“Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.”
My Notes
What Does John 9:16 Mean?
Jesus has just healed a man born blind on the Sabbath. The Pharisees are split: some say Jesus can't be from God because He broke the Sabbath. Others say a sinner couldn't perform such miracles. And a division opens between them.
The logic on both sides is coherent within its own framework. The rule-keepers reason from the Law: Sabbath-breaking = sinner = not from God. The miracle-observers reason from evidence: real miracle = God's involvement = not a sinner. Same data. Different starting points. Opposite conclusions.
The "division" (schisma) is the same word that gives us "schism." Jesus doesn't just split opinions. He splits institutions. The religious establishment that was supposed to speak with one voice about God is now arguing about whether God is standing in their room. The healer is right there. And they can't agree on who He is.
Reflection Questions
- 1.Do you tend to start from the rule or from the evidence — and how does that affect your openness to what God is doing?
- 2.Have you ever dismissed something God was clearly doing because it violated your framework?
- 3.How do you handle division within your faith community when sincere people reach opposite conclusions about the same evidence?
- 4.What does this passage teach about the relationship between theological systems and direct experience of God?
Devotional
Some said: He can't be from God — He broke the Sabbath. Others said: a sinner couldn't do this. Same miracle. Same Jesus. Complete disagreement.
The Pharisees are watching the same evidence and reaching opposite conclusions. One group starts with the rule: the Law says no work on Sabbath. He worked. Therefore He's a sinner. The other group starts with the evidence: the miracle is undeniable. Therefore God is at work. Both arguments are logical. Both start from true premises. And they lead to mutually exclusive conclusions.
This is what happens when Jesus enters a rigid system. He creates a schism — not between good people and bad people, but between people who prioritize the rule and people who prioritize the reality. The rule-keepers can't accommodate a God who breaks their interpretation of the Law. The reality-watchers can't deny what their eyes have seen.
Jesus is still causing this division. In every church, every community, every family where people encounter Him — some see the miracle and believe. Others see the rule-breaking and reject. The data is the same. The starting point determines the conclusion.
Which Pharisee are you? The one who starts with the rule and dismisses the miracle? Or the one who starts with the evidence and lets it rewrite the rule? The answer reveals more about your faith than any creed ever will.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
Wherefore said some of the Pharisees,.... Or sanhedrim, for they were not all of one mind, as appears by what follows:…
This man is not of God - Is not sent by God, or cannot be a friend of God. Because he keepeth not the sabbath-day - They…
This man is not of God - He can neither be the Messiah, nor a prophet, for he has broken the Sabbath. The Jews always…
One would have expected that such a miracle as Christ wrought upon the blind man would have settled his reputation, and…
This man is not of God Comp. -He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils" (Mat 9:34); like this, an argument…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture