His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind:
The verse is the parents' confirmation that the healed man is their son and that he was born blind, part of a healing that stands as convincing evidence of Christ's divine mission. Though convinced by what had happened, they denied knowing how he could now see or who had opened his eyes, and told the interrogators to ask him because he was of age, thus shifting responsibility to him. They evaded in this way because they feared being excluded from the synagogue for thirty days for acknowledging Jesus as the Christ. During that exclusion customary rites such as circumcision and mourning could not be performed in their home, and a harsher penalty could follow.
In this way their testimony confirms his former blindness while their fear keeps them from confessing Christ. The man whose sight was restored was despised by the self-righteous Pharisees, but Christ compassionately sought to save him. Later in the same account Jesus reveals himself to the healed man as the Son of God. The man did not know who had healed him until Jesus made himself known, and then he worshiped Jesus. The account shows that Christ's sympathy for human suffering extends even to people who do not yet know him.
The verse is the parents' confirmation that the healed man is their son and that he was born blind, part of a healing that stands as convincing evidence of Christ's divine mission. Though convinced by what had happened, they denied knowing how he could now see or who had opened his eyes, and told the interrogators to ask him because he was of age, thus shifting responsibility to him. They evaded in this way because they feared being excluded from the synagogue for thirty days for acknowledging Jesus as the Christ. During that exclusion customary rites such as circumcision and mourning could not be performed in their home, and a harsher penalty could follow.
In this way their testimony confirms his former blindness while their fear keeps them from confessing Christ. The man whose sight was restored was despised by the self-righteous Pharisees, but Christ compassionately sought to save him. Later in the same account Jesus reveals himself to the healed man as the Son of God. The man did not know who had healed him until Jesus made himself known, and then he worshiped Jesus. The account shows that Christ's sympathy for human suffering extends even to people who do not yet know him.