SIGHT FOR THE BLIND.
John 9:1-12.
JOHN 9:1. The man born blind represents every man, for just as he was born without physical sight, so are we all born spiritually blind (cf. Romans 1:21).
JOHN 9:2. Some of that spiritual darkness is even manifested in the disciples’ desire to pin the man’s specific illness to a specific sin.
JOHN 9:3. Jesus is quite emphatic in stating that not every illness can be traced to a specific sin. Sometimes it can be, as seems to have been the case with the man at the pool of Bethesda (cf. John 5:14). However, we must take to heart the warning of Jesus about this kind of cruel and judgmental attitude towards the suffering of others (cf. Luke 13:1-5).
JOHN 9:3-4a. The Lord suggested that the blindness was allowed so that God, through Jesus, could manifest His works in the man. This is why Jesus said, “I must work the works of Him that sent me.” His works are the works of God.
JOHN 9:4b. While Jesus walked this earth, and the evidences of His divine mission could be witnessed, it was comparatively “day.” When He left, those visible proofs would be removed, and it would be comparatively “night.” We are living in that night, as we await the return of Jesus. ‘The night is far spent, and the day is at hand’ (cf. Romans 13:12).
JOHN 9:5. Jesus had already proclaimed Himself to be the “light of the world” for all who walk in darkness in the second significant “I am” saying of John’s Gospel (cf. John 8:12). Now Jesus presented Himself as the solution to this man’s physical blindness.
JOHN 9:6-7. Jesus had healed the nobleman’s son with just a word (cf. John 4:50; John 4:53), but on this occasion our Lord chose to use means. He made a mudpack of clay and spittle to anoint the eyes of the blind man, and then sent him to wash in the pool of Siloam.
JOHN 9:7. John is careful to inform us that Siloam means “sent.” Jesus, of course, is the ‘Sent One/ Messiah/ Christ’ of God. And it is in going at Christ’s command that the healing process is completed. In trusting, in obeying, in washing, the man born blind emerged “seeing.”
JOHN 9:8. This caused some consternation between the people that thought they knew him. Was this the man who used to sit and beg?
JOHN 9:9. Some said, “This is he;” others said, “he is like him;” but he said, “I am he" (meaning 'I am he that used to sit at the temple gate and beg.')
JOHN 9:10. So they asked, how it was that he was now seeing?
JOHN 9:11. The man born blind replied that “a man called Jesus” had anointed his eyes and told him to wash in the pool of Siloam. “And I went and washed, and I received sight.” What a straightforward testimony of a wonderful work of our Saviour.
JOHN 9:12. The people wondered, “Where is He?” But the man did not know. If you think about it, he had never seen Jesus. All the man had had to do was to trust, and to obey. How simple the gospel is.
