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Blogging through the Book of John
Chapter 9
(John 9:1-2)As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. 2 “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?”
The disciples thought like we do sometimes. Since something bad happened, OBVIOUSLY someone sinned. That's not the case.
I had to kind of snicker, though. If the man had been blind by his own sin (and he was born blind) then he would had to have done sin in her Mama's belly--- So, I think we are save to say that no sin caused his blindness. Jesus explained it this way....
(John 9:3-5)“It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us.The night is coming, and then no one can work. But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.”
Jesus explained that this happened to the man so God's glory and power could be seen in him. Sometimes we see people who are disabled and wonder 'why'. Don't. Those people are as special to God as you are. He made them after all. God sees beauty in all people!
(John 9:6-7)Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man’s eyes.He told him, “Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam” (Siloam means “sent”). So the man went and washed and came back seeing!
The man did as Jesus asked and got a miracle for it. Imagine what could happen to us if we did what Jesus told us too (no matter how silly it might seem)
(John 9:8-9)His neighbors and others who knew him as a blind beggar asked each other, “Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?” Some said he was, and others said, “No, he just looks like him!”
The man hand changed so much, the people who had known him forever didn't notice him. Can people recognize you from being changed from your sinful past? Or do you act much like the same person?
(John 9:10-12)But the beggar kept saying, “Yes, I am the same one!”
They asked, “Who healed you? What happened?”
He told them, “The man they call Jesus made mud and spread it over my eyes and told me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash yourself.’ So I went and washed, and now I can see!”
“Where is he now?” they asked.
“I don’t know,” he replied.
When Jesus healed him, he was blind. Of course, he 'didn't know' where he went! He never even saw his face. But he knew it was Jesus who healed him, and he bravely (more bravely than his parents) told people about him.
(John 9:13-14)Then they took the man who had been blind to the Pharisees, because it was on the Sabbath that Jesus had made the mud and healed him.
Here he is... healing on the Sabbath again!
(John 9:15-18)The Pharisees asked the man all about it. So he told them, “He put the mud over my eyes, and when I washed it away, I could see!”
Some of the Pharisees said, “This man Jesus is not from God, for he is working on the Sabbath.” Others said, “But how could an ordinary sinner do such miraculous signs?” So there was a deep division of opinion among them.
Then the Pharisees again questioned the man who had been blind and demanded, “What’s your opinion about this man who healed you?”
The man replied, “I think he must be a prophet.”
The Jewish leaders still refused to believe the man had been blind and could now see, so they called in his parents.
So, this poor healed guy had to go stand before the Jewish leaders and talk about Jesus. We will learn in a few verses why that was a bad, scary thing. But he told them the truth, Jesus healed him. But Jesus did it on the Sabbath, and some thought there was no way he was from God since he 'sinned' like that. The former blind man thought he was a prophet.. the Jewish leaders didn't believe him.... so they called his PARENTS! (how embarrassing...)
(John 9:19-23) They asked them, “Is this your son? Was he born blind? If so, how can he now see?”
His parents replied, “We know this is our son and that he was born blind, but we don’t know how he can see or who healed him. Ask him. He is old enough to speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who had announced that anyone saying Jesus was the Messiah would be expelled from the synagogue. That’s why they said, “He is old enough. Ask him.”
Such wonderful parents he had! Right? They basically threw their son to the wolves (the Jewish Leaders). Anyone who said Jesus was the Messiah was thrown out of the synagogue, and his parents didn't want any trouble. They basically told them that he was old enough to speak for himself, and to ask him. Wow... talk about being alone in a crowded room! The man had nothing but the truth about Jesus on his side-- but he boldly told them everything.. I LOVE what he says next!
(John 9:24-27) So for the second time they called in the man who had been blind and told him, “God should get the glory for this, because we know this man Jesus is a sinner.”
“I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!”
“But what did he do?” they asked. “How did he heal you?”
“Look!” the man exclaimed. “I told you once. Didn’t you listen? Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?”
He got all snippy with them! (Yay former blind man!) He told them that he had no idea if he was a sinner or not, but the fact remained-- He was once blind, but now he could see!
They asked him (again) how Jesus healed him, and he went all snarky on them saying, "Look! I've told you before. Don't you listen? Do you want to become a disciple?"
Oh... that didn't go over well... but good for him!
(John 9:28-29)Then they cursed him and said, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses! We know God spoke to Moses, but we don’t even know where this man comes from.”
They 'accused' him of being his disciple (and they weren't being kind about it). When was the last time someone accused you of being one of his disciples?
(John 9:30-34) “Why, that’s very strange!” the man replied. “He healed my eyes, and yet you don’t know where he comes from? We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but he is ready to hear those who worship him and do his will. Ever since the world began, no one has been able to open the eyes of someone born blind. If this man were not from God, he couldn’t have done it.”
“You were born a total sinner!” they answered. “Are you trying to teach us?” And they threw him out of the synagogue.
So... he put them in their place! The Jewish leaders did what some people do now when you tell them about Jesus; shun you, disown you, and kick you out.
(John 9:35-36) When Jesus heard what had happened, he found the man and asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
The man answered, “Who is he, sir? I want to believe in him.”
Remember, he'd never actually seen him. He was blind the first time he'd met Jesus.
(John 9:37-39)“You have seen him,” Jesus said, “and he is speaking to you!”
“Yes, Lord, I believe!” the man said. And he worshiped Jesus.
Then Jesus told him,[d] “I entered this world to render judgment—to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.”
Awww.... I love the blind man :)
(John 9:40-41) Some Pharisees who were standing nearby heard him and asked, “Are you saying we’re blind?”
“If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty,” Jesus replied. “But you remain guilty because you claim you can see.
The Pharisees heard what he said and got offended, "Do you think WE are blind?" And Jesus said basically, "Yes" because they claimed to understand and see, then they were guilty. They were spiritually blind, just like the man was physically blind. Jesus could make them see if they would allow him, but they refused.
I like to think the former blind man told lots of people about what Jesus did for him, and converted lots to believe in Jesus.
What about you? What lessons do you get out of this chapter?
Imperfectly Yours,
Kelly
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