A Man Born Blind

John 9

This chapter starts as Jesus is miraculously alludes those that were wanted to stone Him and moves on out of the temple. This entire chapter deals with the healing of the blind man.

It starts with why he was born blind.

Moves into the miracle itself.

Next, the denial of the miracle by the religious leaders.

Then Jesus speaks of spiritual blindness, in which the blind man ins both healed physically and spiritually.

So, let’s move on into this scene........

Verse 1, as Jesus is leaving the temple He sees this man born blind.

John lets us know that this man was blind from birth, he would know this because he is writing this 60 years after it occured and the story as it plays out declares that very fact.

There are some that believe this happened at the gate of the temple, because that is where all the beggars would be and him being blind he would of been at the gate begging.

This is assumed because also, he would of been put out of the synagogue, because amongst the religious culture in that day the belief was that an abnormality like that was the result of sin. So, if Jesus passed by this blind man, it can be assumed it was at one of the gates. This leads us into the disciples question to Jesus in verse 2

Verse 2, they seemed to believe this teaching as well. Who sinned, the man or his parents?

One of the reasons for the questions was a misunderstanding of Exodus 20:5 “Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;”

This tells us that if the people hate God, it will take generations to get over the “visiting” of God. You can call wrath of judgement, but that is what it is saying.

Even if a culture develops a lifestyle that is against God, it will take years to get that right again, some, like Rome, destroyed themselves from within.

The religious leaders used that verse and some do today to condemn folks born with a defect or those that have a defect.

Especially blind people. Some felt that physical blindness, was a result of spiritual blindness.

It is said that a child’s blindness in that day was caused from gonorrhea, std’s. Some still say that is still happening today. This would of made a case for the leaders even more to be accusers of someone because of physical blindness.

Jesus squashes this idea and it is enough for me. Yes, there are instances of people sinning and suffering results of that sin, but that is not true in every case. Before we get Jesus’ answer to this let’s go to Ezekiel 18.......

Verses 1-4 and then verse 20.......“What do you mean by using this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, ‘The fathers eat the sour grapes, but the children’s teeth are set on edge?’” That’s the proverb.  The proverb is that the children suffer the consequence of the behavior of their parents.  So, God says to Ezekiel, “What do you mean using that?”  Verse 3.  “As I live,” declares the Lord God, “you are surely not going to use this proverb in Israel anymore.”  Stop using that.

Verse 20 reinforces this by declaring every individual bears the responsibility for their own sin.

Now, we also know fro Jesus’ response that it was not the man that sinned either.

Let me just state, that if we were in Heaven or even the Garden of Eden (before sin), no one would be blind, the fall of man brought calamity to man.

Verses 3-5.........No one sinned!

Jesus answered that this man born this way, was for the manifestation of the Glory of God.

Calamity of man came on because of sin, but sin wasn’t the reason that this man was chosen to be blind, it was to show the Glory of God through Jesus Christ!

Jesus tells them that He must work the works of God while it is day.....does that mean actual daylight? No!

Jesus is speaking as long as He is still on the earth, night is coming when He will be crucified, risen, and the ascend into Heaven, and through the Holy Spirit but He was still here and He was on the earth to manifest the Glory of God!

This speaks to the reason the Holy Spirit inspired John to write this Gospel, John 20:31 “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”

Jesus is the light of the world, He just declared Himself to be that in the previous teaching in chapter 8.

2 Corinthians 6:2 “(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)”

Verses 6-7.....Now, if you read commentaries, the question comes up: why did He use this method?  Well, He did it a few times.  Mark 7, He used saliva to mix with mud to put on somebody’s ears.  Mark 8, He did the same thing with another blind person.  He did that.  People say, well, why did He do that?  Well, I found some interesting suggestions.  One guy said: to make use of the healing quality of saliva.  Really?  That’s a stretch.  Another commentator said: to make Him even more blind.  You can’t be more blind than totally blind.  Piling mud on eyes that don’t function doesn’t make you more blind.  Not a good perception.  Another writer said: to symbolize that man is made from dirt.  Don’t see the connection.  Another said: to give the eyes time to heal.  Those eyes didn’t need to heal.  They had to be replaced.  Those are silly. Why did He use this method?  I have no idea.  Furthermore, I couldn’t care less.  He did.  He did.  There’s an element in it that I do understand.  Could’ve just touched his eyes and he would’ve seen instantaneously.  Created eyes on the spot.  Why does He send him somewhere?  Because I think He’s calling for obedience here.

The pool of Siloam (Sent) Hezekiah made a tunnel from the spring of Gihon in the Kidron valley to feed this pool, so the Israelites would be protected when the needed to get water.

The pool is where they got the water to pour out during the Feast of Tabernacles.

This was the water supply where they went at the Feast of Tabernacles to gather the water for the great festival when they poured out the water remembering God’s provision of water in the wilderness, and Jesus said He was the water, the living water.  Remember that? So, this spoke of God’s provision.  It spoke of God’s cleansing, spoke of the water of life.  It’s really a beautiful picture, and it was water sent into the city, another wonderful symbol.  The waters flow from the temple hill and are regarded, even in the Old Testament, as symbolic of spiritual blessing.

Christ is the true Siloam, cleansing waters!

Verses 8-12.........The people started to debate if this was the guy that was born blind. His neighbors and the religious leaders both........

The ex-blind man entered the debate and answered I am he.

To which they asked, “How were your eyes opened?”

He tells them Who and What He did!

By that answer the leaders wanted to know where he (Jesus) was?

The man didn’t know.......

So, that moves us into this crazy investigation, which reminds of the investigations that go on in Washington D.C.........By the way, it was the Sabbath day when Jesus did this.......Oh my!!!!