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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
John Chrysostom
"These words spake they, because they feared the Jews." Observe how the Evangelist again brings forward their opinion and thoughts. This I say, because of that speech which they before uttered, when they said, "He maketh Himself equal to God." For had that also been the opinion of the Jews but not the judgment of Christ, he would have added and said, that "it was a Jewish opinion." When therefore the parents referred them to him that had been healed, they called him again the second time, and did not say openly and shamelessly, "Deny …
Cyril of Alexandria
Well and fitly does our Lord Jesus the Christ utter this woe at the heads of the Pharisees: Woe unto you lawyers! for ye took away the hey of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered. For again let the devout person consider if the beauty of truth will not correspond to these words; for Christ could never be deceived. For behold! …
Theophylact of Ohrid
For they were fainthearted; not like their son, that intrepid witness to the truth, the eyes of whose understanding had been enlightened by God.
Western Saints
Augustine of Hippo
"But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight. And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, whom ye say was born blind? How then doth he now see? His parents answered and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind: but by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself. …
Thomas Aquinas
1334 The reason for their answer is given when he says, his parents said this because they feared the Jews; for they were still imperfect and did not dare do what our Lord says: "Do not fear those who kill the body" (Mt 10:28). The reason for their fear was that the Jews had already agreed that if any one should confess him to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue. "I have said all this to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues" (Jn 16:1). …
Bonaventure
Now his parents said these things because they feared the Jews; Isaiah fifty-one: "Who are you, that you should fear a mortal man and the son of man, who will wither like grass?" And First Maccabees two: "Do not fear the words of a sinful man, because his glory is dung and worms." And the reason for their fear is given: For the Jews had already conspired that if anyone confessed him to be the Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. …
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