Give God the praise - Having called the man a second time, they proceeded to deal with him in the most solemn manner; and therefore they put him to his oath; for the words above were the form of an oath, proposed by the chief magistrate to those who were to give evidence to any particular fact, or to attest any thing, as produced by or belonging to the Lord. See Joshua 7:19; 1 Samuel 6:5, and Luke 17:18. But, while they solemnly put him to his oath, they endeavored to put their own words in his mouth, viz. he is a sinner - a pretender to the prophetic character, and a transgressor of the law of God: - assert this, or you will not please us.
Give God the praise - This expression seems to be a form of administering an oath. It is used in Joshua 7:19, when Achan was put on his oath and entreated to confess his guilt. Joshua said, “My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the Lord God of Israel (in the Greek of the Septuagint, the very expression used in John, ‹Give God the praise‘), and make confession unto him.” It is equivalent to an adjuration in the presence of God to acknowledge the truth; as the truth would be giving God praise, confessing the case before him, and trusting to his mercy. Compare 1 Samuel 6:5 The meaning here is not “give God praise for healing you,” for they were not willing to admit that he had been cured John 9:18, but confess that there is imposture in the case; that you have declared to us a falsehood, that you have endeavored to impose on us; and by thus confessing your sin, give praise and honor to God, who condemns all imposture and falsehood, and whom you will thus acknowledge to be right in your condemnation. To induce him to do this, they added that they knew, or were satisfied that Jesus was a sinner. As they considered that point settled, they urged him to confess that he had attempted to impose on them.
We know - We have settled that. He has broken the Sabbath, and that leaves no doubt.
A sinner - A violator of the law respecting the Sabbath, and an impostor. See John 9:16.
“It is those who by faith follow Jesus in the great work of the atonement, who receive the benefits of His mediation in their behalf; while those who reject the light which brings to view this work of ministration, are not benefited thereby.”—The Great Controversy, 429, 430. EW xxix.1
Mrs. White then speaks of how the two groups of Advent believers related themselves to the experience of the disappointment of October 22, 1844: EW xxix.2
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