts on God's work, are blind to the obvious implications of such a miracle. Their intellectual blindness, despite all their knowledge, is the true marvel to him.
The man's physical sight has been restored, but he quickly realizes that the religious leaders' spiritual sight is still tragically absent. What does this tell us about true understanding?
The dialogue in John 9:30-33 reveals a profound contrast: the formerly blind man now possesses clearer spiritual insight than the religious authorities.
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The Power of Personal Testimony
The man's argument is grounded in his personal, transformative experience. He knows he was blind and now he sees. This direct encounter with Jesus' power cuts through the leaders' abstract arguments and defenses.
Spiritual Insight Beyond Learning
He later argues, 'Now we know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshipper of God and does his will, him he listens to. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing' (John 9:31-33). This isn't just learned theology; it's a deduction based on divine action. The man recognizes that a miracle of this magnitude, one unprecedented in history, signifies divine endorsement. His newly opened eyes allow him to see the divine source of Jesus' power, a truth the leaders' 'learned' minds resist.
Understand the original words
thaumastos · Greek Adjective/Noun
A phenomenon that causes astonishment or wonder, often due to its supernatural nature or its defiance of conventional human explanation.
hamartōlos · Greek Noun/Adjective
Refers to people who persistently practice evil and live in rebellion against God's law. In this context, it implies those outside of God's favor or covenant relationship.
theosebēs · Greek Noun
One who shows reverence, honor, and adoration toward God, often through acts of devotion and obedience. It implies a life aligned with God's character and requirements.
thelēma · Greek Noun
Divine purpose or command; acting in accordance with the moral laws and specific instructions revealed by God. Obedience is the practical evidence of knowing and fearing God.
aiōn · Greek Noun
The created order; the temporal realm of humanity. It refers to the physical reality inhabited by man under God's sovereignty.
This man's physical healing is directly tied to his intellectual and spiritual awakening, highlighting the clash between Jesus' divine authority and the rigid, man-made traditions of the religious leaders of his day.
c. 30 AD— this verse
Jesus heals a man born blind
Jesus encounters a man blind from birth and heals him by creating eyes for him, a profound miracle.
c. 30 AD
Pharisees interrogate the healed man
Religious leaders, focused on the Sabbath laws and Jesus' perceived lack of authority, question the man and his parents, seeking to discredit the miracle and Jesus.
c. 30 AD
Man's eyes are opened intellectually
The man's physical sight is restored, and his understanding grows, leading him to defend Jesus' divine power against the religious authorities.
c. 30 AD
Man is excommunicated
The religious leaders, frustrated and angered by the man's unwavering testimony, cast him out of the synagogue, a severe social and spiritual punishment.
c. 30 AD
Jesus finds the excommunicated man
Jesus seeks out the man who has been cast out and reveals Himself to him, offering spiritual sight and inclusion.
This passage highlights the irony of religious leaders, who should have spiritual insight, lacking understanding about Jesus' divine mission, which is the same point the man born blind is making.
Isaiah 35:5This Old Testament prophecy foretells that when the Messiah comes, 'the eyes of the blind shall be opened,' directly correlating with the miracle performed in John 9 and the man's astonishment.
1 Samuel 16:7This verse speaks to God looking at the heart, not outward appearances, contrasting with the Pharisees' judgmental attitude and inability to see Jesus' divine origin despite the miraculous sign.
Acts 4:13This passage shows religious authorities amazed by the boldness and understanding of Peter and John, who were unlearned men. It parallels the man born blind's simple yet profound reasoning that baffled the educated leaders.
vincentJohn 9:30: "The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes."
A marvelous thing (θαυμαστόν)The correct reading adds the article, the marvel. So Rev.Ye know notYe is emphatic: ye who might be expected to know about a man who has wrought such a miracle.And yet (καὶ)See on John 8:20; see on John 1:10.
bensonJohn 9:30: "The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes."
John 9:30-34 . The man answered — Utterly illiterate as he was: and with what strength and clearness of reason! So had God opened the eyes of his understanding, as well as his bodily eyes! Why, herein is a marvellous thing, that ye — The teachers and guides of the people; know not whence he is — From whence he comes, and who hath sent him; and…
The man’s question, "Why, this is an amazing thing!" isn't just a statement of surprise; it's a pointed challenge. He highlights the stark contrast between their supposed knowledge as religious leaders and their ignorance about the source of Jesus' power, emphasizing that they are the ones truly missing the obvious truth.
The religious authorities, embarrassed by Jesus' miraculous healing of a man born blind, are now interrogating the formerly blind man. They dismiss Jesus as a sinner and try to force the man to agree, even commanding him to "give glory to God" by recanting his testimony about Jesus. The healed man, however, stands firm, pointing out the absurdity of their position: they, who claim special knowledge, don't know where Jesus came from, yet he undeniably opened his eyes, a miracle never before seen.
The religious authorities, embarrassed by Jesus' miraculous healing of a man born blind, are now interrogating the formerly blind man. They dismiss Jesus as a sinner and try to force the man to agree, even commanding him to "give glory to God" by recanting his testimony about Jesus. The healed man, however, stands firm, pointing out the absurdity of their position: they, who claim special knowledge, don't know where Jesus came from, yet he undeniably opened his eyes, a miracle never before seen.
"The man answered, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. Never…" — The man’s question, "Why, this is an amazing thing!" isn't just a statement of surprise; it's a pointed challenge. He highlights the stark contrast between their supposed knowledge as religious leade…
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Last reviewed October 2026
