I Was Blind, Now I see

In fact, the first mention of the one who was going to restore things back to the way they should be is found in Gen 3:15, right after the fall of humanity. Right after Adam and Eve’s disobedience and rebellion.

One of the ways God spoke about the Messiah was through his prophets.

He distinctly told people what was going to change when his savior arrived.

A couple of those verses are found in

Isa 29:18-19 “18 On that day the deaf will hear the words of a document, and out of a deep darkness the eyes of the blind will see. 19 The humble will have joy after joy in the Lord, and the poor people will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.”

Is 35:5-6 “5 Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped. 6 Then the lame will leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute will sing for joy, for water will gush in the wilderness, and streams in the desert;”

And in John 9, we read about Jesus opening the eyes of the blind.

A man born blind receives sight from Jesus.

And as I was studying this passage this week it was pointed out to me that Jesus heals many blind people.

In Fact, as a category of healings there are more blind healings than any other type of healings recorded.

and this is distinctly b/c the healing of the blind are reserved for the messiah.

When John the Baptist is in prison and he is questioning if Jesus is the messiah he sends some people to inquire of Jesus who he is and Jesus’ reply in

Luke 7:22 “22 He replied to them, “Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news,”

Directly alluding to the promises in Isaiah I just read.

And we must not forget that the physical healing of sight is merely a picture of the greater need for us.

We need to have our spiritual eyes opened.

We need to be brought from darkness into the Light.

We need to have our eyes opened.

And that is was Jesus shows us in our text today.

That the healing of the blind man shows the need for better sight.

We need to see Jesus for who he is and what he has done.

And one day if we truly believe we will see him as he truly is.

When we are fully restored.

Fully transformed.

Let’s pray.

John 9:1–7 CSB

1 As he was passing by, 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,” Jesus answered. “This came about so that God’s works might be displayed in him. 4 We must do the works of him who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 After he said these things he spit on the ground, made some mud from the saliva, and spread the mud on his eyes. 7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means “Sent”). So he left, washed, and came back seeing.

Radical Transformation

Chapter 9 is a continuation of what is called the Festival of Tabernacles cycle.

The cycle began back in chapter 7 and comes to a close here in chapter nine.

And that is significant because there is still much celebration.

there is still much anticipation.

Jesus has already declared that he is greater than the water used in the daily ceremonies for the Festival of Tabernacles.

He has also declared that he is the light of the world being greater than the candelabras lit each night of the ceremony.

In fact, that is on full display as he brings out of darkness this man born blind.

But before we get to the miracle, Jesus’ disciples ask Jesus a question in regards to this blind man.

They see him sitting and begging for money or alms and they ask

John 9:2 “2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?””

This is a common thought in the Jewish understanding of life.

If you sin then there are consequences.

If you’ve read the book of Job, you know that’s exactly what his friends start to say to him as they are trying to figure out why all these bad things have happened to him.

In fact, this type of thinking has crept its way into our culture as well.

But from our point of view it stems from the Hindu teaching of Karma.

You get whats coming to you.

What goes around comes around.

This is a truly human question that we are trying to answer.

It’s the question of what’s called theodicy, or the problem of evil.

Why do bad things happen?

Why does evil exist?

John 9:8–12 CSB

8 His neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar said, “Isn’t this the one who used to sit begging?” 9 Some said, “He’s the one.” Others were saying, “No, but he looks like him.” He kept saying, “I’m the one.” 10 So they asked him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So when I went and washed I received my sight.” 12 “Where is he?” they asked. “I don’t know,” he said.

Confused Neighbors

John 9:13–17 CSB

13 They brought the man who used to be blind to the Pharisees. 14 The day that Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes was a Sabbath. 15 Then the Pharisees asked him again how he received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” he told them. “I washed and I can see.” 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, because he doesn’t keep the Sabbath.” But others were saying, “How can a sinful man perform such signs?” And there was a division among them. 17 Again they asked the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he opened your eyes?” “He’s a prophet,” he said.

Interrogation #1

John 9:18–23 CSB

18 The Jews did not believe this about him—that he was blind and received sight—until they summoned the parents of the one who had received his sight. 19 They asked them, “Is this your son, the one you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 20 “We know this is our son and that he was born blind,” his parents answered. 21 “But we don’t know how he now sees, and we don’t know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he’s of age. He will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jews, since the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed him as the Messiah, he would be banned from the synagogue. 23 This is why his parents said, “He’s of age; ask him.”

Interrogation #2

John 9:24–34 CSB

24 So a second time they summoned the man who had been blind and told him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” 25 He answered, “Whether or not he’s a sinner, I don’t know. One thing I do know: I was blind, and now I can see!” 26 Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 “I already told you,” he said, “and you didn’t listen. Why do you want to hear it again? You don’t want to become his disciples too, do you?” 28 They ridiculed him: “You’re that man’s disciple, but we’re Moses’s disciples. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses. But this man—we don’t know where he’s from.” 30 “This is an amazing thing!” the man told them. “You don’t know where he is from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but if anyone is God-fearing and does his will, he listens to him. 32 Throughout history no one has ever heard of someone opening the eyes of a person born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he wouldn’t be able to do anything.” 34 “You were born entirely in sin,” they replied, “and are you trying to teach us?” Then they threw him out.

Interrogation #3

John 9:35–38 CSB

35 Jesus heard that they had thrown the man out, and when he found him, he asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 “Who is he, Sir, that I may believe in him?” he asked. 37 Jesus answered, “You have seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.” 38 “I believe, Lord!” he said, and he worshiped him.

True Belief

John 9:39–41 CSB

39 Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment, in order that those who do not see will see and those who do see will become blind.” 40 Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard these things and asked him, “We aren’t blind too, are we?” 41 “If you were blind,” Jesus told them, “you wouldn’t have sin. But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.