CA - Bible Study John 9

I. Jesus Heals A Man Born Blind

The Wesleyan Bible Commentary, Volume 4: Matthew–Acts T. Jesus and the Blind Man (9:1–41)

This man was probably known to some of the disciples since it was known that he was thirty-eight years of age and that his blindness was congenital. The disciples asked why he was born blind—the age-old problem of human suffering. The Second Commandment teaches that the sins of a father are visited upon his children; could this be the answer, or had the man been born blind because of his own sin?

The Wesleyan Bible Commentary, Volume 4: Matthew–Acts T. Jesus and the Blind Man (9:1–41)

This man was probably known to some of the disciples since it was known that he was thirty-eight years of age and that his blindness was congenital. The disciples asked why he was born blind—the age-old problem of human suffering. The Second Commandment teaches that the sins of a father are visited upon his children; could this be the answer, or had the man been born blind because of his own sin? To the latter idea four solutions have been offered: 1) the man was being punished for the sins God knew he would commit; 2) the transmigration of the soul—he might have sinned in a previous existence; 3) the pre-existence of the soul—the man’s soul had sinned before it entered the body; 4) it was possible for an unborn baby to have sinful emotions.32 Jesus dismissed the reasons for the blindness suggested by the disciples, but He made no attempt to offer what we would call a solution. Instead, He said that there was a purpose in the blindness which was being worked out to the glory of God.

The Wesleyan Bible Commentary, Volume 4: Matthew–Acts T. Jesus and the Blind Man (9:1–41)

This man was probably known to some of the disciples since it was known that he was thirty-eight years of age and that his blindness was congenital. The disciples asked why he was born blind—the age-old problem of human suffering. The Second Commandment teaches that the sins of a father are visited upon his children; could this be the answer, or had the man been born blind because of his own sin? To the latter idea four solutions have been offered: 1) the man was being punished for the sins God knew he would commit; 2) the transmigration of the soul—he might have sinned in a previous existence; 3) the pre-existence of the soul—the man’s soul had sinned before it entered the body; 4) it was possible for an unborn baby to have sinful emotions.32 Jesus dismissed the reasons for the blindness suggested by the disciples, but He made no attempt to offer what we would call a solution. Instead, He said that there was a purpose in the blindness which was being worked out to the glory of God.

Four ideas have been suggested for how this would even be possible for this man’s sins to be the cause:

The man was being punished for the sins God knew he would commit

The transmigration of the soul - simply means he might have sinned in a previous existence.

The pre-existence of the soul— his soul might have sinned before it entered the body.

It was possible for an unborn baby to have sinful emotions.

No it wasn’t any of these - nor are any of these realities.

No it wasn’t the sins of his parents -

These very arguments are wrestled with in the book of Job - one of the main reason I believe the book is in the Bible.

This man was born blind - simply to show the Glory of God - to show the works of God.

GOD WORKS!!! - God still works - I see his handiwork everywhere. His fingerprints are left all around us -

Sabbath breaking - A False Accusation - But notice this was on the Jewish Sabbath - which runs from sundown Friday evening to sundown Saturday.

Jesus possibly violates according to the Jewish tradition (not in God’s Law or the Law of Moses) three laws of Shabbat or Sabbath.

He made clay (which required kneading -) Prohibited by one of the thirty-nine kinds of work on the Sabath - Building. (so making clay and the kneading it required are two violations)

Then healing the blind man - by putting on the clay and causing his sight -

But these were all man-made rules never given by God.

We have to be careful that man-made rules never gain the same priority in our lives as God’s mandates.

II. Pharisees Excommunicate Man Born Blind

The word used here means he was “de-synagogued”

Three types of excommunication

The lightest - could be declared by one person and normally lasted seven days.

“Casting out - rejection” - usually took three people to declare and lasted thirty days. People were required to stay four cubits (six-feet) from them.

The most severe - was a ban of indefinite duration - a person under this was treated like one dead. (This was the prodigal Son.)

Being de-synagogued would have been a terrible disaster.

III. Man Born Blind’s Belief & Pharisee’s Blindness