John 9:8-34 I was blind, but now I see!

⁸ His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” ⁹ Some claimed that he was.

Others said, “No, he only looks like him.”

But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”

¹⁰ “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked.

¹¹ He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.”

¹² “Where is this man?” they asked him.

“I don’t know,” he said.

John 9:8-34

A Blind Man Freed

Jesus heals a blind man who was a well known beggar. So well known was this man, that many seemed to be surprised. Not that a man that was blind was healed, nor that Jesus had healed him, but that it was this man! Why this miracle was so puzzling over the others to the Jews and Pharisees, I do not know. But, perhaps this man was so well known, that it surprised everyone to see him healed.

The Pharisees teaching was one of legalism where perfection and wealth was a sign of blessing. A physical impairment was a sign that God was displeased with you due to unrighteousness. With this kind of thinking among the Pharisees it is not unthinkable that they would point out those around them with disabilities as a real life lesson on why one should live a righteous life. I tend to think this man who was a well known blind beggar, was one of them. I think this is what shocked the Jews. God healed a man who they say was steeped in sin from birth! Now their teaching was being challenged by Jesus.

The Power Of The Pharisees Overcome

When the parents of the blind man were summoned before the leading Pharisees to determined how this happened, they were afraid to answer because anyone who claimed Jesus was the Christ was to be thrown out of the Synagogue. Interestingly, this demonstrates the power of the Pharisees. They had so much control that the people feared man more than they feared God. In the book of Luke, the Jews would only whisper about Jesus in Jerusalem before Jesus arrived for the Passover for the Jews feared the Pharisees’ power.

Yet, when the blind man himself was summoned, he did not fear the Pharisees and spoke boldly to them as evident in verse 30–33:

³⁰ The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. ³¹ We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will.³² Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. ³³ If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”

³⁴ To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.

He did not travel with Jesus as a disciple, learn his teaching, or perform miracles in his name. Although, he likely heard stories. And yet, he preaches to the Pharisees with words of wisdom and boldness that sound as if he were the apostle Peter himself who was transformed with boldness after the day of Pentecost in the book of Acts.

I imagine a man that was blind most of his life as this man was, has a lot of time to hear and think. Time to think about the different opinions, sects, and the very laws of God. Time to reflect on stories that others tell as they walk by a blind beggar whom they would not give the time of day to. And, when this beggar’s life is touched by the very hand of God, finds himself speaking truth fearlessly. This is what happens when a life is truly transformed by God. True transformation can only happen when a person is open to it. Are you open to being transformed by God?

Steeped In Sin Since Birth

After he speaks boldly to the Pharisees, they throw him out and claim he cannot preach to them because he was steeped in sin since birth (verse 34). This cements what I have mentioned previously that the Pharisees and the rest of the Jews held a strong belief that sin, along with the blessings and curses of life, were directly related. How could a baby be steeped in sin? I have no idea. But, this is what they believed.

It could be a lineage or generational thought as well, blaming the parents of such a person. Either way, those that have physical deformities and even those who were poor were being punished by God, according to the teachers of the Law. Even those who were not Jews were thought to be punished by God. This included the Samaritans and those banished from the Synagogue which is why the parents of the blind man were so fearful.

Our Obligation

The application for us is a bit complex. First of all, I think the Scriptures make it clear we should respect the leaders that are in place. Knowing that these persons are human, some may be working from the flesh and others from the Spirit. Whatever the “mood of the day”, our approach should be the same, that of grace before judgment. However, when we know that the inline thinking is in direct conflict with God’s teaching and, in some ways, hinders the work of the Holy Spirit, it is our obligation to speak up.

Second, because the majority of spiritual leaders agree, does not make it automatically correct. There have been times in history when the church leaders reject sound science and times when the non-Christian World attacked the validity of the Bible only to be corrected by archaeology and the Dead Sea Scrolls. Unfortunately, people don’t like to be wrong. Even if they know the truth, people sometimes would rather look a blind eye and side with the majority. This seems to be a basic human instinct. We should always be comparing what we hear in the Church and the World to what the Bible says. It would be far easier to reject the sound truth of the Word of God and follow the World or so it seems. But, in the end, a true Christian’s heart must follow the truth.

When we listen to the will of the Father, we can hear that still small voice that speaks the truth. The only way to truly hear it is to become blind to the message of the World. Sometimes, like the blind man, we know what is right but it takes the strength and faith of a man that sees clearly to understand it. When we open our ear to the Spirit of Truth, we will see clearly. We will follow what we know to be right just as the blind man, and speak with boldness.