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(12) They said therefore to him, Where is he? He says, I do not know. (13) They bring him who was before blind to the Pharisees. (14) Now it was sabbath when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. (15) The Pharisees therefore also again asked him how he received his sight. And he said to them, He put mud upon mine eyes, and I washed, and I see. (16) Some of the Pharisees therefore said, This man is not of God, for he does not keep the sabbath. Others said, How can a sinful man perform such signs? And there was a division among them. (17) They say therefore again to the blind [man], What dost thou say of him, that he has opened thine eyes? And he said, He is a prophet. (18) The Jews therefore did not believe concerning him that he was blind and had received sight, until they had called the parents of him that had received sight. (19) And they asked them saying, This is your son, of whom ye say that he was born blind: how then does he now see? (20) His parents answered [them] and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; (21) but how he now sees we do not know, or who has opened his eyes we do not know. *He* is of age: ask *him*; *he* will speak concerning himself. (22) His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if any one confessed him [to be the] Christ, he should be excommunicated from the synagogue. (23) On this account his parents said, He is of age: ask *him*. (24) They called therefore a second time the man who had been blind, and said to him, Give glory to God: we know that this man is sinful. (25) He answered therefore, If he is sinful I know not. One thing I know, that, being blind [before], now I see. (26) And they said to him again, What did he do to thee? how opened he thine eyes? (27) He answered them, I told you already and ye did not hear: why do ye desire to hear again? do ye also wish to become his disciples? (28) They railed at him, and said, Thou art his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. (29) We know that God spoke to Moses; but [as to] this [man], we know not whence he is. (30) The man answered and said to them, Now in this is a wonderful thing, that *ye* do not know whence he is, and he has opened mine eyes. (31) [But] we know that God does not hear sinners; but if any one be God-fearing and do his will, him he hears.
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Knowledge plays a part in the man's healing; this theme is suggested by the fact that each of the parties claim both to know and not to know something. Since the claims and the reasons for them differ, the contrasts highlight their various types of knowledge. By their questioning, the Pharisees try to discredit the man's testimony, attempting to find a cause to brand the healing a fraud and to attack Jesus (verse 19). They imply that the parents should stop lying and come clean (verses 20-21). Yet, the parents affirm two facts: that the healed man was indeed their son and that he was born blind. They knew this, and they were not afraid to affirm it.
Conversely, they denied knowing how he came to see and who did the miracle. Why do they not acknowledge what they know of Christ's role in the healing? “They feared the Jews.” They know that the leaders would excommunicate anyone who confessed Jesus as the Messiah. The parents simply did not want to get involved. They were afraid to acknowledge what had been revealed to them.
This is an accurate picture of many today. The truths of Christianity have been proclaimed to them—perhaps by parents, friends, or the church. Intellectually, they know and even believe these truths, but they will not admit them. They are afraid to acknowledge Christ for fear of the consequences.
— Martin G. Collins