Chapter 9

The Man Born Blind

We are confronted in this chapter with a man blind from birth. The first question asked by the disciples is one of cause, “Is his blindness because of his sin or because of his parents’ sin?” Jesus’ answer is a bit disturbing, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him.” There is a great deal of discomfort in this question. Is the blindness from God? What involvement did God have in this man’s unfortunate condition? There are no answers to these questions; however, we are led to the moment where God intervenes into the blindness and takes it away. What results in the healing is another work that testifies to Jesus and who he is which brings many to faith.

Once again Jesus defines his place in this action as delivering the work of God that he was sent to perform. Once again Jesus frames this work of God as revealing himself to the world. “As long as IAM in the world, I AM the light of the world.”

The Action

Jesus spits on the ground and makes mud with his saliva and spreads the mixture on the eyes of the blind man and commands him to wash in the Pool of Siloam. The man washes his eyes and he can see.

The Results

1. All of those who knew him were amazed and wondered at what had happened to him.

2. The man testified that the man named Jesus spit, made mud, spread it on his eyes, commanded him to wash and now he sees.

3. They brought the man to the Pharisees. The problem that enters is one of the law. All of this happened “illegally” because it was the Sabbath. The Pharisees asked him to go through the story again to which the Pharisees answered, “This man could not be from God because he healed on the Sabbath.” It raised another question, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” The event produced a sign pointing to the identity of Jesus. How can someone who is not from God produce a sign of Jesus’ identity?

4. The second course of Jewish action is bringing in the man’s parents because John tells us that they could not believe that the man was born blind. His parents were terrified because John tells us that the Pharisees would see anyone who claimed Jesus as the Messiah to be cast out of the community of faith. His parents wouldn’t speak for him because they were afraid and he was of age to speak for him.

5. They called the man back to recount the story again. They ask the theological question, is this man Jesus a sinner? The witness himself points to one thing, the actions must speak for themselves. “I can say whether he’s a sinner or not, all I know is that I was blind, he made mud, commanded me to wash and now I see?” In the course of this argument the man becomes a bit indignant, “Why do you keep asking me the same things? Do you want to be his disciples also?” Their argument turns again to the fact that they “don’t know where he comes from.” Origin is of great importance to John. The first chapter sets the primary theme for all that comes after it. It is the man that brings home the answer to the question of origin, “Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” Full of indignation, they drive him out of their presence.

Jesus Pursues Him

One more time Jesus pursues him after hearing that he has been driven out of the synagogues. “Do you believe in the Son of Man? Even now the man doesn’t fully understand the terms. Who is he? Jesus introduces himself to the man. “You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.” Here’s the point of the story. The works of God performed by Jesus open the eyes so that the world can see. You have seen him. “Yes, Lord,” he said, “I believe.” This man’s response was worship. “I came into this world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see many become blind.”

The phrase is suggestive of Isaiah 6 where God pronounces that part of the prophets message is one of closing eyes and ears so that those who think they have everything sewed up are confounded. There is the twist. Those who become the outcast are those always who figure that they know the mind of God so well that they can reject those who don’t agree. They are the blind. For these Pharisees, their law of Sabbath blinded them from seeing that God was indeed working on the Sabbath to bring sight to this poor blind man. The light always comes through Jesus. It is through Jesus that we truly see the will and intention of God toward the world and those who live in it.

Thursday, March 12, 2009