John 9:1-41

As he went 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] "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work(s) of God might be displayed (shine forth) in his life. [4] As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. [5] While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." Light makes you see. He's been teaching on 'The Light of the World' for the last chapter and a half- now we're going to see the light breaking in. We're at the end of Jesus' public ministry- all that's left is a little teaching on the Good Shepherd, the Raising of Lazarus, and then comes the triumphal entry into Jerusalem. This is a key time; the Light of the World is coming into the deepest darkness.

Even today, a person born blind is usually blind for life. 1950's- incubators- oxygen- blind from right after birth- nothing they could do afterward, even today.

[6] Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. Like creation- clay- Adam; picture of baptism- clay=humans; spittle=water from Christ; 'anointed= baptismal word'>R. Brown [7] "Go," he told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" (this word means Sent). Waters came out of mount Zion (Calvin) were used in various Temple ceremonies- foreshadowing of the river running out of Zion in Revelation- From Jesus comes 'rivers of living water.' So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. Mentioned in many early baptism rites; pictures found in the Roman catacombs.

[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." They never noticed him before- who do we look at but never see?

But he himself insisted, "I am the man." "I AM" sneaks out of him.

[10] "How then were your eyes opened?" they demanded. The man thinks they want to know medical technique; they're talking theology.

[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." The new 'mud technique'!

[12] "Where is this man?" they asked him.

"I don't know," he said. He can't 'know' Jesus yet, because he doesn't believe. Watch how this develops.

[13] They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. Bring him to the next 'experts.' [14] Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man's eyes was a Sabbath. Bingo! John, the expert storyteller is having fun with us. He pulls the hammer back another click. [15] Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. "He put mud on my eyes," the man replied, "and I washed, and now I see." Still medical technique versus theology. But a shorter answer. This blind guy is getting nervous or tired of this. He has better things to do!

[16] Some of the Pharisees said, "This man (Jesus) is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath."

But others asked, "How can a sinner do such miraculous signs?" So they were divided.

[17] Finally they turned again to the blind man, "What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened." This is where it gets funny. Think about it; we have the most noted theologians; they're trying to decide if this miracle is from God, and they turn to the guy who hasn't been to Kindergarten!

The man replied, "He is a prophet." He's beginning to see! He's beginning to understand who Jesus is. Here begins the real healing.

[18] The Jews still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man's parents. [19] "Is this your son?" they asked. "Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?"

[20] "We know he is our son," the parents answered, "and we know he was born blind. [21] But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don't know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself." [22] His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for already the Jews had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. [23] That was why his parents said, "He is of age; ask him." A hot potato. Let's get out of here Marge!

[24] A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. "Give glory to God," they said. "We know this man is a sinner." In just a few words, we see the problem- the man is giving glory to God- but they don't see it.

[25] He replied, "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!" Remember the old 'Circle of Believing?'

[26] Then they asked him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?"

[27] He answered, "I have told you already and you did not listen. (Isaiah 6- "Hear, Hear but do not understand.") Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?" Already he is bearing witness!

[28] Then they hurled insults at him and said, "You are this fellow's disciple! When you believe in Jesus, it changes your life! We are disciples of Moses! But not of God. [29] We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don't even know where he comes from." That's just it- they don't know; they can't know Jesus because they won't believe.

[30] The man answered, "Now that is remarkable! You don't know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. Now he's getting theological. [31] We know listen to the 'know' word- "We know...We know...-but they can't know, because in John's Gospel the point is made over and over and over again- knowing comes only through believing! "(We know) that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man 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." Truth is breaking out; the blind man is 'bearing witness.'

[34] To this they replied, "You were steeped in sin at birth; where'd they get that? how dare you lecture us!" And they threw him out.

[35] Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"

[36] "Who is he, sir?" the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in him."

[37] Jesus said, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you."

[38] Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him. He sees better than anyone else in the whole Gospel of John so far; he worships him- he recognizes his Divinity- he sees Jesus in his fullness. Amazing!

[39] Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind." That's what this story is all about- the guy who's blind as a rock, ends up seeing everything perfectly clearly, right to eternal life. But the ones who thought they saw the clearest of all are stumbling around in the dark. Now listen how they convict themselves again:

[40] Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, "What? Are we blind too?" Literally, 'We are blind too?" They say it with their own words- "We are blind too." They sure are. But they don't even know what they say!

[41] Jesus said, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.

They who should have seen, who had every opportunity, who had the knowledge of the Scriptures- they had everything they needed- it was like having the Hubble Space Telescope to see across the room- they had more than they needed- and they just wouldn't see.

How about you? Invitation, Amen.