John 9:8

“The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him, etc.] For it seems the blind man was not a stranger, one that came out of the country to the city to beg; but a native of Jerusalem, that had long lived in a certain neighbourhood in it, and was well known to be what he was; that he was blind; the Alexandrian copy, and one of Beza’s exemplars, and the Vulgate Latin version read, “that he was a beggar”; to which agree the Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions: wherefore they said, is this not he that sat and begged? they particularly remark his begging posture; he was not laid all along, as the lame man in (<440302>Acts 3:2); nor did he go from door to door, as others were used to…”

“The neighbours therefore . . . said, Is not this he that sat and begged--Here are a number of details to identify the newly seeing with the long-known blind beggar.”

“The neighbours ... - This man seems to have been one who attracted considerable attention. The number of persons totally blind in any community is very small, and it is possible that this was the only blind beggar in Jerusalem. The case was one, therefore, likely to attract attention, and one where there could be no imposture, as he was generally known. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Is not: Rut 1:19; Sa1 21:11 sat: Sa1 2:8; Mar 10:46; Luk 16:20-22, Luk 18:35; Act 3:2-11 John 9:10”