John 9:29
Wee know that God spake vnto Moses: as for this fellow, we knowe not from whence he is. John 9:29 (KJV)
We know that God spake unto Moses:
as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is. John 9:29 (KJV)
In John 9 the narrative records that Jesus healed a man who had been blind from birth. The miracle took place on the Sabbath, immediately provoking the religious leaders. Their questioning of the healed man and the ensuing dialogue with the Pharisees provide the immediate backdrop for verse 29. The Pharisees first acknowledge a foundational truth: they recognize that God spoke to Moses, the giver of the Law on Mount Sinai, including the Ten Commandments and the instructions that shaped Israel’s covenant relationship with God.
Yet the same speakers quickly turn to denial when they address the man who has just received sight. Their response—”as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is”—reveals a stark lack of recognition of Jesus as the one sent by God. Despite witnessing a clear sign of divine power, they refuse to identify the healer with the promised Messiah.
The passage therefore highlights the Pharisees’ spiritual blindness. Although they are well‑versed in Scripture, they are unable to perceive the fulfillment of those very Scriptures in the person of Jesus. Their preconceived notions and rigid expectations prevent them from seeing beyond the surface of the miracle to its deeper theological significance.
This pattern of rejecting Jesus recurs throughout the Gospel of John. The Pharisees’ refusal to acknowledge Him as the Son of God ultimately leads to their own spiritual downfall and separation from the truth that God reveals.
In contrast, Jesus consistently affirms His identity and authority. He declares Himself the Son of God and demonstrates, through teaching and further miracles, that He is indeed the One sent by the Father. The question posed in John 9:29 thus sets the stage for the subsequent claims Jesus makes about Himself, inviting readers to consider whether they, like the Pharisees, remain spiritually blind or are willing to receive the light of Christ.
