TEXT: John 9:1-41

SUBJECT: Exposition of John #23: The Seeing and the Blind

Many authors write to make a name for themselves; John wrote to make a name for someone else. He wants his readers to know that "Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God". The claim is remarkable; John knows that. Therefore, he doesn't just make it, but he argues for it with "many infallible proofs". This is one of them--one of the best. May God bless it to us, for Christ's sake. Amen.

"Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth". The disciples assume that all suffering is the direct result of sin. But in this case they wonder: "Whose sin"? Had the man rebelled in the womb? Or were his parents to blame? One or the other must be right. And no one is better qualified to weigh in on the subject than our Lord Jesus Christ.

What's He have to say? "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him". God was responsible for the man's birth defect. A novel opinion? Not at all. It can be traced as far back as the burning bush: "Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD?" Yes He has. But why would He do such a thing? There is no malice involved--of that we can be sure. No spite. No sadism. "He does not afflict willingly..." Then why? If the Book of Job teaches anything at all, it teaches this: There is no universal answer for these things; they cannot be found and must not be sought. "Secret things belong to the LORD our God".

But in the case before us, there is an answer. The man was born this way so that God could bring glory to Himself and His Son by "opening the eyes of the blind".

Which He did. Our Lord spat on the ground, made a paste with the mud, applied it to the blind man's eyes, and told him to wash it off in "the pool of Siloam". The man obeys Christ and receives his sight.

The details are worth thinking about. John goes out of his way to tell us where the man washed his eyes and even what the name means in Greek. He washed in the "pool of Siloam". "Siloam" is a Aramaic word. Aramaic is similar to Hebrew. In Hebrew, the place is "Shiloah". What does this mean? Historically, it was where the Tabernacle once stood. In Shiloah, God once met with His people. Prophetically, it anticipates Messiah. Genesis 49:10 foresees the royal house of Israel coming from Judah, reaching its climax when "Shiloah comes". Thus, in Christ man meets with God.

John explains Siloam means "sent"--that is, God-sent. And who is sent by God? Supremely, our Lord Jesus Christ. In short, the blind man is healed by the One sent by God in Whom God meets with His people. "And the Word was made flesh and `tabernacled' among us".

The healing stirs an intense curiosity. Most neighbors are flabbergasted, though some think his twin brother has shown up. But he assures them that it is he--the man born blind has now received his sight. They ask how. He can't explain it all, but he knows the basics: "A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, `Go to the pool of Siloam and wash'. So I went and washed and received my sight". They wonder where the Man is, but he can't say.

He is hauled off to the Pharisees who are very concerned about the affair. Why? Because the healing took place on the Sabbath, of course. Which was strictly forbidden. "Who did it?" they want to know. "And how?" He tells them.

The Pharisees are divided. Some think He's a Sabbath-breaker. Others aren't so sure. The man is asked for his opinion, which he's happy to give: "He is a prophet". This presents quite a dilemma. If Jesus is "a prophet" why don't the Pharisees follow Him? If He's not, how did He give sight to the blind?

The Pharisees haven't got an answer for that one. Stalling tactics are required: "Call his parents" they command. When they arrive, the air is heavy with intimidation. The Pharisees don't care about the truth; they're out for blood. The parents say as little as possible: (1) He is our son; (2) He was born blind; (3) We don't know how he came to see; (4) He's an adult, ask him.

The bullying continues: "Give God the glory! We know this man is a sinner!" It sounds like they want the glory, doesn't it?

The man feels the irony and answers them with biting sarcasm: "Whether He is a sinner or not, I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see". You connect the dots!

The browbeating continues: "What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?" Enough is enough! "Why?" he asks, "Do you want to be His disciples?"

No they don't. Because--they say--we don't know where He is from. They don't know if Jesus is of God or of Satan or of Himself!

Or do they? The blind man knows better. He knows they're not seeking the truth, but suppressing it: "Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from, yet He opened my eyes!" Has anyone done that before? Never! Would anyone ever do that? "What do the Scriptures say?"

Put it together: No one but God opens blind eyes. And God does it by His Messiah. Now, Jesus opened the eyes of a blind man. Therefore, "Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God".

The conclusion is inescapable. But the Pharisees won't accept it. So they turn to every whipped debater's favorite technique--personal attack: "You were completely born in sins and are you teaching us?"

"And they cast him out".

The investigation was set up to disprove the claims of our Lord. It had quite the opposite effect. Not only did the man born blind bear eloquent testimony to Christ, but Israel's most learned men could not answer it and were reduced to name-calling! No argument was found against the Lord Jesus for one simple reason: There is no such argument. "Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God".

"Those who honor Me I will honor" is the Divine pledge. The blind man risked everything to honor Jesus Christ; he won't "lose his reward".

Our Lord comes to him with a question: "Do you believe in the Son of God?" In other words, Do you believe the man who opened your eyes is also God's Son? He most certainly would...if only he could identify Him. Remember, the blind man had never seen our Lord and had no idea he was then speaking with Him.

"You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you."

"Lord I believe!" is the eager reply. And more: "He worshiped Him".

The irony of it all is not lost on our Lord. "For judgment I have come into this world". That is, He came to reverse things--to stand the world on its head, if you please.

His own mother prophesied of it.

"He has put down the mighty from their thrones,

And exalted the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,

And the rich He has sent away empty".

Now, He has blinded those who say, "We see!" and given sight to those who know they're blind without Him.

Can you see without Christ? Can you think clearly or feel properly or act uprightly without Him? The objective answer is a thunderous "No!"

But some think otherwise. They don't need Christ--they're good enough without Him, smart enough, able enough. But our Lord says they're "blind". Their blindness evokes no pity, for they've blinded themselves. And remain blind by their own choice. "Therefore, [their] sin remains". Along with its present guilt and its future punishment. The Pharisees didn't need Christ. Do you?

Others know how blind they are without Him. And more than blind: "Miserable, wretched, poor, and naked". Yet these people--who feel their blindness--are granted spiritual sight. They look to Christ for their light. And--like Spurgeon of old--"Look to Him till they look their eyes out".

"In His light, we see light".

It is high time we renounce our own flickering lights and look into "The Sun of Righteousness" our Lord Jesus Christ. One look at Him will blind the sighted and give sight to the blind. May God blind every seeing eye and open every blind eye. For Christ's sake. Amen.