The Meaning of John 9:11 Explained

John 9:11

KJV: He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.

YLT: he answered and said, 'A man called Jesus made clay, and rubbed my eyes, and said to me, Go away to the pool of Siloam, and wash; and having gone away and having washed, I received sight;'

Darby: He answered and said, A man called Jesus made mud and anointed mine eyes, and said to me, Go to Siloam and wash: and having gone and washed, I saw.

ASV: He answered, The man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to Siloam, and wash: so I went away and washed, and I received sight.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

He  answered  and  said,  A man  that is called  Jesus  made  clay,  and  anointed  mine  eyes,  and  said  unto me,  Go  to  the pool  of Siloam,  and  wash:  and  I went  and  washed,  and I received sight. 

What does John 9:11 Mean?

Context Summary

John 9:1-12 - Jesus Opens Blind Eyes
At the close of the previous chapter our Lord bore the contradiction of sinners against Himself. The Jews had caught up the stones gathered to repair the Temple, in order to inflict the doom of the blasphemer; but Jesus passed through them unscathed and began to descend the great steps. To human gaze there was need for Jesus to hasten from His foes, John 8:59; in His thought there was greater need to heal this blind beggar. In the most leisurely manner, therefore, He made clay and wrought this miracle of sight. His heart was at rest in God. No great thing is wrought by those who live in perpetual ferment. Through the quiet heart God works His own works, and there will be time enough to get them all done before "the night cometh when no man can work," John 9:4.
Our Lord perceived that beneath the unpromising exterior of this man were elements of nobility, which He set Himself to elicit. The clay which the man found suddenly applied to his eyes awakened wonder, hope, expectation, and faith. It was a ladder by which he climbed from the pit of despair to the mount of joy. The walk to Siloam was a further venture of faith; but there were other steps to be taken ere he attained to the full stature of his discipleship. Some were forced on him by opposition; to others he was led by Christ Himself. [source]

Chapter Summary: John 9

1  The man born blind is restored to sight
8  He is brought to the Pharisees
13  They are offended at it;
35  but he is received of Jesus, and confesses him
39  Who they are whom Jesus enlightens

Greek Commentary for John 9:11

The man that is called Jesus [ο αντρωπος ο λεγομενος Ιησους]
He does not yet know Jesus as the Messiah the Son of God (John 9:36). I received sight First aorist active indicative of αναβλεπω — anablepō old verb to see again, to recover sight, not strictly true of this man who had never seen. He got back sight that he had never had. Originally the verb means to look up (Matthew 14:19). [source]
To the pool of Siloam []
The best texts read simply, Go to Siloam. [source]
Received sight [ἀνέβλεψα]
Originally, to look up, as Matthew 14:19; Mark 16:4, and so some render it here; but better, I recovered sight. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 9:11

Matthew 1:1 Christ [Χριστός]
Properly an adjective, not a noun, and meaning anointed ( Χρίω , to anoint). It is a translation of the Hebrew Messiah, the king and spiritual ruler from David's race, promised under that name in the Old Testament (Psalm 2:2; Daniel 9:25, Daniel 9:26). Hence Andrew says to Simon, “We have found the Messiah, which is, being interpreted, Christ (John 1:41; compare Acts 4:27; Acts 10:38; Acts 19:28). To us “Christ “has become a proper name, and is therefore written without the definite article; but, in the body of the gospel narratives, since the identity of Jesus with the promised Messiah is still in question with the people, the article is habitually used, and the name should therefore be translated “the Christ.” After the resurrection, when the recognition of Jesus as Messiah has become general, we find the word beginning to be used as a proper name, with or without the article. In this passage it omits the article, because it occurs in the heading of the chapter, and expresses the evangelist's own faith in Jesus as the Messiah. Anointing was applied to kings (1 Samuel 9:16; 1 Samuel 10:1), to prophets (1 Kings 19:16), and to priests (Exodus 29:29; Exodus 40:15; Leviticus 16:32) at their inauguration. “The Lord's anointed” was a common title of the king (1 Samuel 12:3, 1 Samuel 12:5; 2 Samuel 1:14, 2 Samuel 1:16). Prophets are called “Messiahs,” or anointed ones (1 Chronicles 16:22; Psalm 105:15). Cyrus is also called “the Lord's Anointed,” because called to the throne to deliver the Jews out of captivity (Isaiah 45:1). Hence the word” Christ” was representative of our Lord, who united in himself the offices of king, prophet, and priest. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
It is interesting to see how anointing attaches to our Lord in other and minor particulars. Anointing was an act of hospitality and a sign of festivity and cheerfulness. Jesus was anointed by the woman when a guest in the house of Simon the Pharisee, and rebuked his host for omitting this mark of respect toward hint (Luke 7:35, Luke 7:46). In the Epistle to the Hebrews (Hebrews 1:8, Hebrews 1:9), the words of the Messianic psalm (Psalm 45:7) are applied to Jesus, “God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.”-DIVIDER-
Anointing was practised upon the sick (Mark 6:13; Luke 10:34:; James 5:14). Jesus, “the Great Physician,” is described by Isaiah (Isaiah 61:1, Isaiah 61:2; compare Luke 4:18) as anointed by God to bind up the broken-hearted, and to give the mournful the oil of joy for mourning. He himself anointed the eyes of the blind man (John 9:6, John 9:11); and the twelve, in his name, “anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them” (Mark 6:13). -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
Anointing was practised upon the dead. Of her who brake the alabaster upon his head at Bethany, Jesus said, “She hath anointed my body aforehand for the burying” (Mark 14:8; see, also, Luke 23:56). [source]

John 9:6 Anointed [ἐπέχρισε]
Only here and John 9:11. The spittle was regarded as having a peculiar virtue, not only as a remedy for diseases of the eye, but generally as a charm, so that it was employed in incantations. Persius, describing an old crone handling an infant, says: “She takes the babe from the cradle, and with her middle finger moistens its forehead and lips with spittle to keep away the evil eye” (“Sat.,” ii., 32,33). Tacitus relates how one of the common people of Alexandria importuned Vespasian for a remedy for his blindness, and prayed him to sprinkle his cheeks and the balls of his eyes with the secretion of his mouth (“History,” iv., 81). Pliny says: “We are to believe that by continually anointing each morning with fasting saliva (i.e., before eating), inflammations of the eyes are prevented” (“Natural History,” xxviii., 7). Some editors read here ἐπέθηκεν , put upon, for ἐπέχρισεν , anointed. [source]
John 5:2 Pool [κολυμβήθρα]
In the New Testament only in this chapter and John 9:7, John 9:11. Properly, a pool for swimming, from κολυμβάω , to dive. In Ecclesiastes 2:6(Sept.) it is used of a reservoir in a garden. The Hebrew word is from the verb to kneel down, and means, therefore, a kneeling-place for cattle or men when drinking. In ecclesiastical language, the baptismal font, and the baptistery itself. [source]
John 9:9 Nay but he is like him [Ουχι αλλα ομοιος αυτωι εστιν]
Vigorous denial (αυτοι — ouchi) and mere similarity suggested. Associative instrumental case ομοιος — autoi after εκεινος ελεγεν — homoios The crowd is divided. He said (ekeinos elegen). Emphatic demonstrative (as in John 9:11, John 9:12, John 9:25, John 9:36), “That one spake up.” He knew. [source]
John 9:6 He spat on the ground [επτυσεν χαμαι]
First aorist active indicative of the old verb πτυω — ptuō for which see Mark 7:33. Χαμαι — Chamai is an old adverb either in the dative or locative (sense suits locative), in N.T. only here and John 18:6. Jesus was not asked to cure this man. The curative effects of saliva are held in many places. The Jews held saliva efficacious for eye-trouble, but it was forbidden on the Sabbath. “That Jesus supposed some virtue lay in the application of the clay is contradicted by the fact that in other cases of blindness He did not use it” (Dods). Cf. Mark 8:23. Why he here accommodated himself to current belief we do not know unless it was to encourage the man to believe. He made clay Only use of πηλος — pēlos old word for clay, in N.T. in this chapter and Romans 9:21. The kneading of the clay and spittle added another offense against the Sabbath rules of the rabbis. Anointed his eyes with the clay First aorist active indicative of επιχριω — epichriō old verb, to spread on, anoint, here only and John 9:11 in N.T. “He spread the clay upon his eyes.” B C read επετηκεν — epethēken (first aorist active indicative of επιτιτημι — epitithēmi to put on). [source]
Acts 22:13 I looked up on him [αναβλεπσα εις αυτον]
First aorist active indicative and same word as αναβλεπσον — anablepson (Receive thy sight). Hence here the verb means as the margin of the Revised Version has it: “I received my sight and looked upon him.” For “look up” see note on John 9:11. [source]
Romans 9:21 Or hath not the potter a right over the clay? [η ουκ εχει εχουσιαν ο κεραμευς του πηλου]
This question, expecting an affirmative answer, is Paul‘s reply to the previous one, “Why didst thou make me thus?” Πηλος — Pēlos old word for clay, is mud or wet clay in John 9:6, John 9:11, John 9:14. The old word for potter (κεραμευς — kerameus) in N.T. only here and Matthew 27:7, Matthew 27:10. [source]

What do the individual words in John 9:11 mean?

Answered He The man - called Jesus clay made and anointed of me the eyes He said to me - Go to - Siloam wash Having gone therefore having washed I received sight
Ἀπεκρίθη ἐκεῖνος ἄνθρωπος λεγόμενος Ἰησοῦς πηλὸν ἐποίησεν καὶ ἐπέχρισέν μου τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς εἶπέν μοι ὅτι Ὕπαγε εἰς τὸν Σιλωὰμ νίψαι ἀπελθὼν οὖν νιψάμενος ἀνέβλεψα

Ἀπεκρίθη  Answered 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀποκρίνομαι  
Sense: to give an answer to a question proposed, to answer.
ἄνθρωπος  man 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἄνθρωπος  
Sense: a human being, whether male or female.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
λεγόμενος  called 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
Ἰησοῦς  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.
πηλὸν  clay 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: πηλός  
Sense: clay, which potters uses.
ἐποίησεν  made 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ποιέω  
Sense: to make.
ἐπέχρισέν  anointed 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἐπιχρίω  
Sense: to spread on, anoint anything upon anything.
μου  of  me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
ὀφθαλμοὺς  eyes 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: ὀφθαλμός  
Sense: the eye.
εἶπέν  He  said 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
μοι  to  me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
ὅτι  - 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
Ὕπαγε  Go 
Parse: Verb, Present Imperative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: ὑπάγω  
Sense: to lead under, bring under.
τὸν  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Σιλωὰμ  Siloam 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: Σιλωάμ  
Sense: the Pool of Siloam, a fountain of water in Jerusalem, also called Shiloah in Isa.
νίψαι  wash 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Middle, 2nd Person Singular
Root: νίπτω  
Sense: to wash.
ἀπελθὼν  Having  gone 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀπέρχομαι  
Sense: to go away, depart.
νιψάμενος  having  washed 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Middle, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: νίπτω  
Sense: to wash.
ἀνέβλεψα  I  received  sight 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: ἀναβλέπω  
Sense: to look up.

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