The Meaning of John 9:8 Explained

John 9:8

KJV: The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged?

YLT: the neighbours, therefore, and those seeing him before, that he was blind, said, 'Is not this he who is sitting and begging?'

Darby: The neighbours therefore, and those who used to see him before, that he was a beggar, said, Is not this he that was sitting and begging?

ASV: The neighbors therefore, and they that saw him aforetime, that he was a beggar, said, Is not this he that sat and begged?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The neighbours  therefore,  and  they which before  had seen  him  that  he was  blind,  said,  Is  not  this  he that sat  and  begged? 

What does John 9:8 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 9:8

Neighbours [γειτονες]
From γη — gē (land), of the same land, old word. See Luke 14:2. Saw him Present active participle of τεωρεω — theōreō who used to observe him. Aforetime Adverbial accusative, “the former time,” formerly. That he was a beggar See John 4:19; John 12:19 for declarative οτι — hoti after τεωρεω — theōreō But it is entirely possible that οτι — hoti here is “because” (Westcott). Προσαιτης — Prosaitēs is a late word for beggar, in N.T. only here and Mark 10:46. It is from προσαιτεω — prosaiteō to ask in addition (see προσαιτων — prosaitōn below), a thing that beggars know how to do. Is not this he that sat and begged? He had his regular place and was a familiar figure. But now his eyes are wide open. [source]
Blind []
The best texts substitute προσαίτης , a beggar. [source]
That sat and begged [ὁ καθήμενος καὶ προσαιτῶν]
Literally, the one sitting and begging. Denoting something customary. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 9:8

John 6:62 What then if ye should behold [εαν ουν τεωρητε]
No “what” in the Greek. Condition of third class with εαν — ean and present active subjunctive, “if ye then behold.” Ascending Present active participle picturing the process. Where he was before Neuter articular adjective as adverb (accusative of general reference, at the former time as in John 9:8; Galatians 3:13). Clear statement of Christ‘s pre-existence in his own words as in John 3:13; John 17:5 (cf. 1:1-18). [source]
John 9:15 Again [παλιν]
Besides the questioning of the neighbours (John 9:8, John 9:9). Therefore Since he has been brought to the Pharisees who must make a show of wisdom. Also asked him Inchoative imperfect active of ερωταω — erōtaō “began also to question him.” How he received his sight No denial as yet of the fact, only interest in the “how.” He put Genuine here, but see John 9:6. And lo see That is the overwhelming fact. [source]
Galatians 4:13 At the first [τὸ πρότερον]
Either generally, at an earlier time than the present (as John 6:62; John 9:8; 1 Timothy 1:13), or the first time (as Hebrews 7:27). Here in the latter sense. Paul had visited the Galatians twice before he wrote this letter. [source]

What do the individual words in John 9:8 mean?

The therefore neighbors and those having seen him - before that a beggar he was were saying Not this is he who was sitting begging
Οἱ οὖν γείτονες καὶ οἱ θεωροῦντες αὐτὸν τὸ πρότερον ὅτι προσαίτης ἦν ἔλεγον Οὐχ οὗτός ἐστιν καθήμενος προσαιτῶν

γείτονες  neighbors 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: γείτων  
Sense: a neighbour.
οἱ  those 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
θεωροῦντες  having  seen 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: θεωρέω  
Sense: to be a spectator, look at, behold.
τὸ  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
πρότερον  before 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Singular, Comparative
Root: πρότερος  
Sense: before, prior.
ὅτι  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
προσαίτης  a  beggar 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: προσαιτέω 
Sense: to ask for in addition.
ἦν  he  was 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
ἔλεγον  were  saying 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
οὗτός  this 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
  he  who 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
καθήμενος  was  sitting 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: κάθημαι  
Sense: to sit down, seat one’s self.
προσαιτῶν  begging 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: προσαιτέω 
Sense: to ask for in addition.