Matthew Poole and continuators on John 9:28

28 Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple, but we are Moses his disciples .

If this were all their reviling, for them to tell this poor man that he was Christs Disciple, it was a very tollerable imputation, and what the blind man had reason to glory in, their guilt in reviling, is to be judged not so much from what they spake, for their was nothing of greater honour, as from what heart and spirit they spake it. A Disciple signifies, One that followeth another, and learneth of him. To be a Disciple of Christ indeed, was the greatest thing that any could glory in; yet, the imputation of it to this blind man, is here called a Reviling: Whence we may observe, That the guilt of Reviling, is to be judged not so much from the Words which a man speaketh, as from the frame of his Spirit, and design of that in the speaking of them. If a man speaketh that of another which is good, and true, yet if he doth it out of a design to Expose him, to do him mischief, and make him odious unto others. God doth account this Reviling, because it proceedeth from the hatred of our Brother, in our heart, and a design to do him harm. Again, tho indeed it was no Reproach to be called Christ's Disciple, yet they affixed this terme upon this poor man, out of a design to Reproach him, and to expose him to the hatred of others: we are in the government of our Tongues not onely obliged to take heed what we say, but with what heart, and out of what design we spake it. A malicious design turns termes of the greatest Honour, into terms of Reviling.

Besides, they here oppose Christ, and Moses. Whereas, M[illegible: 1 letter]ses was but the Type, Christ the Antitype Moses Prophecyed of Christ: Christ was that Prophet which God had promised to raise up like unto him. Moses but the Schoolmaster, who led them unto Christ.