The man went to a place where the authorities were and reported the name of the one who had healed him.  He was still under investigation for breaking the Sabbath, a capital offense, and undoubtedly wanted to clear his name.  We are not told what his exact motives were.  Some commentators see this man as somewhat noble and trying to get the Jews to see what a great man Jesus is; others see him as a coward and “an unpleasant creature.” (Morris)  He may have been a mixture of both.

Robertson says that “The man was either ungrateful and willfully betrayed Jesus or he was incompetent and did not know that he was bringing trouble on his benefactor. In either case one has small respect for him.” (RWP)

To his credit, the man answers the question of the Jews much differently than they had asked it: they asked him who it was that ordered him to take up his bed; he answered that it was Jesus who had healed him, an interesting contrast.