John Chrysostom

Then to show that it was better for them to be blind than seeing, He saith, "If ye were blind, ye should have no sin." Since they deemed the calamity a matter to be ashamed of, He turneth this back upon their own head, telling them, that "this very thing would have rendered your punishment more tolerable"; cutting away on every side their human thoughts, and leading them to a notion high and marvelous. "But now ye say, We see." As He saith in that other place, "Of whom ye said that He was your God" (c.viii. …

Homily on the Gospel of John 59 ↗

Cyril of Alexandria

The Saviour once more confounds them, tempering His reproof with skill. For He holds aloof from all reviling and puts them out of countenance by setting before them the force of the truth: He shows them that they derive no advantage from possessing sight, or rather that they fell into a worse condition than one who could not see at all. …

Commentary on the Gospel of John, Book 6 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

But the Lord wanted to show them that it is better to be blind in body than to be unbelieving, and said: "If you were blind, you would have no sin." For if you were blind by necessity, by nature, forgiveness could have been granted to you for the unbelief with which you are infected. But now you say that you see, and yet, having been eyewitnesses of the miracle upon the blind man, you still remain in unbelief, and therefore are unworthy of forgiveness. …

Commentary on John ↗

Thomas Aquinas

1363 Next, we see the Jews silenced. According to Augustine, this shows the meaning of the previous passage, that is, that our Lord was referring to spiritual blindness. He says, If you were blind, you would have no guilt, because you would be running to the remedy. For sin is taken away by grace, which is given only to the humble: "God gives grace to the humble" (Jas 4:6). …

Commentary on John ↗

Bonaventure

Jesus said to them: If you were blind, you would not have sin; because then the Lord would illuminate you: whence 1 Corinthians 3: "If anyone among you seems to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise." But now you say: We see, and you consider yourselves wise: your sin remains, namely of unbelief, according to that passage in Romans 1: "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools." Whence the Lord addresses them in Jeremiah 5: "Hear, O foolish people, without understanding, who have eyes and do not …

Commentary on John, Chapter 9 ↗