He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples? — the man shows growing boldness. He has already told them the account (9:11, 9:15); they 'did not hear' (ouk ēkousate, did not listen, did not pay attention). Why ask again? And then he adds a provocative question: 'will ye also be his disciples?' (thelete kai autoi mathētai autou genesthai, do you want to become his disciples also?). This is ironic boldness: the authorities interrogate him, and he turns the question back on them—are they perhaps interested in following Jesus? The question exposes the authorities' unwillingness to acknowledge what they have heard.

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