Bible Text: John 9:1-41 | Preacher: Jerry | Series: The Path | John 9
As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. 4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

This sacred story is a continuation of the message of previous chapters reinforcing Jesus as the Light of the World.
Traditional Jewish thinking was that illness was caused by sin. Since this person’s blindness was from birth, it would have due to his parents’ sin.
Jesus turns the conversation about morals and redirects it towards the Glory of God.
The “need” in this situation was for God to be glorified, not the man’s sight to be restored.
4 refers to the work of God’s Kingdom.
John continues the theme of light = God’s presence, dark = separation from God.

6 When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, 7 saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. 

In vs 2-5 Jesus is explaining the need for the miracle ahead of the miracle itself.
In Biblical times, clay (mud) was thought to have special qualities.
The process Jesus used to make the mud was “kneading” which was one of the 39 categories of work that was prohibited on the sabbath.
The actual process of healing happened away from the presence of Jesus.

 
8 The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some were saying, “It is he.” Others were saying, “No, but it is someone like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” 10 But they kept asking him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ Then I went and washed and received my sight.” 12 They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.”

This section is used to point to the miracle.
The neighbors questioning whether this is the man who was blind from birth gives the man the opportunity to witness to the miracle. Watch how the man grows stronger in his witness to the miracle as the story unfolds.
Again, Jesus is absent.

13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. 14 Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15 Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see.” 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And they were divided. 17 So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” He said, “He is a prophet.”

This is the first interrogation of the man by the Pharisees. There are a total of 5 scenes in vs 13-41.
The primary focus of this questioning is the question: did Jesus violate the sabbath in the healing.
Violating the sabbath was a direct challenge to the authority of the Pharisees.
By not observing the sabbath the Pharisees felt Jesus could not be from God.
The Pharisees reference Jesus’ “signs” (plural). As we heard in the Nicodemus story, the Pharisees equated doing signs with being from God…
The man’s witness to Jesus is repeated here and is getting stronger (“he is a prophet”).
The Pharisees are clearly confused by the contradiction of Jesus doing signs – and doing them on a sabbath.
An underlying theme is that blindness is a condition where we don’t see the glory of God in the works of Jesus.

 
18 The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 19 and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 20 His parents answered, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21 but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. 23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

The second interrogation scene turns to the man’s parents.
Notice that John refers to “the Jews”, not specifically the Pharisees.
The Pharisees hope to determine that the man was never blind – so that no miracle occurred.
The man’s parents are very aware that the Pharisees are not interested in the man’s sight or recovery thereof – they are only interested in Jesus. They do not want to get thrown out of the synagogue.

24 So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, “Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.” 25 He answered, “I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” 26 They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 He answered them, “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?”

I find this dialog about “who is” and “who is not” a sinner interesting. Our theology states that we are all sinners.  Yet the Pharisees would be following the Law of Moses which stated that if you kept all of the law that you were not a sinner.  They saw themselves as not being sinners.  I am glad we don’t have that mindset that to be “Saved” (without sin) meant we needed to be perfect!  However, we are to be striving for perfection!
Notice that the man is getting stronger in his rebuttal of the Pharisees. He also is getting stronger in his support of Jesus: (Do you also want to become his disciples?).
He also is turning the tables and asking the Pharisees questions.
The man understands that the Pharisees are not interested in learning more about what had happened. They are only interested in getting at Jesus.

 
28 Then they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” 30 The man answered, “Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. 32 Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” 34 They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?” And they drove him out.

Reviled is a strong word, this is the only use of this word in the Gospels. It is used for serious insult, persecution and abuse.
They are reacting to the man’s reversal of roles by “teaching” the Pharisees.
The term “disciples of Moses” loosely means the Pharisees. The Pharisees are using it to establish their position as authorities on God.
The Pharisees language for “this man, we do not know where he comes from” is demeaning to Jesus.
The Pharisees are also stating the position that one can be a disciple of Moses OR Jesus, but not both.
John’s Gospel stresses that to be faithful to Moses and God, then you must be a disciple of Jesus.
God may have talked with Moses, but Jesus is God’s word incarnate!
The Pharisees repeat the traditional Jewish view of sin by accusing the man of being born into sin (because of his blindness from birth).

35 Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 He answered, “And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him.” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.” 38 He said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped him.

In contrast to the Pharisees driving the man away from the company of God’s people, Jesus seeks him out. This is a confirmation of John 6:37.
Jesus offers the man the opportunity to believe that Jesus is the Son of man – the fulfillment of God’s promise to send His Son to save His people. In effect to accept salvation and eternal life.
Jesus confirms that He is the Messiah – God present among His people.
The man confesses his belief in Jesus. The man has gone from seeing Jesus as being send from God to see Jesus as the Messiah – the Lord and Savior of all people.

39 Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind.” 40 Some of the Pharisees near him heard this and said to him, “Surely we are not blind, are we?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.

The conversation shifts from the blind man’s conversion to Jesus’ mission in the world.
He came to save the lost: “so the blind may see” and to judge those who think they see.
The Pharisees are convinced that they are in the saved category, so ask a hypothetical question: surely we’re not blind…”.
They would have been shocked and angry that Jesus condemns them: you say you see, but you are blind).
Jesus makes clear that those who are blind are not condemned (if you were blind you would have no sin) , but since the Pharisees are blind (reject Jesus as Messiah) but claim to see – they are condemned.