Yohanes 9:18

9:18 Now the Jewish religious leaders ¹  refused to believe ²  that he had really been blind and had gained his sight until at last they summoned ³  the parents of the man who had become able to see. ⁴ 

Yohanes 9:7

9:7 and said to him, “Go wash in the pool of Siloam” ⁵  (which is translated “sent”). ⁶  So the blind man ⁷  went away and washed, and came back seeing.

[9:18]  ¹ tn Or “the Jewish religious authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” In NT usage the term ᾿Ιουδαῖοι (Ioudaioi) may refer to the entire Jewish people, the residents of Jerusalem and surrounding territory, the authorities in Jerusalem, or merely those who were hostile to Jesus. (For further information see R. G. Bratcher, “‘The Jews’ in the Gospel of John,” BT 26 [1975]: 401-9.) Here the phrase refers mainly to the Pharisees, mentioned by name in John 9:13, 15, 16. References in this context to Pharisees and to the synagogue (v. 22) suggest an emphasis on the religious nature of the debate which is brought out by the translation “the Jewish religious leaders.”

[9:18]  ² tn The Greek text contains the words “about him” at this point: “the Jewish authorities did not believe about him…”

[9:18]  ³ tn Grk “they called.”

[9:18]  ⁴ tn Or “the man who had gained his sight.”

[9:7]  ⁵ tn The pool’s name in Hebrew is shiloah from the Hebrew verb “to send.” In Gen 49:10 the somewhat obscure shiloh was interpreted messianically by later Jewish tradition, and some have seen a lexical connection between the two names (although this is somewhat dubious). It is known, however, that it was from the pool of Siloam that the water which was poured out at the altar during the feast of Tabernacles was drawn.

[9:7]  ⁶ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author. Why does he comment on the meaning of the name of the pool? Here, the significance is that the Father sent the Son, and the Son sent the man born blind. The name of the pool is applicable to the man, but also to Jesus himself, who was sent from heaven.

[9:7]  ⁷ tn Grk “So he”; the referent (the blind man) is specified in the translation for clarity.