The Man Born Blind

The Healing (verses 1 to 7)

Jesus and his disciples are in Jerusalem. As they walk they see a man who is blind — indeed, one who has been blind from birth (verse 1). The disciples of Jesus demonstrate a real point for us: Jesus doesn't select the most sensitive or the most intelligent, or the most loved people to be his disciples. The disciples here betray their narrow-mindedness in assuming that someone's sin must have caused this man's blindness (vs. 2). This is in spite of the fact that we have works such as the book of Job to teach us the contrary. Jesus tells the disciple that this man's blindness is there to demonstrate the glory of God (vs. 3).

This raises an interesting point about the way Jesus sees tragedy. Too often people see tragedy as the result of divine displeasure. To the contrary, Jesus says it exists to demonstrate the glory of God. Instead of referring to damages from hurricanes and tornadoes as acts of God, the response of God's faithful people is the real act of God. When God's faithful people surround someone stricken by illness, that is the act of God. It is in this context Jesus reminds us that he is the “light of the world” (vs. 5).

⁴We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. ⁵As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. (ESV, English Standard Version)

Jesus makes some mud and rubs it on the eyes of the man (c.f., Matthew 9:28-29) and instructs him to go and wash in the pool of Siloam — which mean sent (vss. 6-7). The significance of this is not only that the man is sent by Jesus to the pool, but that Jesus himself is sent (John 3:16-17) and he sends his disciples to “reap where they have not sown” (John 4:38).

The man is obedient. He does as instructed. He washes in the pool and is able to see. Perhaps this is John addressing the place of Baptism in the Church. Baptism in the early church was often associated with the idea of enlightenment (Brown, pp. 380ff; Barrett, p. 355)

First Transition — The Neighbors (verses 8-12)

What are we to make of this. Was this a man who was born blind and can now see? Or was this a man who has been playing us for years? Imagine the reactions of those who have always known him as a man born blind (vss. 8-9). So they confront him directly (vs. 10).

This man says he is indeed the man who had been born blind, but now he can see. He has been healed by a man named Jesus! He recounts the incident (vss. 11-12) and they want to know where he is. This is precisely the kind of thing Jesus doesn't want. He doesn't want people following after him because of some miracle or some promise of possessions in this life. He has seen what happens when people follow him for food but fail to see the significance of what he is truly offering (c.f., John 6:66).

The Interrogation of the Blind Man by Religious Authorities (verses 13-17)

The neighbors and people who knew the man born blind take him to the religious authorities (vs. 13). Perhaps they are not satisfied by the answers. Maybe they are frightened by what they see as the implications. It is at this point where it is parenthetically mentioned that Jesus performed this act on the Sabbath (vs. 14).

In the exchange that follows (vss. 15-17) the authorities demand a recounting of what happened. The man simply replies “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see” (vs. 15, ESV). The authorities insist that Jesus cannot be from God because he does these things on the Sabbath (vs. 16). This creates a division among them. On the one side there are those who cannot imagine someone from God doing these things on the Sabbath. On the other hand, surely only someone from God could do these things. For example, Nicodemus made this assertion (John 3:2).

The religious authorities are judging the man born blind, but really they are seeking to judge Jesus through him. Of course, the irony is that even behind this they themselves are judged from their failure to see (c.f., NET Bible, see the study note on verse 16).

The Interrogation of the Parents by Religious Authorities (verses 18-23)

Not satisfied with the responses from the man, the authorities seek out his parents to interrogate them (vs. 18-21). Now, here is a tragedy: These parents who have cause to rejoice are afraid to do so because of the possible consequences. They are threatened with the possibility of excommunication because of the miracle that has taken place in their child's life (vs. 22). They report that their son had indeed been born blind, but how he could now see they did not know (vs. 21).

Have you ever considered what it must have been like for that first generation of Christians? To accept Christ meant abandoning the orthodoxy of the faith you grew up believing. These parents were stuck between the love of their child and the faith they believed in. The confrontation with the religious authorities only made it worse.

The parents decide to avoid the issue by turning the authorities back to their son: “Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself” (vs. 21, ESV).

The Second Interrogation of the Blind Man by Religious Authorities (verses 24-34)

Having been turned away from the parents without satisfaction the authorities return to the man who had been born blind and insist he give glory to God for his restored sight (vs. 24). At the same time they insist that Jesus is a sinner. This creates a disconnect for the man. Yes, he does give glory to God for what has taken place in his life, but surely this Jesus must be a man sent from God — how else could have done this wonderful thing: “One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see” (vs. 25, ESV). Surely, “God does not listen to sinners” (vs. 31).

The man is clever and witty in the way he responds to the second interrogation:

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? (vs. 27)

Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. (vs. 30)

In the end, the man is denounced. “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” (vs. 34). Then he is excommunicated — cast out of the congregation.

Jesus and the Man Who Had Been Blind (verses 35-41)

Now here is this man. He has been rejected by his neighbors. He has been rejected by his family. He is rejected by the very faith he grew up with. All of his traditions have abandoned him. Now Jesus comes to him and asks him about the Messiah. “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” (vs. 35). Of course he does. But there have been so many confusing images of this Messiah. Just who is this Messiah? Jesus says, “It is he who is speaking to you — you have seen him!” (vs. 37). The man is immediately ready to proclaim his faith because his eyes have been opened. Not physically, but spiritually. What is significant is not the gift of physical sight, but the enlightenment he now has because of Jesus. He professes his belief and worships Jesus (vs. 38).

It is the religious authorities who are blind. They are the ones who fail to see. They fail to understand. Even with the light right before them, they remain in darkness.

Resources

Barrett, C. K., The Gospel According to St. John, Second Edition, Westminster, Philadelphia, 1978. ISBN 0-664-21364-2

Brown, Raymond E., The Gospel of John I-XII, Second Edition, (The Anchor Bible, Volume 29), Doubleday, 1966. ISBN 0-385-01517-8

Bruce, F. F., The Gospel of John, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1983. ISBN 0-8028-3407-8

NET Bible, First Edition, Biblical Studies Press, 1996-2005. ISBN 0-737-50100-6

Sloyan, Gerard, John (Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching), John Knox Press, Atlanta, 1988. ISBN 0-8042-3125-7