I Was Blind, Now I See John 9:1-41 ~ 6/5/16 Grace Church of Lockeford Introduction This miracle and the remainder of the chapter teach us how to receive and keep spiritual sight. It begins in verse 1 with a man who is born blind. He receives physical sight and, later, spiritual sight. And in verse 41, the final verse of the chapter, we find men who claim to have spiritual sight but are utterly blind—the .1

1. Born Blind For The Glory Of God vv. 1-12 V. 1 This illustrates man’s spiritual blindness from birth (9:39–41; 2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2:1–3).2

By selecting this man He is able to illustrate a spiritual truth by means of physical healing, the sixth sign (vv 40–41).3

V. 2 Reflecting the belief that congenital disabilities were the result of sin on the part of the individual or his parents.4

The disciples did not look at the man as an object of mercy but rather as a subject for a theological discussion. It is much easier to discuss an abstract subject like “sin” than it is to minister to a concrete need in the life of a person.5

V. 3 meant that this man’s blindness was not caused by some specific sin. Instead the problem existed so that … God could display His glory in the midst of seeming tragedy (cf. Ex. 4:11; 2 Cor. 12:9).6

In the final analysis, all physical problems are the result of our fall in Adam, for his disobedience brought sin and death into the world (Rom. 5:12ff). But afterward, to blame a specific disability on a specific sin committed by specific persons is certainly beyond any man’s ability or authority.7

V. 6 Interestingly man was made from this same substance—the dust of the earth (Gen. 2:7).8

V. 7 By healing the man on the Sabbath with clay He had made, Jesus broke two man-made laws of the Jewish people. Making clay and healing were both prohibited by the Pharisees on the Sabbath.9

1 R. Kent Hughes, John: That You May Believe, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1999), 257. 2 Edwin A. Blum, “John,” in The Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 307. 3 Robert N. Wilkin, “The according to John,” in The Grace Commentary, ed. Robert N. Wilkin (Denton, TX: Grace Evangelical Society, 2010), 412. 4 John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Bible Software, 2012), Jn 9:2. 5 Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 324. 6 Edwin A. Blum, “John,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 307. 7 Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 324. 8 Edwin A. Blum, “John,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 307. 9 Robert N. Wilkin, “The Gospel according to John,” in The Grace New Testament Commentary, ed. Robert N. Wilkin (Denton, TX: Grace Evangelical Society, 2010), 413. 1 Though the healing power was the same, our Lord varied His methods lest people focus on the manner of healing and miss the message in the healing.10

I wonder how he felt. A bit foolish? Probably. Even though he was blind, he must have had some idea that he was creating a scene as he made his way to Siloam with his eyes covered with mud. But I also think his heart began to pound with the swelling possibility that he might receive his sight. “What if this really works?”11

V. 12 Since he was blind at the time of the miracle, he had no idea where Jesus went.12

…we are so prone to ask “How?” We want to understand the mechanics of a miracle instead of simply trusting the Saviour, who alone can perform the miracle.13

2. Born Blind To Bear Witness Of Christ vv. 13-34 V. 13 Possibly they did this because they wanted the religious leaders to share in the joy of this miracle and also to help them find the Miracle Worker. More likely, however, they knew the Pharisees would respond angrily to someone doing a miracle on the Sabbath and, sharing that reaction, they hoped the Pharisees would find the culprit in order to judge Him.14

V. 15 His testimony sounds rather matter-of-fact. The man does not sound like one who is trying to say what he thinks his interrogators want to hear.15

V. 16 The disagreement is based on differing interpretations of Jesus’ act. Either it is a sin because He broke the Sabbath or it is from God because it is a miraculous sign.16

The Pharisees should have been praising God for a miracle; instead, they sought evidence to prosecute Jesus.17

V. 17 The healed blind man’s opinion was that Jesus is a prophet. Old Testament prophets sometimes performed miracles which marked them out as God’s men.18

The Jewish people would look on their prophets as men of God who could do wonderful things by the power of God.19

10 Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 324. 11 R. Kent Hughes, John: That You May Believe, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1999), 256. 12 Edwin A. Blum, “John,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 308. 13 Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 325. 14 Robert N. Wilkin, “The Gospel according to John,” in The Grace New Testament Commentary, ed. Robert N. Wilkin (Denton, TX: Grace Evangelical Society, 2010), 414. 15 Robert N. Wilkin, “The Gospel according to John,” in The Grace New Testament Commentary, ed. Robert N. Wilkin (Denton, TX: Grace Evangelical Society, 2010), 414. 16 John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2012), Jn 9:16. 17 Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 325. 18 Edwin A. Blum, “John,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 308. 19 Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 325. 2 V. 22 The sense is, had formed an agreement in order to bring about this end, viz., that the confessor of Christ should be excommunicated.20

Tantamount to being excluded from the community. The was the community gathering place.21

These people were seeking the honor of men and not the honor that comes from God (:44).22

V. 23 Whatever joy they experienced over their son’s miraculous healing, they were unwilling to state their opinion on who opened his eyes and how it happened.23

V. 24 What they failed to understand was that Jesus Christ had fulfilled all of this ceremonial law and was now bringing in something new. In Moses, you have preparation; but in Jesus Christ, you have consummation (see :17).24

V. 25 He did not debate the character of Jesus Christ, because that was beyond his knowledge and experience. But one thing he did know: now he could see.25

V. 26 They asked him to go over the story again, hoping to find some contradiction in the man’s report.26

V. 28 Their appeal to Moses is ironic based on Jesus’ words in 5:45–47 where He pointed out that their knowledge of Moses’ writings should have led them to recognize Him as .27

Had the Pharisees really understood Moses, they would have known who Jesus was and what He was doing.28

V. 29 We don’t even know where He comes from. Yet they claimed to know Moses who, Jesus said, wrote about Him (5:46).29

Ego can blind people to the truth right before their eyes. The Pharisees are so proud to be right—at least, so they think—that they are closed to the clear implications of the well-attested miracle that had just occurred.30

20 Marvin Richardson Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament, vol. 2 (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1887), 184. 21 John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2012), Jn 9:22. 22 Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 326. 23 Robert N. Wilkin, “The Gospel according to John,” in The Grace New Testament Commentary, ed. Robert N. Wilkin (Denton, TX: Grace Evangelical Society, 2010), 415. 24 Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 326. 25 Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 326. 26 Edwin A. Blum, “John,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 308. 27 John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2012), Jn 9:28. 28 Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 326. 29 Edwin A. Blum, “John,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 308. 30 Robert N. Wilkin, “The Gospel according to John,” in The Grace New Testament Commentary, ed. Robert N. Wilkin (Denton, TX: Grace Evangelical Society, 2010), 415. 3

V. 33 The trustworthiness of Scripture does not mean that every human opinion narrated is true, just that those opinions have been accurately reported.31

V. 34 They cast him out, both to silence him and to warn others who are tempted to confess that Jesus is the Christ. This is the best thing that could have happened to the man. He is now cut off from the legalistic message of the Pharisees. He is now ready for his second healing by Jesus that day.32

Religious bigots do not want to face either evidence or logic. Their minds are made up. Had the Pharisees honestly considered the facts, they would have seen that Jesus is the Son of God, and they could have trusted Him and been saved.33

The religious leaders officially excommunicated this man from the local synagogue. This meant that the man was cut off from friends and family and looked on by the Jews as a “publican and sinner.”34

The Pharisees completely rejected the witness of the light.35

3. Born Blind To Believe In The Son vv. 35-41 V. 36 The man now reached the climax of his knowledge of Jesus Christ and his faith in Him. It is not enough to believe that He is “a man called Jesus,” or even “a prophet” or “a man of God.” “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God” (1 John 5:1).36

V. 37 Jesus then disclosed Himself and gave the beggar the necessary knowledge for faith. Faith involves an act of the will, based on information.37

v. 38 The formerly blind man is the only one to respond appropriately to Jesus. His journey from physical blindness to sight also symbolized his transition from spiritual darkness to finding the (v. 5).38

V. 39 He does not condemn them by making them blind; they blind themselves by rejecting Him and Satan contributes to that blinding (2 Cor. 4:4).39

31 Ted Cabal et al., The Apologetics Study Bible: Real Questions, Straight Answers, Stronger Faith (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2007), 1591. 32 Robert N. Wilkin, “The Gospel according to John,” in The Grace New Testament Commentary, ed. Robert N. Wilkin (Denton, TX: Grace Evangelical Society, 2010), 416. 33 Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 327. 34 Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 327. 35 R. Kent Hughes, John: That You May Believe, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1999), 258. 36 Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 327. 37 Edwin A. Blum, “John,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 309. 38 John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2012), Jn 9:38. 39 Edwin A. Blum, “John,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 309. 4 Not the act of judgment, but its result. His very presence in the world constitutes a separation, which is the primitive idea of judgment, between those who believe on Him and those who reject Him.40

The reason for our Lord’s coming was salvation, but the result of His coming was condemnation of those who would not believe.41

Everyone is born blind, spiritually speaking. God must remove the satanic blinding (2 Cor 4:4–6; Acts 16:14) so that they can see that Jesus is the Messiah who guarantees eternal life to all who simply believe in Him.42

Those who go blind are the ones who do not realize their need. Those who receive sight are the ones who sense their darkness.43

V. 41 Jesus is the Light of the world (:12; 9:5). The only people who cannot see the light are blind people and those who refuse to look, those who make themselves blind.44

Oh, how happy are those who realize that within themselves there is nothing to commend them to God. Theirs is the kingdom of God. How happy they are because their emptiness becomes an occasion for his fullness. Oh, how happy are those who mourn over their sins and the sins of others, for they will be comforted. Oh, how happy are the meek—those who allow others to assert that they are poor sinners.45 Conclusion The physical and spiritual healing of the man born blind shows the healing power of God’s Word for those who respond in belief to Jesus and its condemning power for those who reject Him.46

The blind beggar of John 9 is our example. He did not argue with Christ. He acknowledged his blind condition and need. He submitted himself to the hand of Christ and was obedient—and then came the miracle so that he saw with his eyes and with his heart. Remember, great partakers are great beggars. Those who are empty will be filled. The blind will see.47

40 Marvin Richardson Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament, vol. 2 (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1887), 188. 41 Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 327. 42 Robert N. Wilkin, “The Gospel according to John,” in The Grace New Testament Commentary, ed. Robert N. Wilkin (Denton, TX: Grace Evangelical Society, 2010), 418. 43 R. Kent Hughes, John: That You May Believe, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1999), 259. 44 Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 327. 45 R. Kent Hughes, John: That You May Believe, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1999), 260–261. 46 Robert N. Wilkin, “The Gospel according to John,” in The Grace New Testament Commentary, ed. Robert N. Wilkin (Denton, TX: Grace Evangelical Society, 2010), 418. 47 R. Kent Hughes, John: That You May Believe, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1999), 261. 5