John - Chapter 9
JESUS HEALS A BLIND MAN
JOHN 9
The healing of the man born blind is the sixth sign chosen by John to demonstrate that Jesus is the Christ. Like the clearing of the temple and the healing of the lame man, this sign is done in Jerusalem. The healing in chapter 5 and now in chapter 9 both use a pool of water to complete the miracle. In these two healings, however, the reaction to the healing by the man healed are quite different.
Restoring sight to the blind is considered messiah like in the OT as seen in Isaiah 29:18 & 35:5. In the context of the gospel, John places the work perfectly as an example of the light & darkness contrast he uses so well. Just as Jesus is the light of the world, He again strongly demonstrates this divine power by bringing light to a man who has lived in physical darkness from birth. The lesson is that the world, and the Jews, lie in darkness and must come to Jesus in order to walk in light.
Here the two main characters, the blind man and the Jews, progress along reverse paths. The blind man progresses from calling Jesus a prophet to defending Him against the Pharisees, invites the Pharisees themselves to become disciples of Jesus, corrects their doctrine, confesses Jesus as Lord, and then worships Him.
The spiritual blindness of the Pharisees grows darker with each verse. They try to work every angle to accuse Jesus and every step they take is a deeper step away from the light of glory.
The disciples and Jesus meet a man who has been blind since birth. In those days blind people, and others afflicted would stay close to the temple entrance hoping to receive alms from those who were seeking to go to worship. When this man is seen, the disciples ask Jesus who has sinned, the man or his parents such that he was blind when born. The first part of the question is fairly obvious as impossible as the man would have to have sinned in the womb to have been punished at birth.
Jesus is quick to teach that there was no sin causing the affliction, but that it was brought upon the man so that in this moment the work of God may be manifest in his life. Here we have a lesson that even evil ultimately contributes to the greater glory of God. We remember the words of Joseph to his brothers who had sold him into slavery, saying you meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.
Jesus quickly goes to work to do the work He was sent to do. He teaches that the work must be done while day is here for soon night will arrive when no work may be done, using the contrast again of light/darkness. When Jesus leaves, darkness will be upon all who believe.
After healing the man by making mud with His own saliva, he applies it to the eyes of the man and sends him to wash in the pool of Siloam. The healing was successful and we find in verse 16 that the healing took place on the Sabbath.
Jewish temple law required that unless faced with life or death, all work should await the following day. He had also kneaded the dirt to make mud and kneading was one of the 39 things prohibited and another of those actions prohibited was anointing the eyes. Once more the issue is the keeping of ceremonial law or custom over making a man whole.
As the Pharisees question the man, he has no idea who healed him other than the name of the man, Jesus. They badger the man until he identifies Jesus as a prophet. Next the Pharisees question the man's parents, who are of course sure he was born blind. Verse 22 tells us they were afraid of the Jews and tell the leaders to ask again the man himself as he is old enough to speak for himself. They also know that those who confess Jesus as Christ would be put out of the temple.
In a second time of questioning, the man himself begins a spiritual transformation. First he makes a profound statement that one thing he does know is that he was blind but now he sees. The Jews ask the man to repeat his story asking him several questions hoping to find the man with different answers the second time. But under the cross examination, the man becomes more spiritually aware. He says he has already told them the story and he questions the Pharisees that they might want to become disciples of Jesus too. Note the last word, too, as the man already considers himself a disciple. Now the Pharisees know the man “sees” through their method and begin to insult him as they say they are disciples of Moses.
They say they know God spoke to Moses and do not even know where Jesus came from. Notice that the Jews once again cling to their dedication to the one to whom God gave the law, while continuing to reject the one who is the source of the current and final revelation from God to man. Rejection rules them again.
Now the man becomes the teacher of the leaders telling them that if Jesus was not of God, He could do nothing. He says that an amazing thing has happened and these temple leaders do not even know the origin of this man of miracles. He mocks their knowledge by teaching them how God works. Now, in frustration, the Pharisees expel the man from the temple.
Jesus finds the man once again, seeking him after He heard that he had been expelled. He asks the man if he now believes on the Son of God and the man asks who is he so that he may believe. Jesus reveals His identity and the man believes and worships.
Jesus grants His final truth by saying that I am come into the world that they which see not might see, and they which see might be made blind.
