The Meaning of John 9:37 Explained

John 9:37

KJV: And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.

YLT: And Jesus said to him, 'Thou hast both seen him, and he who is speaking with thee is he;'

Darby: And Jesus said to him, Thou hast both seen him, and he that speaks with thee is he.

ASV: Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and he it is that speaketh with thee.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  Jesus  said  unto him,  Thou hast  both  seen  him,  and  it is  he  that talketh  with  thee. 

What does John 9:37 Mean?

Context Summary

John 9:35-41 - "a Stone Of Stumbling"
In John 9:35 we hear of Jesus finding the outcast, whom the Pharisees had excommunicated; and this story is appropriately followed by a picture of the true Shepherd as contrasted with the false. At night sundry flocks are brought to the Eastern sheepfold and committed to the care of the keeper or porter. In the morning the shepherds knock at the barred door of the enclosure, and the porter opens from within. Each separates his own sheep by calling their names, and when thus summoned the flock follows its shepherd, wherever he may lead.
The sheepfold in this parable holds the Jewish people. The stranger is the religious Teacher who fails to speak in the familiar phrase of Moses and the prophets. The Pharisees and scribes are the thieves and robbers who have stolen God's glory and made profit of his flock. Note that whenever you are put forth, you will find Christ going before.
God has sent many true shepherds from out His presence chamber, to care not only for individuals or churches but for nations. [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 9:37

Thou hast both seen him [και εωρακας αυτον]
Perfect active indicative (double reduplication) of οραω — horaō Since his eyes were opened. And he it is that speaketh with thee “And the one speaking with thee is that man.” See John 19:35 for εκεινος — ekeinos used of the speaker. In John 4:26 Jesus reveals himself in like manner to the Samaritan woman as Messiah while here as the Son of Man (or the Son of God). [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 9:37

John 5:11 He that made - the same [ὁ ποιήσας - ἐκεῖνος]
The demonstrative pronoun points with emphasis to the subject of the preceding clause. A characteristic usage of John. See John 1:18, John 1:33; John 9:37; John 10:1; John 12:48, etc. [source]
John 19:35 And he [κακεῖνος]
This pronoun is urged by some as a reason for regarding the witness as some other than John, because it is the pronoun of remote reference. But John 9:37shows clearly that a speaker can use this pronoun of himself; and it is, further, employed in this Gospel to indicate a person “as possessing the quality which is the point in question in an eminent or even exclusive degree” (Godet). See John 1:18; John 5:39. [source]
John 1:18 He [ἐκεῖνος]
Strongly emphatic, and pointing to the eternal Son. This pronoun is used by John more frequently than by any other writer. It occurs seventy-two times, and not only as denoting the more distant subject, but as denoting and laying special stress on the person or thing immediately at hand, or possessing pre-eminently the quality which is immediately in question. Thus Jesus applies it to Himself as the person for whom the healed blind man is inquiring: “It is He ( ἐκεῖνος ) that talketh with thee” (John 9:37). So here, “the only-begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father - He hath declared Him.” [source]
John 19:35 He that hath seen [ο εωρακως]
Perfect active articular participle of οραω — horaō John the Apostle was there and saw this fact (still sees it, in fact). This personal witness disproves the theory of the Docetic Gnostics that Jesus did not have a real human body. He knoweth That is John does like John 9:37. It is possible that εκεινος — ekeinos may be a solemn appeal to God as in John 1:33 or Christ as in 1 John 3:5. Bernard argues that the final editor is distinguishing the Beloved Disciple from himself and is endorsing him. But the example of Josephus (War. III. 7, 16) is against this use of εκεινος — ekeinos John is rather referring to himself as still alive. [source]
John 4:26 I that speak unto thee am he [Εγω ειμι ο λαλων σοι]
“I am he, the one speaking to thee.” In plain language Jesus now declares that he is the Messiah as he does to the blind man (John 9:37). [source]
John 5:11 But he answered [ος δε απεκριτη]
Demonstrative ος — hos (But this one) and deponent use of απεκριτη — apekrithē (first aorist passive indicative of αποκρινομαι — apokrinomai with no passive force). The same “That one,” emphatic demonstrative as often in John (John 1:18, John 1:33; John 9:37; John 10:1, etc.). The man did not know who Jesus was nor even his name. He quotes the very words of Jesus. Whole Predicate accusative agreeing with με — me (me). [source]
1 Timothy 1:15 Faithful is the saying [πιστος ο λογος]
Five times in the Pastorals (1 Timothy 1:15; 1 Timothy 3:1; 1 Timothy 4:9; Titus 3:8; 2 Timothy 2:11). It will pay to note carefully πιστισ πιστευω πιστος — pistisπιστος — pisteuōλογος — pistos Same use of οτι — pistos (trustworthy) applied to αποδοχης — logos in Titus 1:9; Revelation 21:5; Revelation 22:6. Here and probably in 2 Timothy 2:11 a definite saying seems to be referred to, possibly a quotation (αχιος — hoti) of a current saying quite like the Johannine type of teaching. This very phrase (Christ coming into the world) occurs in John 9:37; John 11:27; John 16:28; John 18:37. Paul, of course, had no access to the Johannine writings, but such “sayings” were current among the disciples. There is no formal quotation, but “the whole phrase implies a knowledge of Synoptic and Johannine language” (Lock) as in Luke 5:32; John 12:47. [source]

What do the individual words in John 9:37 mean?

Said to him - Jesus Both You have seen Him and the [One] speaking with you He is
Εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ἰησοῦς Καὶ ἑώρακας αὐτὸν καὶ λαλῶν μετὰ σοῦ ἐκεῖνός ἐστιν

Εἶπεν  Said 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
αὐτῷ  to  him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰησοῦς  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.
Καὶ  Both 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
ἑώρακας  You  have  seen 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: εἶδον 
Sense: to see with the eyes.
  the  [One] 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
λαλῶν  speaking 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀπολαλέω 
Sense: to utter a voice or emit a sound.