Attributed commentary excerpt
John Gill's Exposition on John 9:6
A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.
Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
And when he had thus spoken, etc.] In answer to the disciples’ question, and declaring his own work and office in the world, and the necessity he was under of performing it: he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle; the Misnic doctors speak f413 of qwrn jyj, “clay that is spitted”, or “spittle clay”, which their commentators say f414 was a weak, thin clay, like spittle or water; but this here was properly spittle clay, or clay made of spittle, for want of water; or it may be rather, through choice Christ spat upon the dust of the earth, and worked it together into a consistence, like clay: and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay; however, spittle, especially fasting spittle, might be thought proper in some disorder of the eyes, to be used, as it was by the Jews; (see Gill on “<430916>John 9:16”); yet clay was a most unlikely means of restoring sight to a man that was born blind, which might be thought rather a means of making a man blind that could see. This may be an emblem of the word of God, the eye salve of the Gospel; which is a very unlikely means in the opinion of a natural man, who counts it foolishness, of enlightening and saving sinners; and yet by this foolishness of preaching God does save those that believe.
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