ACC ~ John 8 v59

WOULD THEY EVER STOP THROWING STONES?

CHRYSOSTOM: They were so ready for murder that they threw stones at him. And they did this on their own without asking anyone. But why didn’t Jesus say, “Before Abraham was, I was,” instead of “I am”? In other words, he uses the same expression, “I am,” that his Father does, because it signifies continuous being irrespective of all time. This is why the expression seemed so blasphemous to them. Now, if they could not bear the comparison with Abraham (although this was only a minor comparison), just imagine if he had continually made [statements about making] himself equal to the Father. Would they have ever stopped throwing stones at him? HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 55.2. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 14:199*.

FROM BLIND TO BLIND

THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA: He passed through them and left the place as if their eyes were closed by divine power so that they might not know how he had left from their midst…. Clearly, then, he slipped away from the Jews and, moving on, he performed the work on the blind man. Right after his discourse, then, one miracle was followed by another. This is so since, on the one hand, he was not seen by those who could see (because they were possessed by blindness) while on the other, he gave sight to the one who did not have the natural ability to see. COMMENTARY ON JOHN 3.8.57-59. [1]

[1] CSCO 4 3:180-81.