{He spat on the ground} (eptusen chamai). First aorist
active indicative of the old verb ptu(935c) for which see  Mr 7:33 .
Chamai is an old adverb either in the dative or locative (sense
suits locative), in N.T. only here and  Joh 18:6 . Jesus was not
asked to cure this man. The curative effects of saliva are held
in many places. The Jews held saliva efficacious for eye-trouble,
but it was forbidden on the Sabbath. "That Jesus supposed some
virtue lay in the application of the clay is contradicted by the
fact that in other cases of blindness He did not use it" (Dods).
Cf.  Mr 8:23 . Why he here accommodated himself to current belief
we do not know unless it was to encourage the man to believe. {He
made clay} (epoi(8873)en p(886c)on). Only use of p(886c)os, old word for
clay, in N.T. in this chapter and  Ro 9:21 . The kneading of the
clay and spittle added another offence against the Sabbath rules
of the rabbis. {Anointed his eyes with the clay} (epechrisen
autou ton p(886c)on epi tous ophthalmous). First aorist active
indicative of epichri(935c), old verb, to spread on, anoint, here
only and verse  11  in N.T. "He spread the clay upon his eyes." B
C read epeth(886b)en (first aorist active indicative of
epitith(886d)i, to put on).