Conversations With Jesus: Born Blind–A Trial in 5 Scenes
As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 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 and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.
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?” Some said, “It is he.” Others said, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” So they said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 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.” They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.”
They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 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.” 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. 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.”
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 and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. 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.” (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.) Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
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.” He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 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?” And they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” The man answered, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 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. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out.
Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains (John 9:1-41).
Some people during Jesus’ earthly ministry had the spiritual eyes to recognize truth, even though they had not yet believed in Him. The man born blind in John 9 was one such individual. He is at the center of yet another controversy involving Jesus healing on the Sabbath. This time, however, it seems almost everyone gets involved–even the man’s parents. It turns into quite a circus–I mean trial. The question, though, would be just who was on trial.
Context
John’s transitional phrase in 9:1, “As He passed by” (the NIV renders it, “As He walked along”), could be interpreted to mean that the events of chapter 9 follow immediately after the debate with the Jews at the end of chapter 8. However, this is not necessarily the case, and there are no points of reference to indicate the passage of time, so the only thing that is known is that it follows the events of chapter 8 chronologically. In any case, in addition to being the sixth of John’s “signs,” this event has theological significance in looking at disease, sin, and healing.
Scene 1: The Crime–Healing of the Blind Man
As Jesus (and presumably the disciples) walked along, He came to a man who was born blind. The man was apparently well-known in the area–such people would have been taken to the Temple to sit outside and beg for alms (see Acts 3:1-10 for a similar example). Immediately, he attracts the attention of the disciples who ask Jesus, “Who sinned, this man or his parents” (v. 2). Their assumption, like the Jews of the day, was based on an interpretation of Ex. 34:7 that held that any disease or infirmity was a result of sin. In this case, logically one would assume it was the parents’ sin, since the man was blind from birth.
Jesus, however, answers that his blindness is not the result of sin, either his or the parents. Rather, he was born blind “so that God’s work might be displayed in him” (v. 3). Such a statement was certainly contrary to established Jewish interpretation, and it should give us pause also. Jesus clearly dispels such a broad idea that most or all disease, sickness or infirmity is a direct result of sin in the believer’s life. In John’s Gospel, the works of God are always tied to His glory, i.e., God receives glory through a particular event. This event proves to be no different.
You’ll notice that Jesus confesses to the “crime” before even committing it! He says, “We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.” Working on the Sabbath was a big no-no, and it caused a lot of the conflict between Jesus and the Jewish leadership. Now that His purpose is clear (“to work the works of Him who sent Me”), he immediately spits into the dirt, makes mud, and places it on the blind man’s eyes.
Is there theological significance in this specific detail? John does not include such small details as this without a purpose. When one considers that Adam was created from the ground (from dust, as it were), and that the earth was cursed because of him, it becomes at least plausible that Jesus is here tying this act back to the act of creation, as in a message of redemption or renewal. In any case, He tells the man to go to the pool at Siloam and wash his eyes. Unlike the cleansing of the lepers who were healed on the way to the priests (Luke 17:11-19), this man was apparently not healed until he completed Jesus’ instructions, for “he went to the pool and washed, and returned able to see.”
There’s not much suspense in this “crime.” We already know who the Defendant is, the charge, and we even saw Him commit the crime. The only question is who would really be on trial and what the final judgment would be.
Scene 2: Questioning of the Man
Of course, this miracle catches the attention of the man’s neighbors. No one had ever heard of a person born blind being healed! As some do, they try to deny that a miracle took place: “That’s not him, it only looks like him.” The ones who really knew him, however, knew the truth. And it was these, no doubt who asked him, “How were you healed?” Unlike the man at the Pool of Bethesda (John 5), this man knows who healed him: “The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes. I went to the pool of Siloam as He instructed me, washed, and now I see!”
Also unlike the invalid of John 5, the formerly blind man has a much more thankful and objective attitude. He is brought before the Pharisees, and his testimony is direct and simple: “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” This of course caused a stir among the leaders. One can imagine the conversations that were happening
This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.
How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?
John tells us, “There was a division among them. So, they turned to the formerly blind man and asked him, “What do you say about Him? After all, He opened your eyes.” The man’s response is like the woman at the well (John 4). Somewhat committed, but still not all in: “He is a prophet.”
Scene 3: Corroboration of the Story
It seems the Pharisees aren’t satisfied. John tells us that they don’t believe the man was born blind. So, they call his parents before them. You can almost hear the malice and contempt in the questions: “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” One wonders if suggestion was being made perhaps the whole thing was a hoax (the man was not really blind), or perhaps the parents had a hand in the healing (in which case they’d be in real trouble with the leaders).
The parents are no doubt frightened, as we can tell by their response. The leadership had already “agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.” The parents had no wish to be flung out of Israel, cut off from God’s people, so they disavowed any knowledge, except to affirm that the man is their son and he was born blind. “We’ve no idea how he received his sight. He’s of age, ask him. He can speak for himself.”
Scene 4: Judgment by the Pharisees
At this point, it seems pretty clear that the Pharisees believed that a miracle had been done–and on the Sabbath no less. So, they call the man before them a second time. This time, he is not so quiet and reserved. I can picture him on the witness stand having this exchange with the lead investigator:
Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner. [This can be interpreted as “Give God the glory, and not this man Jesus,” or more likely as a solemn charge to tell the truth, such as the high priest gave to Jesus at His trial, Matt. 26:63.]
Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.
What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?
[At this point, the man is becoming a little impatient.] 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?
[Now the leaders are really mad, they hurl insults at him.] You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses! We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from!
[The witness takes a moment to collect himself and ponder this, and answers reasonably.] Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 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. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.
We know what happens next. The pride of the Pharisees rises up: “You were born into utter sin! How dare you lecture us!” Case closed. Guilty. The man is guilty and is excommunicated. Jesus is declared to be a sinner for breaking the Sabbath.
Scene 5: The True Judgment by Jesus
The trial is now over (so it seems). The man has left the courtroom. But Jesus found him–just like the invalid in John 5. The implication is that Jesus went looking for him. Jesus always comes to those who have been healed and seeks a deeper commitment. In contrast to the invalid of John 5, this conversation is totally different.
Do you believe in the Son of Man?
And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?
You have seen Him, and it is He who is speaking to you.
Lord, I believe. [The man falls and worships.]
The attitude of the man is dramatically different than both the Pharisees and the invalid of John 5. He worships in gratefulness. Then Jesus pronounces His own judgment: “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” What does He mean? The meaning is clear from the next exchange. Some of the Pharisees apparently are close at hand and heard His comment.
Are we also blind?
If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.
Jesus has issued His judgment against the world and the Pharisees. Any who fail to come to Him for spiritual sight, claiming that they can see, are in fact guilty of chosen blindness.
[Some of the material in this post has been adapted from my commentary That You May Believe: A Commentary on John, available here.]
