John Ch.9

 

Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind ~ Psalm 146:8

Jesus, completely unperturbed by the confrontation of before (in ch.8), is still walking in the temple area.

Ch.9 

1 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 

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

Although it is true that all sickness and disease can be traced back to the sin of Genesis 3:6-7, the inbred notion of the people, written on tablets (hearts) of stone, is that if someone has an infirmity (especially one from birth), it was the result of a sinful ancestral lineage. (This type of thinking may stem from the rabbis’ interpretations of Exodus 20:5; or from any one of a miriad of fables and theories they were teaching the people). Jesus, with great, authoritative MERCY, is about to overturn this notion, just as he overturned the money-changers tables in ch.2. 

3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. 

Jesus is not saying that they didn’t sin, but rather, that it no longer matters who did what and when. (See also Luke 13:1-9)

Because the one who will deal with the sins of every one, of every generation, once and for all, is also the one who will deliver this man from the curse of it. 

(Galatians 3:13)

4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 

“Night is coming…” - see ch.13:30 ESV

5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 

6 Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud 

{Remembering the story in ch.8:1-12, once again, we see the finger of God move with mercy. Here is a powerful picture: Genesis 2:7 - From literally the dust of the earth - Jesus is recreating this man’s eyes.}

7 and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.

Siloam (Shiloach) in Hebrew means “to send forth” or “let go”, which signifies the exact purpose of this pool: Situated at the base of the city, on its southern side, Siloam was the collecting place for the fresh waters of the Gihon spring, which “gushed forth” from beneath the Temple Mount, to the city of David below.

In contrast to the Bethesda Pool in Ch.5, this pool, traditionally, was symbolic of life: both physical (it was the only source of fresh water within the walls of ancient Jerusalem);

 and spiritual (Pilgrims would bathe themselves, before ascending to worship at the Temple, during the times of the feasts). During the Feast of Tabernacles, water from this pool would be poured upon the Altar.

“Go and wash…” Jesus gives this man a command - which he immediately obeys. We do not here him question…nor argue; he appears unflinching as the Lord “anoints his eyes with mud.

This paints for us, a deep and lasting impression of the Lord’s healing and provision: Picture these waters of Salvation…gushing forth from the Throne of God, to “all who are thirsty” below:  and it is to this place…to these waters…that Jesus sends this man; who comes back seeing ! In this beautiful passage of Scripture we see Jesus bringing about two renewals:  This first is physical: His eyes are restored; 

The second is spiritual: His soul is restored (psalm 23): 

“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”

With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. Isaiah 12:1-3

If ever there was a fulfillment of Scripture, we see it here: Jesus has literally shown this man Salvation; and because if this - as we will see in the next few verses - he will waste no time in boldly proclaiming to everyone…Look what the Lord has done! 

This is truly what has happened here - with this man who was born blind. Traditionally, this pool was linked to God’s divine healing and provision. 

A total spiritual renewal, which Jesus will ultimately accomplish at the Cross.  It is a place of great importance and symbolism;

So here we see two renewals:

Image: Deborahdescendants.com

Isaiah 8:6

8 The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” 

9 Some said, “It is he.” Others said, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” 

10 So they said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 

11 He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed and received my sight.” 

12 They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.”

13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. 

14 Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 

This is one of seven miracles that Jesus will perform specifically on the Sabbath.

15 So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” 

16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them. 

17 So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”

18 The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 

19 and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 

20 His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. 

21 But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” 

22 (His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.)

23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

24 So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” 

25 He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” 

26 They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 

27 He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” 

28 And they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.

29 We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” 

30 The man answered, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 

31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. 

32 Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. 

33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” 

34 They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out.

35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

36 He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” 

37 Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” 

38 He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. 

39 Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” 

40 Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” 

41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.