Blind from Birth

We are almost to the end of this journey through the season of lent. Today we look at the sixth miracle of Jesus recorded in the gospel of John, which means there is only one more to go after today. Miracles 2, 3, 4, and 5 all happen one after the next in John’s writing. So it has been a while since we have had to fill in any gaps of what else has been happening in John’s gospel. Not so today. The miracle we looked at last week in which Jesus walks on water happens in chapter 6. Today we jump all the way forward to chapter 9. This means we need to quickly take a moment and trace the steps of activity which occur in chapters 7 and 8.

Maybe you are noticing by now the way in which John anchors the stories in this gospel around the Jewish festivals. We saw recently how the previous two miracles in chapter 6 of feeding 5000 and walking on water both coincided with the Passover. In chapter 7 John moves us immediately into the Feast of Tabernacles. Jesus attends this feast in Jerusalem in secret because the religious leaders are looking for him on order to kill Jesus. But soon enough word gets around that Jesus is teaching in Jerusalem. The events at the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem which begins in chapter 7 continue all the way through the first half of chapter 10. There is one scene after another in which Jesus is teaching plainly about himself as the one sent from the Father. And every time there is division among the Jewish people about this testimony.

If you bounce through the stories of chapters 7 and 8 you find several examples in which angry Jewish leaders come to either arrest Jesus or stone him to death right then and there. And each time Jesus slips away because his time has not yet come. That sets the scene and leads us up to the sixth miracle John brings in his gospel. Jesus is still in Jerusalem attending the Feast of Tabernacles. The actual account of this miracle comes in the first seven verses of chapter 9. But the lesson of this miracle plays out through the entire rest of the chapter. So, let’s look at verses 1-7 to see the miracle Jesus provides, and then I will make reference to the other pieces of chapter 9 as we unpack the meaning of this story.

John 9:1–7 NIV

1 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. 7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

Themes

Alright, let’s start with the obvious. This scene opens because of an unusual question. Jesus and his disciples somehow come upon this man who has been blind his entire life. The story does not launch on any any kind of question about healing. If you remember back to the miracle we saw three weeks ago at the pool of Bethesda, that scene opened with a question as well. Jesus asked the paralyzed man at the pool, “Do you want to get well?” This time the question is coming from his disciples, and it is entirely a philosophical discussion that does not even hint at a healing. Here is a man who has been blind since birth, and the disciples ask a theological question about sin. Is this man blind because of his own sin to because his parents sinned?

sin and blindness (hardship, affliction, suffering)

Let’s begin by cracking that question open. It reveals an underlying assumption. The assumption is that all bad things happen as a result or punishment for sin. Notice, the disciples are not asking if this man’s blindness is somehow connected as a result of sin—they already assume the answer to that is yes. And if they assume the answer is yes, then I suppose the question makes sense. If the man was blind from the moment of birth, then how could he have committed any sin worthy of this affliction? So, the disciples want to know, is it actually previous sin of the parents that now result in a son who is blind from the moment of birth.

man’s blindness is not a result of sin by either the man or his parents

But Jesus answers by correcting the error of their assumption. This man’s blindness is not a result of sin by either the man or his parents. Jesus is saying the there is not always a direct one-to-one correlation between hardships (suffering, afflictions) and some kind of sin that has been committed. Scripture affirms this as well. Often the Psalmist cries out to God with the observation that the righteous suffer while the wicked prosper. The wisdom writer in Ecclesiastes notes that God causes both the sun to shine and rain to fall on the righteous and the wicked alike.

What, then, is John up to by running with this story? Well, as we have seen over and over in this gospel, the miracle stories are all pointing to something greater beyond themselves. So, let’s hold onto that and we will get back to it in a little bit. Right now it is enough to note that John introduces this story in a way wherein blindness and sin are both part of topic at hand.

light and darkness (day and night)

The next thing Jesus does is a metaphorical shift of the subject. Before turning his attention to the blind man, Jesus has one more thing to say to this disciples. This time it is a teaching about light and darkness; about actions necessary during the day while it is light which cannot take place at night when it is dark. Let’s add this into the mix of topics Jesus is piling into this lesson. We are looking at themes like sin and blindness, and now also themes of light and darkness.

action of Jesus in verses 6-7 shows the miracle

The action of Jesus in verses 6-7 shows the miracle. Jesus spits on the ground, makes mud, smears it on the man’s eyes, and tells him to go wash it off. The man does this, and he can see. And that’s it; miracle over. But the result of this action takes up the rest of chapter 9, and the story seems somewhat familiar as a story we have seen before. Let me point out the parallels.

Parallels

ch 5, paralyzed man healed — ch 9, blind man healed

in Jerusalem happen during a festival take place on the sabbath trouble with religious rulers meet with Jesus later in the day

Back in John 5 we saw the miracle of Jesus healing the paralyzed man at the pool of Bethesda. And here in chapter 9 we see another healing taking place in Jerusalem. Both of these healing miracles in Jerusalem take place on the sabbath day. And once again this gets Jesus into trouble with the religious leaders in Jerusalem. In both stories, the one who is healed by Jesus is dragged in front of the religious leaders and demanded to give an account of what happened. And in both stories Jesus eventually meets up again with the one who is healed later on in the day.

new feature: healed man gives bold testimony of Jesus

light (day) — sight (faith) dark (night) — blindness (disbelief)

But now there are also some notable differences in this second Jerusalem healing which John uses to tip our attention towards the deeper meaning on this miracle. In John 5, the healed man cowers in fear of the religious rulers and even takes their side to help turn Jesus in later in the story. This time it is the blind man’s parents who play that role and shrink away from the religious rulers in fear. But if we continue to read through chapter 9 we discover that this time the man who is healed stands up to the abusive badgering of the religious elites, even to the point of mocking them because they are obviously so perplexed about what to do with Jesus.

Reversals

the one who started blind can now see the ones who think they can see are now shown to be blind

There is a parallel in this story which brings together this man’s brand new ability to see, and his confident assurance in how he ‘sees’ (believes in) Jesus. And by the end of chapter 9 we find a complete reversal. The one who began chapter 9 being blind and living in darkness can now see and lives in the light. And we find out at the end of chapter 9 that it is the rulers and religious leaders who are now cast in darkness and shown to be blind because of their failure to ‘see’ Jesus as the Messiah.

in Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles

This theme of light and darkness ties directly into the setting. Jesus is in Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles. The highlight of this celebration comes during the evenings as it gets dark. During the Feast of Tabernacles there are a series of large elevated bowls spread around the outer temple courtyard in Jerusalem. Fires would be lit in these bowls and they would serve as lamps to illuminate the entire area of the temple courtyard. And since the temple sat upon the highest point of Mount Zion in Jerusalem, the light of these giant lamps could be seen all around the city. It is in this courtyard during this Feast of Tabernacles in which Jesus gives his famous “I am the light of the world” teaching a little further ahead in chapter 10.

world which lives in blind rejection of Jesus stumbles aimlessly in darkness

Jesus opens the eyes of those lost in darkness so that they can see God

The miracle of healing we see here in chapter 9 is further reinforcement of these connected themes. A world which lives in blind rejection of Jesus, which refuses to see God, is a world which stumbles aimlessly in darkness. But in that dark world, Jesus comes as the light of the world. And not only does Jesus come as the light of the world, but Jesus also opens the eyes of those lost in darkness so that they can see God.

Let’s make some observations about they way John uses this miracle story to point forward into this week we are entering today on this Palm Sunday.

First is this. There are those in this story from John 9 who think they see clearly, but are in fact blind. Take a look at how this encounter concludes at the end of chapter 9.

John 9:35–41 NIV

35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.” 37 Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.” 38 Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. 39 Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” 40 Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?” 41 Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.

Applications

to reject the healing of Jesus results in blindness

There is a great reversal here. Those who think that they’ve got it all figured out are the ones in trouble. Those who think that they see life clearly are the ones who will have it taken. Those who think that they were born with the ability to see are the ones who cannot see. Those Pharisees thought that because they were born Jewish and had been taught how to observe all the rules of Judaism from the time of their youth, they thought that was the thing which gave them light, which allowed them to see.

pretty impressive spiritual resumés

This story brings a word of caution for many of us here in the church today. Several of us come with some pretty impressive spiritual resumés. I have been born into a home with Christian parents; I have attended church my whole life; I have learned all about the Bible; I have pursued a life of service to others. These are all great things! But none of those things can ever be enough to change the blunt reality that each one of us is born spiritually blind and incapable of seeing the light of Jesus on our own.

to receive the healing of Jesus results in vision fixed upon Jesus

It turns out that only those who first acknowledge their own spiritual blindness are ever able to see the light of Jesus. If you take the time to read through all of John 9 look at the boldness with which this healed man speaks about Jesus! It is not a timid or conflicted faith. No; this guy’s vision is now clearly fixed on Jesus. The hallmark of this man’s faith, the center point which holds it all together is a testimony that he has been healed by Jesus. Everything within this man’s faith and belief flows from that one truth in his life.

unless Jesus opens my eyes to see him, I will never recognize the light of Jesus on my own

the problem has nothing to do with Jesus not being bright enough | problem is that we are the ones in darkness who have been born blind

Notice this also. It is not enough that Jesus is the light of the world. Because unless Jesus opens our eyes to see him, you and I will never recognize the light of Jesus on our own. It is not as though somehow Jesus becomes the light of the world. No; Jesus has always been the light of the world. And it is not as though God has withheld his light from the world. The everlasting love of God has always been present, and his grace is eternally secure in his covenant promises. Do you see what I am saying? The light of God did not somehow miss the world until Jesus shows up. The problem has nothing to do with Jesus not being bright enough.

The problem is with us. The problem is that we are the ones in darkness who have been born blind. You and I have all been born with a sinful nature into a sinful broken world. We have been blind from birth; never capable of seeing the light of God which has always been revealed since the creation of the universe.

each one of us needs that nudge of the Holy Spirit in our hearts to turn in faith and believe in Jesus

Each one of us needs the healing of God in order to see and recognize the light of Jesus in this world. Each one of us needs that nudge of the Holy Spirit in our hearts to turn in faith and believe in Jesus. Listen to what our Reformed doctrine says about this in the Heidelberg Catechism Q65.

It is through faith alone that we share in Christ and all his benefits: where then does that faith come from? The Holy Spirit produces it in our hearts by the preaching of the holy gospel, and confirms it by the use of the holy sacraments

HC Q65 It is through faith alone that we share in Christ and all his benefits: where then does that faith come from? The Holy Spirit produces it in our hearts by the preaching of the holy gospel, and confirms it by the use of the holy sacraments

ability to even come before God and acknowledge in faith that Christ is our savior is itself a gift of grace from God

The ability to even come before God and acknowledge in faith that Christ is our savior is itself a gift of grace from God. Where does your life stand today in this story? Maybe some of us have been so busy trying to find faith on our own or prove our own spiritual sight. Maybe some of us are afraid to admit to anyone else times when the world around us seems like complete darkness. Maybe today this story is the nudge that is needed from the Holy Spirit to affirm again that on our own each one of us is blind in a dark world of broken sin.

And let today, then, be the day that we acknowledge our need for healing. Let this be the day in which Jesus opens your eyes. And let this be the day in which you see the light of Jesus leading to the cross. As we enter this week, take the time to fix your vision clearly on Jesus. He alone is the light of the world. And he alone is the one who opens your eyes of faith and leads you out from darkness.