You would think that while Jesus Christ was teaching to His own people that they would sit in amazement and soak in all that He could teach them while He was here on this Earth. But that was just not the case. As a matter of fact it looks like that if they had studied and believed the Old Testament they would have seen that Jesus in fact was the Messiah that was to come and save them. I believe there are over 300 prophesies about Jesus first coming. But they could not see the real truth and you could say that they were blinded by the law. The law that Moses had left behind and God had intended for mankind. But the law that God intended for mankind had been added to and stretched out of proportion and was impossible for man to follow even before it got so complicated but every time God gave man something to do he would mess it up so, He had to walk in the flesh and dwell among us and at the end die for us so that those who would believe in Him would see and be healed Spiritually and not be blinded by the world and works of men again. The Book of John records that Jesus was teaching in the Temple in chapter eight and the Jews in fact were saying that Jesus was possessed because of the things that He did and for who He was and they were going to stone Him to death but Jesus had gotten away from them and the disciples were there as a witness and to learn from the Messiah and as He was leaving the Temple in which outside of the entrance there were always beggars and sick people looking for a hand out and the blind were always plentiful because of venereal diseases in women of that day.
Many were born blind because they were infected at birth through their eyes by the bacteria that was in the canal of their Mother. Jesus stopped and had compassion for one of those blind men and I don’t think it was by just coincident. We are going to look at this part of the blind mans life and how he was made whole forever. Let’s began reading in John 9 and start in verse 1
1. And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
2. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
3. Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
4. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
5. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
6. When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, 7. And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing. 8. The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged? 9. Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he. 10. Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened? 11. He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight. 12. Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not. 13. They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind. 14. And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes. 15. Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see. 16. Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them. 17. They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet. 18. But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight. 19. And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth 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 seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself. 22. These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. 23. Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him. 24. Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner. 25. He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see. 26. Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes? 27. He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples 28. Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses' disciples. 29. We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.
Now as Jesus was probably speaking to this man, some of the disciples where asking who had sinned to cause his blindness, he or his parents? For that day, it was a fare question because the Jews believed what they had been taught by their leaders and that was the scribes and Pharisees.
It seems they made their laws and rules as they went and for sure not lead by God. They thought they were holy and righteous. I’m sure they was, in their own minds. I believe we still have some people today even in our Churches that think that they are holy and righteous and want to make what they would call sin, sin and what they do is always the right way and make their own commandants for everyone to live by. I believe we still see and go to church with and work with and see in our neighborhood, Modern day Scribes and Pharisees, that are holy and righteous and that is still in their own mind and for sure not in Gods eyes.
I believe this also upset Jesus. You can almost tell in the way He answered the disciples question of who had sinned, him or his parents. Jesus said in a since, neither because he is at this place and time to glorify my Father, now we must go before it gets dark because men can not work in the dark and as long as I am in this world I am the light of this world but, when I am gone you will be the light of this world until I come again but for now, you are still blinded by the works of men.
Jesus told the blind man to go to the pool of Siloam. The pool of Siloam was built by King Heziakiha and the water came from a spring called Virgin Font which came from the Temple that was on the hill. The King had a underground trench dug and ran into this pool in the town so that if the city was every under attack by the enemy they could not cut off their water supply. Also Siloam means Sent.
Isn’t interesting that in fact the water came from the Temple, so you could say that the water came from God. Isn’t also interesting that Jesus sent the blind man to the pool of Siloam that also means sent? Isn’t amazing that the water came from God and Jesus came from God and in fact Jesus was sent by God?
The most wonderful thing that when the blind man returned, he could see and once was blind.
Now his parents toke him to the Pharisees and said in a since, Hey, look here , what’s going on ? Our son was healed by a man Called Jesus and you taught us that if we follow what Moses had said and keep the commandants that was the only way to be healed.
The Pharisees called Jesus a sinner because He had healed him on the Sabbath. That was all that they could think of. You see, they were blind themselves by their own self righteousness and works.
As you read starting in verse 8 you will see that many did not recognize the blind man and were saying things like, is that the beggar that sat outside the Temple that was blind? Some said, it looks like him.
You know, there are many messages in chapter 9 of John but, there is one thing that really stood out when there was question about his identity.
When Jesus opens up the eyes of someone and they began to see the world as it really is and began to look upon the creator instead of the creation it makes other people that once knew you think that its not the person they once knew at all.
I know for me it was that way and sometimes I still run in to some people I once met in some bar or concert that maybe I had a drink with and they will strike up a conversation and when it gets to the question of “well what happen with you now a days, I haven’t seen you in years” and as soon as I began to say well you know God came into my life and turn me around 180 degrees and my son’s and I have a Gospel group now and I write a few Christian articles and just having the best time of my life serving Him.
A lot of times they will look at their watch and say, well I have to run it sure was good to see you.
It was Jesus who open my eyes and the blind mans eyes too but the Jews just could not believe that someone like Jesus could heal. They thought Jesus was a sinner. Who were they to pass judgement on someone? Who were they to say who is healed or not. If you will read in verse 22 of chapter 9 of John you will see that they “had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue”
Now that was a serious thing to happen to a citizen in that day. That meant that he could no longer trade or buy in the town. He was an out cast, you might say.
It was so serious that his parents were afraid that they would be put out because he was their son. He must have been a young man because they said when the Jews question them about who had healed his blindness they said, to ask him he was of age.
The Jews were still so caught up in their own self righteousness and to the point that the blind man that was healed was confronted again and finally his faith and believing in Jesus had got to the point that he stood up for Him.
The man said in a since after they had irritated him by asking him again how did he heal his blindness. If I tell you one more time will you follow Him also? Has there ever been a man like this before, that can heal a man that has been blind all his life?
If this man were not of God He could do nothing! So He has to be of God to do these things!
Then the Jews said to the man that was blind in verse 34. You were born in sin and you are going to teach us about God? They were really saying.
We know everything there is to know about God and someone like you can’t tell us anything. After rebuking him, they threw him out of the synagogue. There were actually 3 types of excommunicate. One was to be put out for 30 days in which the person could not come within 6 feet of anybody else and second was an indefinite time in which a person was excluded from all fellowship and worship and the third was out forever. Now like I said before, this was a very serious judgement for someone in that day.
Now Jesus had heard of this and found the man and ask him in verse 35 Dost thou believe on the Son of God? And the man believed on Him and worshiped Jesus.
Notice how the healed man progressed in his belief. In verse 11, he called Jesus a man. In verse 17 a prophet and then in verses 35 thru 38 he realizes Jesus is in fact the Son of God.
In verse 36 the healed man said, who is He, Lord that I might believe in Him? And Jesus said to him, You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.
Is Jesus speaking with you at this moment?
Has He shed some light on those sins in your life? Has the darkness of this world as in, the things in this world blinded you from God’s grace? Jesus died so that He could heal you from that blindness. He died so that you could look toward the Creator instead of the creation. Once you except Jesus as your personal Saviour, you are healed from all sin and life is more meaningful and full. It’s what happens after you die is what Jesus is all about. Jesus died on the cross but its what happened after that is how He became the ultimate eye Doctor. It’s what He saw beyond the cross for you and me is what Jesus is all about. It’s about a relationship with God Himself is what Jesus is all about. It’s about God’s love for the world is what Jesus is all about. It’s about grace and forgiveness, it’s about hearing and believing, it’s about one way, one cross, one man, one God, one love unconditional for all.
Love in Christ Jesus
Ronnie Miller
www.themillersbiblestudy.com
