John 9

A Man Born Blind Is Given Sight

1 And [as he] went away, he saw a man blind from birth.

2 And his disciples asked him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind?"

3 Jesus replied, "Neither this man sinned nor his parents, but [it happened] so that the works of God could be revealed in him.

4 It is necessary [for] us to do the deeds of the one who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work!

5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

6 [When he] had said these [things], he spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva, and smeared the clay on his eyes.

7 And he said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated "sent"). So he went and washed and came back seeing.

8 Then the neighbors and those who saw him previously (because he was a beggar) began to say, "Is this man not the one who used to sit and beg?"

9 Others were saying, "It is this man"; others were saying, "No, but he is like him." That one was saying, "I am [he]!"

10 So they began to say to him, "How were your eyes opened?"

11 He replied, "The man who is called Jesus made clay and smeared [it] on my eyes and said to me, 'Go to Siloam and wash!' So I went, and I washed, [and] I received sight."

12 And they said to him, "Where is that man?" He said, "I do not know."

The Reaction of the Pharisees to the Healing

13 They brought him--the one formerly blind--to the Pharisees.

14 (Now the day on which Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes was the Sabbath.)

15 So the Pharisees also were asking him again how he received sight. And he said to them, "He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see."

16 So some of the Pharisees were saying, "This man is not from God, because he does not observe the Sabbath!" Others were saying, "How can a man [who is] a sinner perform such signs?" And there was a division among them.

17 So they said to the blind man again, "What do you say about him, because he opened your eyes?" And he said, "He is a prophet."

18 So the Jews did not believe concerning him that he had been blind and received sight, until they summoned the parents of the one who received sight.

19 And they asked them, saying, "Is this man your son, whom you say was born blind? Then how does he now see?"

20 So his parents answered and said, "We know that this man is our son, and that he was born blind.

21 But how he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. Ask him! {He is a mature adult}; he will speak for himself!"

22 (His parents said these [things] because they were afraid of the Jews, for the Jews had already decided that if anyone should confess him [to be] Christ, he would be expelled from the synagogue.

23 Because of this his parents said, "{He is a mature adult}; ask him.")

24 So they summoned the man who had been blind for the second time and said to him, "Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner!"

25 Then that man replied, "Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One [thing] I know--that [although I] was blind, now I see!"

26 So they said to him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?"

27 He replied to them, "I told you already and you did not listen! Why do you want to hear [it] again? You do not want to become his disciples also, [do you]?"

28 They reviled him and said, "You are his disciple! But we are disciples of Moses!

29 We know that God has spoken to Moses, but we do not know where this man is from."

30 The man answered and said to them, "For the remarkable thing is this, that you do not know where he is from, and he opened my eyes!

31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if someone is devout and does his will, he listens to this one.

32 From {time immemorial} it has not been heard that someone opened the eyes of one born blind.

33 If this man were not from God, he would not be able to do anything!"

34 They answered and said to him, "You were born completely in sin, and are you attempting to teach us?" And they threw him out.

Jesus as the Son of Man

35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and finding him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"

36 He answered and said, "And who is [he], sir, that I may believe in him?"

37 Jesus said to him, "You have both seen him, and he is the one who is speaking with you." [[

38 And he said, "I believe, Lord!" and he worshiped him.

39 And Jesus said,]] "For judgment I have come into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind!"

40 [Some] of the Pharisees who were with him heard these [things] and said to him, "We are not also blind, [are we]?"

41 Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now you say, 'We see,' your sin remains.

John 9 Commentary

Chapter 9

Christ give sight to one born blind. (1-7) The account given by the blind man. (8-12) The Pharisees question the man that had been blind. (13-17) They ask concerning him. (18-23) They cast him out. (24-34) Christ's words to the man that had been blind. (35-38) He reproves the Pharisees. (39-41)

Verses 1-7 Christ cured many who were blind by disease or accident; here he cured one born blind. Thus he showed his power to help in the most desperate cases, and the work of his grace upon the souls of sinners, which gives sight to those blind by nature. This poor man could not see Christ, but Christ saw him. And if we know or apprehend anything of Christ, it is because we were first known of him. Christ says of uncommon calamities, that they are not always to be looked on as special punishments of sin; sometimes they are for the glory of God, and to manifest his works. Our life is our day, in which it concerns us to do the work of the day. We must be busy, and not waste day-time; it will be time to rest when our day is done, for it is but a day. The approach of death should quicken us to improve all our opportunities of doing and getting good. What good we have an opportunity to do, we should do quickly. And he that will never do a good work till there is nothing to be objected against, will leave many a good work for ever undone, ( Ecclesiastes 11:4 ) . Christ magnified his power, in making a blind man to see, doing that which one would think more likely to make a seeing man blind. Human reason cannot judge of the Lord's methods; he uses means and instruments that men despise. Those that would be healed by Christ must be ruled by him. He came back from the pool wondering and wondered at; he came seeing. This represents the benefits in attending on ordinances of Christ's appointment; souls go weak, and come away strengthened; go doubting, and come away satisfied; go mourning, and come away rejoicing; go blind, and come away seeing.

Verses 8-12 Those whose eyes are opened, and whose hearts are cleansed by grace, being known to be the same person, but widely different in character, live as monuments to the Redeemer's glory, and recommend his grace to all who desire the same precious salvation. It is good to observe the way and method of God's works, and they will appear the more wonderful. Apply this spiritually. In the work of grace wrought upon the soul we see the change, but we see not the hand that makes it: the way of the Spirit is like that of the wind, which thou hearest the sound of, but canst not tell whence it comes, nor whither it goes.

Verses 13-17 Christ not only worked miracles on the sabbath, but in such a manner as would give offence to the Jews, for he would not seem to yield to the scribes and Pharisees. Their zeal for mere rites consumed the substantial matters of religion; therefore Christ would not give place to them. Also, works of necessity and mercy are allowed, and the sabbath rest is to be kept, in order to the sabbath work. How many blind eyes have been opened by the preaching of the gospel on the Lord's day! how many impotent souls cured on that day! Much unrighteous and uncharitable judging comes from men's adding their own fancies to God's appointments. How perfect in wisdom and holiness was our Redeemer, when his enemies could find nothing against him, but the oft-refuted charge of breaking the sabbath! May we be enabled, by well-doing, to silence the ignorance of foolish men.

Verses 18-23 The Pharisees vainly hoped to disprove this notable miracle. They expected a Messiah, but could not bear to think that this Jesus should be he, because his precepts were all contrary to their traditions, and because they expected a Messiah in outward pomp and splendour. The fear of man brings a snare, ( Proverbs 29:25 ) , and often makes people deny and disown Christ and his truths and ways, and act against their consciences. The unlearned and poor, who are simple-hearted, readily draw proper inferences from the evidences of the light of the gospel; but those whose desires are another way, though ever learning, never come to the knowledge of the truth.

Verses 24-34 As Christ's mercies are most valued by those who have felt the want of them, that have been blind, and now see; so the most powerful and lasting affections to Christ, arise from actual knowledge of him. In the work of grace in the soul, though we cannot tell when, and how, and by what steps the blessed change was wrought, yet we may take the comfort, if we can say, through grace, Whereas I was blind, now I see. I did live a worldly, sensual life, but, thanks be to God, it is now otherwise with me, ( Ephesians 5:8 ) . The unbelief of those who enjoy the means of knowledge and conviction, is indeed marvellous. All who have felt the power and grace of the Lord Jesus, wonder at the wilfulness of others who reject him. He argues strongly against them, not only that Jesus was not a sinner, but that he was of God. We may each of us know by this, whether we are of God or not. What do we? What do we for God? What do we for our souls? What do we more than others?

Verses 35-38 Christ owns those who own him and his truth and ways. There is particular notice taken of such a suffer in the cause of Christ, and for the testimony of a good conscience. Our Lord Jesus graciously reveals himself to the man. Now he was made sensible what an unspeakable mercy it was, to be cured of his blindness, that he might see the Son of God. None but God is to be worshipped; so that in worshipping Jesus, he owned him to be God. All who believe in him, will worship him.

Verses 39-41 Christ came into the world to give sight to those who were spiritually blind. Also, that those who see might be made blind; that those who have a high conceit of their own wisdom, might be sealed up in ignorance. The preaching of the cross was thought to be folly by such as by carnal wisdom knew not God. Nothing fortifies men's corrupt hearts against the convictions of the word, more than the high opinion which others have of them; as if all that gained applause with men, must obtain acceptance with God. Christ silenced them. But the sin of the self-conceited and self-confident remains; they reject the gospel of grace, therefore the guilt of their sin remains unpardoned, and the power of their sin remains unbroken.

Footnotes

• [a]. *Here "[as]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("went away") which is understood as temporal
• [b]. *The words "[it happened]" are not in the Greek text but are implied
• [c]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("had said") which is understood as temporal
• [d]. *The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here ("began to say")
• [e]. *The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here ("began to say")
• [f]. Some manuscripts have "Then how"
• [g]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [h]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the two previous participles ("went" and "washed") have been translated as finite verbs
• [i]. Some manuscripts have "But others"
• [j]. Literally "of him"
• [k]. Literally "he has maturity"
• [l]. Literally "he has maturity"
• [m]. *Here "[although]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("was") which is understood as concessive
• [n]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [o]. *The negative construction in Greek anticipates a negative answer here, indicated in the translation by the phrase "[do you]"
• [p]. Some manuscripts have "And they reviled"
• [q]. Literally "the age"
• [r]. *Here the present tense is translated as a conative present ("attempting to teach")
• [s]. A number of important manuscripts lack v. 38 and the first part of v. 39 ("and Jesus said")
• [t]. *The negative construction in Greek anticipates a negative answer here, indicated in the translation by the phrase "[are we]"