John 9 - Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind Since Birth!

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Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

Jesus' disciples ask him an interesting question, as they go by a man who was blind since birth. They wondered who had sinned to cause his condition, he or his parents. Obviously if he was born blind, he couldn't be culpable for his condition, but what about his parents. Their view was reflective of the Jewish belief that the sins of the father visited future generations. 

Jesus dismissed this opinion and said rather that this man's blindness gave God an opportunity to show his works. There is a lot of unnecessary pain and burden added to someone who is sick or has a disease by implying that somehow they deserved this as a consequence for their siu. Our sin was paid for Jesus on the cross, which is why we don't have to pay for it ourselves. 

People still get sick today and 100% of us will die, but oftentimes our sickness can be used for God and his glory. This can happen in a couple of ways. Either through our physical healing, our witness to Christ even if we aren't healed, and finally the comfort we provide others who are suffering. We can comfort them with the same comfort God has given us in Christ. 

Jesus healed the man by spitting in the mud and using  it as a salve to rub on his eyes. When he washed in the pool of Siloam he was healed. 

The water for the pool of Siloam came through Hezekiah’s tunnel, a remarkable engineering feat built in Old Testament times. “It was called Siloam, which, it was said, meant sent, because the water in it had been sent through the conduit into the city.” (Barclay)

“It was from the Siloam stream that was drawn the water which was poured over the great altar at the Feast of Tabernacles just past, which pouring out was regarded by the Rabbis (and is still) as typical of the pouring out of The Spirit in the ‘latter days’.” (Trench)

After the man regained his sight, the people questioned him as to whether he was the same man who was on the side of the road blind and begging. He gave glory to God by letting them know that Jesus had done this for him. They wondered where Jesus went. 

The Pharisees Investigate the Healing

When the Pharisees got a hold of the man, the first thing they determined was that the miracle was done on the Sabbath. They immediately remarked that Jesus was a sinner for doing this "kind of work" on the Sabbath. The people naturally asked why if he was a sinner he could do such a marvelous act of healing. 

When they turned to the blind man, he said Jesus was a prophet. What follows is an almost humorous back and forth between the Pharisee, the man, and his parents. The Pharisees are convinced that this didn't happen, because if it did they would have to admit Jesus was from God. 

Over and over they tried to convince the man that he could really not see. But here he is standing in front of them clearly having regained his sight. After a second time he replies to them, 

Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” 

But that is not the answer they are looking for, so they ask him again trying to figure out how Jesus manufactured this healing. At this point the man had enough and said rhetorically, 

“I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?”

This sent the Pharisees over the edge, and they started insulting the man's intelligence. Then, they try to discredit Jesus by saying they do not know where he comes from. He replies, 

Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”

Thoroughly offended they throw the man telling him that he was "steeped in sin". Little did they realize how much they had shown how steeped they were by their sin of unbelief and pride. 

Spiritual Blindness

Though restoring the man's sight was done out of compassion for this man and to show he was the son of God, Jesus also used this to teach on the nature of "spiritual blindness". While many people can see physically, they are spiritually blind. Jesus then offered the blind man a much deeper type of healing when he asked him to believe in him. The man said, "I believe, and worshipped him!" 

On the same day that man had his sight restored, and he came to see the Light of the World, Jesus Christ. Meanwhile, Jesus finished by saying that many who claimed to see were in reality blind. They have failed to see the love of God shown by sending His only Son to save them from their sin. By rejecting Jesus, they would remain spiritually blind to the truth which would set them free.