Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not.
Then {G3767} said they {G2036} unto him {G846}, Where {G4226} is {G2076} he {G1565}? He said {G3004}, I know {G1492} not {G3756}.
They said to him, “Where is he?” and he replied, “I don’t know.”
“Where is He?” they asked. “I do not know,” he answered.
And they said unto him, Where is he? He saith, I know not.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.
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John 7:11
Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he? -
Exodus 2:18
And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How [is it that] ye are come so soon to day? -
Exodus 2:20
And he said unto his daughters, And where [is] he? why [is] it [that] ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread. -
John 5:11
He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. -
John 5:13
And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in [that] place.
Commentary on John 9:12
John 9:12 captures a crucial moment in the interrogation of the man who was born blind and miraculously healed by Jesus. After his astonished neighbors brought him to the Pharisees, the religious leaders began their questioning, seeking to understand the circumstances of this extraordinary event.
Historical and Cultural Context
This verse occurs immediately after the man's brief but powerful testimony in John 9:11, where he recounts Jesus' method of healing—making clay, anointing his eyes, and instructing him to wash in the Pool of Siloam. The Pharisees' immediate concern, reflected in their question "Where is he?", was not to celebrate the miracle, but to identify the one who performed it. This was particularly urgent because the healing took place on the Sabbath, a day when their strict interpretations of the law prohibited such "work." Their inquiry was driven by suspicion and an intent to find fault with Jesus, rather than a genuine desire to understand the divine power at work.
Key Themes and Messages
Linguistic Insights
The Greek phrase for "I know not" is ouk oida (οὐκ οἶδα). It's a simple, direct statement of lack of knowledge, emphasizing that the man genuinely did not know where Jesus had gone. There is no hidden meaning or evasiveness implied; it's an honest admission from someone who had just experienced a life-altering miracle and was likely still processing the enormity of it.
Practical Application
This verse offers several insights for believers today. First, our personal encounter with Christ's transformative power is paramount. Like the man born blind, we may not have all the answers about God's ways or His precise whereabouts, but we can bear witness to what He has done in our lives. Our testimony is powerful because it stems from experience. Second, it reminds us that true faith often involves a focus on the miraculous work of God, even when the details of His methods or movements remain a mystery. Finally, it highlights the human tendency to question and scrutinize divine acts, often out of suspicion or a desire to maintain control, rather than to celebrate God's grace and healing power.