John 9 - NIV First Century Study Bible

9:2 Who sinned. It was common to believe that illness was the result of specific sins, a notion that Jesus challenged (see note on Lk 13:3). The prophets also challenged this belief (see Jer 31:29–30; Eze 18).

9:4 As long as it is day, we must do the works. The Talmud says, “Work as long as you can and it is possible for you and it is still within your power” (b. Shabbat 151b, quoted in Arnold, Backgrounds Commentary, 2:92.) (see note on Lk 10:2).

9:4 Him who sent me. This was a wordplay on the Pool of Siloam. The name “Siloam” means “sent” (see v. 7). “Siloam” was pronounced “shiloach” or “Shiloh” in Hebrew. “Shiloh” was probably an allusion to the first Messianic text in the Torah: “The scepter will not depart from Judah . . . until [Shiloh] shall come” (Ge 49:10; see second note there). This fits a pattern of Jesus identifying himself as the Messiah in obscure and sophisticated ways.

9:6 Saliva. See note on Mk 7:33.

9:7 Pool of Siloam. This pool was recently excavated. It was probably used for ritual purification. It was located at the end of Hezekiah’s rock-cut tunnel for the Gihon spring (see 2Ch 32:30).

9:13–34 The Pharisees challenge the healing. Jesus did not encourage people to violate the Torah and often agreed with rabbinic or Pharisaic interpretations (see note on Mt 23:2). In this case, Jesus encouraged the healed man to violate the rabbinic custom that forbade someone to carry their mat on the Sabbath (see Ex 20:8; 35:1–3; see also note on Ex 20:8). For Sabbath controversies, see notes on Mt 12:1–14; Mk 2:23–28.