Yochanan 9

1 And passing along, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach saw a man ivver (blind) from birth.

2 The talmidim of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach asked him, Rebbe, who committed averos, this man or the horim (parents) of him, that he was born ivver? [YECHEZKEL 18:20; SHEMOT 20:5; IYOV 21;19]

3 In reply, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said, Neither this man sinned nor the horim of him, but that the pe’ulot of Hashem may be manifested in him.

4 It is necessary for us to work the pe’ulot of the One having sent me while it is Yom. Lailah comes when no one is able to work.[Jer 13:16] ]

5 As long as I am in the Olam Hazeh, I am the Ohr HaOlam.

6 Having said these things, he spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva and he anointed the clay upon the man’s eyes,

7 And said to him, Go wash in the pool of Shiloach! [MELACHIM BAIS 5:10].?The name means sent?He went therefore and washed and came seeing. [YESHAYAH 35:5]

8 Therefore, the shchenim and the ones seeing the man who was formerly a betler, came, saying, Is this not the man who was sitting and begging?

9 Some were saying, This is the one! Others were saying, No, but it is a man like him. But the man was saying, I am the one!

10 Therefore, the people were saying to him, How, then, were your eyes opened?

11 In reply, the man said, The one called Yehoshua took clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, Go to Shiloach [MELACHIM BAIS 5:10] and wash. Therefore, having gone, and having washed, I saw!

12 And they said to him, Where is that one? The man says to them, I do not have da’as of that.

13 The people lead the man to the Perushim…the man who had formerly been ivver (blind).

14 Now the time period Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach took the clay and opened his eyes was a Shabbos.

15 Then again also the Perushim were asking him how his eyes were opened, and the man said to them, The man placed clay on my eyes and I washed, and I see.

16 Therefore some of the Perushim were saying, This man is not from Hashem, because he is a Mechallel Shabbos (desecrator of Shabbos). But others were saying, How is a man who is a choteh (sinner) able to do such otot? There was a machloket (division of dissension) among them.

17 Therefore, they say to the ivver (blind man) again, What do you say about him, because he opened your eyes? And the man said, He is a Navi.

18 Therefore, those of Yehudah did not believe that the man had been ivver (blind) until they called the horim of the man whose eyes were opened.

19 And they asked the horim, saying, Is this the ben of you, whom you say was born ivver? How, therefore, does he now have sight?

20 In reply, therefore, his horim said, We have da’as that this man is the ben of us and that he was born ivver,

21 But how he sees now we do not have da’as nor do we have da’as of who opened his eyes. Interrogate him. He’s had his Bar Mitzvah (T.N. i.e., he is of age). He will speak for himself.

22 His horim said these things, because they were fearing those of Yehudah, for already those of Yehudah had agreed that if any person made hoda’ah (confession) of him to be the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, that person would be put under cherem ban from the shul.

23 Therefore, his horim said, He has reached his religious majority and is of age. Interrogate him.

24 They called a second time, therefore, the man who had been ivver (blind) and said to him, V’ten lo todah. (Give glory to G-d) [YEHOSHUA 7:19] We have da’as that this man is a choteh (sinner). [TEHILLIM 68:35; YEHOSHUA 7:19]

25 In reply, therefore, he said, If he is a choteh (sinner), of that I don’t have da’as. Of one thing I do have da’as, that though I was ivver, now I see.

26 They said, therefore, to him, What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?

27 The man answered them, I told you already, and you do not listen. Why again do you want to hear? Surely you do not want to become his talmidim also?

28 And they reviled him and said, You are a talmid of that man, but we are talmidim of Moshe Rabbeinu. [BAMIDBAR 12:2,8]

29 We have da’as that Hashem has spoken to Moshe Rabbeinu, but this man, we do not have da’as from where he comes.

30 In reply, the man said to them, Here is a real cheftza! That you do not have da’as from where he comes, and he opened my eyes!

31 We have da’as that G-d does not listen to chote’'im (sinners), but if anyone has chassidus and yirat shomayim and does the ratzon (will) of Him, this one G-d hears. [TEHILLIM 18:23-32; 34:15 16; 66:18; 145:19-20; 51:7(5); MISHLE 15:8,29; YESHAYAH 1:15; 59:1-2]

32 Never vi-bahlt the Bri’at HaOlam (the Creation of the World) it was heard of that anyone opened the eyes of an ivver (blind man) having been born thus.

33 If this man was not from Hashem, he would not be able to do anything.

34 They answered and said to him, You were born totally B’AVON (in sin) and you teach us? And they threw him out. [TEHILLIM 51:5(7)]

35 Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach heard that they threw him out, and, having found him, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said, Do you have emunah (faith) in the Ben HaAdam?

36 In reply, the man said, And who is he, Adoni, that I may have emunah in him?

37 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said, You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.

38 And the man said, Ani ma’amin, Adoni. And he fell down prostrate before him.

39 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said, For the sake of Mishpat, I came into the Olam Hazeh, that the ones who are ivrim (blind ones) may see, and the ones seeing may become ivrim.

40 Some of the Perushim heard these things, the ones being with him, and they said to him, Surely we are not ivrim, are we?

41 Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said to them, If you were ivrim (blind men), you would not have chet, but now vi-bahlt (since) you say, We see, the chet of you remains.

Yochanan 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.