John 9:8–10, 20–22, 24–25, 30–33, 35–39

Bible Studies for Life
Director, Extension Division, Beeson Divinity School, Samford University

Jesus Opens Our Eyes
John 9:8–10, 20–22, 24–25, 30–33, 35–39
As Jesus ministers during the Feast of Tabernacles, He encounters a man born blind and living a hopeless life. The Hebrew mind-set was that sin was always the cause of physical illness or handicap. The disciples ask Jesus if the man’s circumstance was due to his sin or that of his parents. Jesus replies “neither” and then spits on the ground, creating mud; places the mixture on the man’s eyes; and then instructs him to wash it off in the Pool of Siloam. The man obeys and he can see.

‘I’m the One!’ (8–10)
He returns to his home no longer the “blind beggar.” Yet there are neighbors who doubt that this is the same fellow. His response to the skeptics? “I am the man!” Instead of celebrating, however, the crowd demands an explanation — and he tells them that Jesus has changed his life forever.

‘Ask Him, He’s of Age’ (20–22)
Unimpressed with this explanation, the cynics take him to the Pharisees who disparage Jesus for healing on the Sabbath. They turn to the man’s parents who admit that he is their son and was born blind, but they have no answer for why he can now see. They tell the Pharisees to ask the man — who has been telling everyone that Jesus has healed him. But this truth doesn’t interest the Pharisees.

‘One Thing I Do Know’ (24–25, 30–33)
Once again, the Pharisees question this man but not about the healing. Instead they demand that he declare Jesus’ actions unlawful and sinful. His response is unexpected and inspiring — “Whether He is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know, I was blind and now I see.” He believed his healing to be from God and would not deny it.

‘I Believe, Lord!’ (35–39)
Jesus returns to this man who’s been rejected by the church and explains His truth — He is God’s Son. Immediately the man confesses his belief in Jesus as “Lord” and “worshiped Him.” Following this wonderful scene — witnessed by the Pharisees and others — Jesus explains that He has come so that those who are spiritually blind will then be able to see the truth and those who think they have “all of the answers,” will go on living “lost” in the “darkness” of a faithless life.

We love this story because we see God do the miraculous. Jesus comes to a man who had never been able to see and then touches and instructs him. The man listens and obeys and his blindness is removed. He is changed forever. He sees and understands what he has never seen or understood before.

This account reinforces our faith in a God who wants to repair our brokenness. God is still in the healing business, but the medical miracle is not the point. This passage is about the One who comes to us, touches us and instructs us. If we listen and obey, our spiritual blindness is cured and we see things we’ve never seen before. The transformation that follows in some of our lives can be so great that we are almost unrecognizable to those who knew the “old” us. Family and friends might even be confused and unnerved by the difference. This should serve to inspire us to confidently proclaim what Christ has done for us and wants to do for them.

We enter this world spiritually handicapped and remain so until we are confronted with the “healing” power of the Savior of the world. At that point, we either believe, worship Him and go forward redeemed, able to see truth illuminated by the light that is Jesus Christ — or we deny, trust ourselves and continue to struggle through life thinking we already see everything we need to see and know everything we need to know.

When Christ transforms our lives, we are changed forever. The world that we live in, however, remains the same fallen place that attacks us physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. But we can face these assaults because our hope and trust are founded upon One who is unchanging, faithful and true.