“A Blind Man Born Again”
John 9:8-41
A great Christian was once asked the ques-tion, “How do you know you have been saved?” He answered, “I was there when it happened.” The most radical change that can come upon anyone is the change created by the new birth. When a person comes to Christ the Bible says all things become new (2 Cor 5:17). They pass from death to life, from darkness to light, from hell to heaven. That experience is called salvation. It happens to different people in different ways. The Apostle Paul was struck to the ground by a blinding light (Acts 9). Lydia was converted in a quiet riverside prayer meeting (Act 16). It can happen in a thousand different ways the important thing is that you know that it has happened.
On the morning recorded in John chapter nine a blind man arose unaware that his world was about to change because he was about to meet Jesus. In John chapter eight Jesus said that he was the “light of the world” and in John chapter nine Jesus proves it. As Jesus and His disciples leave the city of Jerusalem after the Feast of the Tabernacles – they came across a man blind from birth. The disciples turned to Jesus and in verse two asked the “why” question that we all are tempted to ask from time to time. “Why has this happened?” In this case what is the reason for this man’s blindness, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” The disciples displaying the beliefs of that day were sure that one of two reasons accounted for this man’s blindness, either this man had sinned or his parent had. It would seem to us that the fact that this man’s blindness began at birth would have excluded from consideration that it was this man’s sin that had caused his blindness.
In verse seven Jesus commands this man to “go and wash” yet we should note that in spite of the fact that this man had never requested a cure, he did as Jesus told him to do. “So, he went and washed, and came back seeing.” He was no longer blind but he was not yet saved. In verse eight we begin to seen the various reactions to the healing of the blind man.
First, Reactions to the Healing. (9:8-34)
• The Neighbors (vv.8-12)
First, we see the reaction of the man’s neighbors and friends when they discover that he is no longer blind. They were interested in the “HOW” of the Healing. In verse eight the blind man’s neighbors are amazed at his healing, “Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, "Is not this he who sat and begged?" (9) Some said, "This is he." Others said, "He is like him." He said, "I am he." (10) Therefore, they said to him, "How were your eyes opened?" (11) He answered and said, "A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, "Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’ So, I went and washed, and I received sight." (12) Then they said to him, "Where is He?" He said, "I do not know. (13) “They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees. "
The locals who were use to seeing this man sit and beg for a living were astonished that he obviously could now see and they asked him how this had happened. He told them about “a man called Jesus” and how he had cured him. The neighbors are divided about whether this is the former blind man with some saying “Yes, it is him” and others saying “No it just looks like him.” In order to settle the question the people take the man to the Pharisees.
• The Pharisees (vv.14-17)
Unlike the Neighbors of the man who were interested in the “how” of the healing the Pharisees are primarily interested in the “WHEN” of the Healing!
According to Jewish law when someone was cured of a disease they were to have the cure certified by the local religious authority, but the man is brought before the Pharisees not to the priest or any official body. But the neighbors now take the man to the Pharisees, whom the common people esteemed as experts, that they might examine him. This immediately posed the Pharisees with a problem, how could they certify this man as being cured and continue to reject the one who had cured him.
Ultimately the blind man in brought to the religious leaders in verse fourteen, “Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. (15) Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, "He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see." (16) Therefore some of the Pharisees said, "This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath." Others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?" And there was a division among them. (17) They said to the blind man again, "What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?" He said, "He is a prophet."
The truth is that Jesus did not keep the Sabbath according to their rules. Jesus broke their Sabbath rules in three ways, mixing clay was classified as work with was not allowed on the Sabbath, he gave medical treatment to someone who was not in danger of imminent death, and he broke a specific injunction against the use of saliva to the eyes (yes apparently, they had a law against that). [Philips. p. 595]
The miracle caused a debate and resulted in a division among the religious leadership. Some argued that a person would work on the Sabbath could not possibly be from God. The logic of the Pharisee was, “since all people who are from God keep the Sabbath and since Jesus broke the Sabbath He could not be from God!” The other side of the argument was, since a sinner cannot do the works of God, “the man who has done this miracle must not be a sinner and therefore he must be from God!” [Philips. p. 597]
Although in modern minds Pharisee is almost synonymous with hypocrite, they were not all that way. Some were fair, pious and open-minded and some even became believers (Acts 15:5).The problem was that the Pharisee premise that they made their decision on was wrong. To the Pharisees the legalistic keeping of the Sabbath was more important to them than the stunning miracle that had just happened. “They were willing to kill Jesus for breaking the Sabbath, but they were not prepared to let Him heal on the Sabbath.” (Boice. p. 605)
People have always had a tendency to erect their own set of religious rules; one must never go to the movies (but they watch them on TV), cannot eat at restaurants that serve alcohol, men must wear their hair a certain length, women must always wear a dress, must use a certain version of the Bible, etc., etc.
But they had a problem, for although He broke their law, He had proven He had the ability to heal. “How can one who is able to do these things not from God.” So, they asked the man what do you have to say about this man who healed you and the man replied, “He is a prophet.” (v. 17) The blind man is growing in his understanding of who Jesus was.
• The Parents (vv. 18-23)
But the Pharisees still refused to believe that this man was really blind until they had question-ed this man’s parents. So, we read in verse eighteen, “But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight. (19) And they asked them, saying, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?" (20) His parents answered them and said, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; (21) but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself." (22) His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. (23) Therefore, his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."
In answer to Pharisees questions the parents affirmed; (1) He is our son, and (2) He was blind! Although the parents confirmed that this man was their son, and that he had been born blind they denied knowing how this had come about. They sought to remove themselves from the spotlight and thus the wrath of the Pharisees by telling them that their son was old enough to answer for himself.
• The Blind Man. (vv. 24-29)
So now the Pharisee cross examine the blind man beginning in verse twenty-four, “So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, "Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner." (25) He answered and said, "Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see." (26) Then they said to him again, "What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?" (27) He answered them, "I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?" (28) Then they reviled him and said, "You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples. (29) We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from."
The Pharisees return to questioning the man and this time they begin with “Give God the glory” (v. 24) implying “you have been lying and now it is time to tell the truth.” This is what Joshua said to Achan when he demanded that he tell the truth about what he did at Ai (Joshua 7:19). The man said, “I have told you already why do you want to hear it again?” And perhaps with a certain amount of sarcasm he asks, “Do you also what to become His disciples.” (v. 27) They angrily respond that they are disciples of Moses.
The Pharisees then launch into listing all the things they “know.” There is a striking contrast between the “we know” of the Pharisees (v. 24, 29) and the “I know” of the former blind man. When the Pharisee say, “we” it is emphatic emphasizing that whatever the case may be with ignorant people like blind beggars, these religious “experts” have knowledge and they begin to lay it out in a concise manner.
• We know this man is a sinner. (v. 24)
• We know that God spoke through Moses. (v. 29)
• We do not know where this man came from. (v. 29)
The man continues his response to the Pharisees in verses thirty through thirty-four. “The man answered and said to them, "Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! (31) Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. (32) Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. (33) If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing." (34) They answered and said to him, "You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?" And they cast him out.”
The former blind man was moved more by amazement that these powerful religious leaders did not know where Jesus was from than he was by fear of what they could do to him. He marveled at the way the Pharisees seemed to ignore the evidence before their very eyes. In the case of the Pharisees their very devotion to God, displaced as it was, became their greatest obstacle to seeing who God really was.
Now notice what this man claims to know on the basis of this miracle.
• I know that I was blind and now I see. (v. 25)
The man said that whether Jesus was a sinner or not he could not tell but he only knew that he had been blind and now he was not.
• I know that God does not hear sinners. (v. 31)
That is that sinner have no claim upon Him!
• I know that God does hear those who worship him and do his will. (v. 31)
• He also says, “I know” and this “know” is (implied) if this man were not from God he could do nothing. (v. 33)
The blind man did not even know who Jesus was, but he stood for the truth. He may have been blind; but even he could see what was going on here – his gratitude was too great for denial. As it was Jesus who gave him his sight no one is going to make him take sides against Jesus.
The result was they “cast him out” (v.34) and that means that they excommunicated him from worship in the temple and synagogue. But nothing they could take away from him could begin to compare with what he had been given by Christ!
Verse thirty-five tells us that, “Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, "Do you believe in the Son of God?" (36) He answered and said, "Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?" (37) And Jesus said to him, "You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you." (38) Then he said, "Lord, I believe!" And he worshiped Him.”
When Jesus heard that blind man had been thrown out by the Pharisees, He found him and asked him the world’s most inescapable question. “Do you believe in the Son of God” (some versions say, “Son of Man” – both mean God’s Messiah) and is a summons to commitment and demanded a personal decision. So, “Do you believe” is always the question - it is the question Jesus asked Martha (Lazarus’s sister) when He told her He was the resurrection the life (John 11:26). This question always requires a Yes or No - a delayed answer is No, a failure to answer is also a No!
Jesus called on the healed man to fully believe, and he did saying, “Lord, I believe.” When the healed man declared his loyalty to Jesus he was rewarded when Jesus revealed more of Himself to him “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.” (v. 37).
The blind man had progressively grown in realizing who Jesus was in verse eleven all he knew was that He was “a man called Jesus” but by verse seventeen he called him “a prophet” and finally in verse thirty-eight he called him “Lord” and worshiped him.
Conclusion
I am sure that when the blind man got up that morning he had no idea that this day would be any different than the rest. I am sure that he planned to live out that day pretty much like every other day before it; in the blackness of darkness. He did not realize that day that there was a man named Jesus was going to shatter his darkness forever.
What we as Christian’s “KNOW”
Know who we have believed. (2 Tim 1:12)
Know our redeemer lives. (Job 19:25)
Know have passed from death unto life. (1 Jn 3:14)
Know that all things work together for good.
(Rom 8:28)
Know we shall be like Him. (1 Jn 3:2)
“A Blind Man Born Again”
John 9:8-41
Reactions to the Healing.
• The Neighbors (9:8-12)
They were interested in the “HOW” of the Healing.
• The Pharisees (9:14-17)
They were interested in the “WHEN” of the Healing!
• The Parents (9: 18-23)
• The Blind Man. (9:24-29)
Notice what the Pharisee’s Claimed to Know! (About Jesus)
• We know this man is a sinner. (v. 24)
• We know that God spoke through Moses. (v. 29)
• We know do not know where this man from. (v. 29)
Notice What The Blind Man Claims To Know About Jesus (0n The Basis Of This Miracle)
• I know that I was blind and now I see. (v. 25)
• I know that God does not hear sinners. (v. 31)
• I know that God does hear those who worship him and do His will. (v. 31)
• I know (implied) if this man were not from God he could do nothing. (v. 33)
What we as Christian’s “KNOW”
• Know who we have believed. (2 Tim 1:12)
• Know our redeemer lives. (Job 19:25)
• Know I have passed from death unto life. (1 Jn 3:14)
• Know that all things work together for good. (Rom 8:28)
• Know we shall be like Him. (1 Jn 3:2)
“The Man Born Blind”
John 9:8-41
Reactions to the Healing
• The Neighbors (9:8-12)
They were interested in the “_____” of the Healing.
• The Pharisees (9:14-17)
They were interested in the “______” of the Healing!
• The Parents (9: 18-23)
• The Blind Man. (9:24-29)
Notice what the Pharisee’s Claimed to Know! (About Jesus)
• We know this man is a ______ (v. 24)
• We know that God spoke through ______ (v. 29)
• We know do not know where this man _____ from (v. 29)
Notice What The Blind Man Claims To Know About Jesus (0n The Basis Of This Miracle)
• I know that I was _______ and now I see (v. 25)
• I know that God does not hear ______ (v. 31)
• I know that God does hear those who ________ him and do his will (v. 31)
• I know (implied) if this man were not from _____ he could do nothing (v.
What we as Christian’s “KNOW”
• Know _____ we have believed. (2 Tim 1:12)
• Know our __________ lives. (Job 19:25)
• Know I have passed from ______ unto life.
(1 Jn 3:14)
• Know that all things work ________ for good. (Rom 8:28)
• Know we shall be like ______. (1 Jn 3:2)
