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(12) Then they said to him, "Where is He?" He said, "I do not know." (13) They brought him who was once blind to the Pharisees. (14) Now it was the Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. (15) Therefore, the Pharisees in turn also asked him how he had received sight. And he said to them, "He put clay on my eyes, and I washed; and now I see." (16) Then some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God because He does not keep the Sabbath." () Others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such miracles?" And there was a division among them. (17) They said to the blind man again, "What do you say about Him since He opened your eyes?" And he said, "He is a prophet." (18) However, the Jews did not believe this about him, that he was blind and had received sight, until they called the parents of the one who had received sight. (19) And they asked them, saying, "Is this your son, who you say 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 opened his eyes, we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself." (22) His parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed among themselves that if anyone confessed Him to be the Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. (23) For this reason, his parents said, "He is of age; ask him." (24) Therefore, they called a second time for the man who had been born blind, and said to him, "Give glory to God. We know that this Man is a sinner." (25) Then he answered and said, "Whether He is a sinner, I do not know. One thing I do know, that I was blind, and now I see." (26) And they said to him again, "What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?" (27) He answered them, "I have already told you, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you desire to become His disciples, too?" (28) Then they railed at him and said, "You are His disciple, but we are Moses' disciples. (29) We know that God spoke to Moses. As for this Man, we do not know where He has come from." (30) The man answered and said to them, "This is truly an amazing thing, that you do not know where He has come from, yet He has opened my eyes. (31) Now we know that God does not hear sinners. But if anyone is God-fearing and is doing His will, He hears him.
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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