Johannes 9:4

Svenska Bibel

Medan dagen varar, måste vi göra dens gärningar, som har sänt mig; natten kommer, då ingen kan verka.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

must: John 4:34, John 5:19, John 5:36, John 10:32, John 10:37, John 17:4, Luke 13:32-34, Acts 4:20

while: John 11:9, John 11:10, John 12:35, Ecclesiastes 9:10, Isaiah 38:18, Isaiah 38:19, Ephesians 5:16, Colossians 4:5

Reciprocal: 1 Chronicles 22:5 - David prepared 2 Chronicles 14:7 - while the land Nehemiah 6:3 - I am doing Psalms 6:5 - in the Psalms 90:12 - So Malachi 4:2 - the Sun Matthew 12:15 - great Matthew 20:6 - the eleventh Matthew 20:7 - Go Mark 1:38 - for Mark 3:3 - he saith Luke 2:49 - my Luke 4:43 - I must Luke 6:8 - Rise Luke 12:49 - and Luke 13:33 - I must John 5:17 - My John 7:30 - but Galatians 6:10 - opportunity

Gill's Notes on the Bible

I must work the works of him that sent me,.... This shows, that the works of God, that were to be manifest, were to be done by Christ: many were the works which the Father gave him to do, and which he undertook to perform; and therefore there was a necessity of doing them, as principally the work of redemption, by fulfilling the law, and satisfying justice: and besides this, there were the preaching of the Gospel, and doing of miracles, and among these was this of giving sight to the blind, see Isaiah 35:5, both in a natural and spiritual sense: and with a view to this he speaks of the works he mast do,

while it is day; while the day of life lasts, for in the grave there is no work nor device:

the night cometh when no man can work; meaning the night of death, and of the grave, and suggesting his own death hereby, that he had but a little time to be in this world, and therefore would make the best use of it, to do the will and work of his Father that sent him; and which should be a pattern to us. This life is but short, it is but as the length of a day; a great deal of business is to be done; and death is hastening on, which will put a period to all working.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The works of him ... - The works of beneficence and mercy which God has commissioned me to do, and which are expressive of his goodness and power. This was on the Sabbath day John 9:14; and though Jesus had endangered his life (John 5:1-16 by working a similar miracle on the Sabbath, yet he knew that this was the will of God that he should do good, and that he would take care of his life.

While it is day - The day is the proper time for work - night is not. This is the general, the universal sentiment. While the day lasts it is proper to labor. The term “day” here refers to the life of Jesus, and to the opportunity thus afforded of working miracles. His life was drawing to a close. It was probably but about six months after this when he was put to death. The meaning is, My life is near its close. While it continues I must employ it in doing the works which God has appointed.

The night cometh - Night here represents death. It was drawing near, and he must therefore do what he had to do soon. It is not improbable, also, that this took place near the close of the Sabbath, as the sun was declining, and the shades of evening about to appear. This supposition will give increased beauty to the language which follows.

No man can work - It is literally true that day is the appropriate time for toil, and that the night of death is a time when nothing can be done. Ecclesiastes 9:10; “there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave.” From this we may learn:

1.That it is our duty to employ all our time in doing the will of God.

2.That we should seek for opportunities of doing good, and suffer none to pass without improving it. We go but once through the world, and we cannot return to correct errors, and recall neglected opportunities of doing our duty.

1. We should be especially diligent in doing our Lord’s work from the fact that the night of death is coming. This applies to the aged, for they must soon die; and to the young, for they may soon be called away from this world to eternity.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse John 9:4. While it is day — Though I plainly perceive that the cure of this man will draw down upon me the malice of the Jewish rulers, yet I must accomplish the work for which I came into the world whole it is day-while the term of this life of mine shall last. It was about six months after this that our Lord was crucified. It is very likely that the day was now declining, and night coming on; and he took occasion from this circumstance to introduce the elegant metaphor immediately following. By this we are taught that no opportunity for doing good should be omitted - DAY representing the opportunity: NIGHT, the loss of that opportunity.