Joh 9:34, 16:2 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 34. Wast born in sins . That is, thou wast born in a state of blindness--a state which proved that either thou or thy parents had sinned, and that this was the punishment for it. See . Thou wast cursed by God with blindness for crime, and yet thou dost set up for a religious teacher! When men have no arguments, they attempt to supply their place by revilings. When they are pressed by argument, they reproach their adversaries with crime, and especially with being blind, perverse, heretical, disposed to speculation, and regardless of the authority of God . And especially do they consider it great presumption that one of an inferior age or rank should presume to advance an argument in opposition to prevailing opinions. They cast him out . Out of the synagogue. They excommunicated him. . (v) "Thou was altogether" (w) "they" (2) "cast out", or "excommunicated"

John 9:34

Verse 34. Wast born in sins. That is, thou wast born in a state of blindness--a state which proved that either thou or thy parents had sinned, and that this was the punishment for it. See Jn 9:2. Thou wast cursed by God with blindness for crime, and yet thou dost set up for a religious teacher! When men have no arguments, they attempt to supply their place by revilings. When they are pressed by argument, they reproach their adversaries with crime, and especially with being blind, perverse, heretical, disposed to speculation, and regardless of the authority of God. And especially do they consider it great presumption that one of an inferior age or rank should presume to advance an argument in opposition to prevailing opinions.

They cast him out. Out of the synagogue. They excommunicated him. Jn 9:22.

(v) "Thou was altogether" Jn 9:2 (w) "they" Isa 66:5 (2) "cast out", or "excommunicated"

John 16:2

Verse 2. Out of the synagogues. Jn 9:22. They would excommunicate them from their religious assemblies. This was often done. Comp. Acts 6:13, 14, 9:23, 24, 17:5, 21:27-31.

Whosoever killeth you. This refers principally to the Jews. It is also true of the Gentiles, that in their persecution of Christians they supposed they were rendering acceptable service to their gods.

God service. The Jews who persecuted the apostles regarded them as blasphemers, and as seeking to overthrow the temple service, and the system of religion which God had established. Thus they supposed they were rendering service to God in putting them to death, Acts 6:13, 14; Acts 21:28-31. Sinners, especially hypocrites, often cloak enormous crimes under the pretence of great zeal for religion. Men often suppose, or profess to suppose, that they are rendering God service when they persecute others; and, under the pretence of great zeal for truth and purity, evince all possible bigotry, pride, malice, and uncharitableness. The people of God have suffered most from those who have been conscientious persecutors and some of the most malignant foes which true Christians have ever had have been in the church, and have been professed ministers of the gospel, persecuting them under pretence of great zeal for the cause of purity and religion. It is no evidence of piety that a man is full of zeal against those whom he supposes to be heretics; and it is one of the best proofs that a man knows nothing of the religion of Jesus when he is eminent for self-conceit in his own views of orthodoxy, and firmly fixed in the opinion that all who differ from him and his sect must of course be wrong.

(a) "whosoever killeth you" Acts 26, 9-11.