John 9:24

John 9:24, in plain English

The leaders call the man back and tell him to 'give glory to God'—basically a demand to tell the truth under oath—while insisting that Jesus is a sinner.

Why it's here

They've already made up their minds about Jesus. Now they want the healed man to agree with their verdict.

Who's speaking

The authorities pressure the healed man to change his story and condemn Jesus.

Where it sits in the story

This is a pressure tactic. They're essentially saying, 'We've decided Jesus is a sinner. Now agree with us.' But they picked the wrong person to intimidate.

The scholarly reading

The authorities summon the man a second time and demand he 'give glory to God' (dos doxan tō theō)—a judicial oath formula (cf. Joshua 7:19) implying they want a confession that contradicts his previous testimony.

Language and setting

The phrase 'give glory to God' was a solemn adjuration to speak the truth under oath. Their declaration 'we know this man is a sinner' reveals their predetermined verdict, making this a coerced proceeding.

Voice

The Jewish authorities recall the healed man and pressure him under oath to recant his testimony about Jesus.

Significance

The second interrogation reveals the authorities' true aim: not investigation but coercion. They want the man to deny Jesus' goodness and attribute the healing to God alone, separated from Jesus.

22His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews. For the Jews had already determined that anyone who confessed Jesus as the Christ would be put out of the synagogue.

23That was why his parents said, “He is old enough. Ask him.”

24So a second time they called for the man who had been blind and said, “Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.”

25He answered, “Whether He is a sinner I do not know. There is one thing I do know: I was blind, but now I see!”

26“What did He do to you?” they asked. “How did He open your eyes?”

Read all of John 9 — A man blind from birth receives sight, and the Pharisees interrogate him relentlessly. His simple testimony dismantles their theology piece by piece.