The life of Jesus · John 9
The Man Born Blind
Jesus sees a man who has been blind from birth. His disciples ask: “Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answers that it is “that the works of God should be made manifest in him.” He spits on the ground, makes clay with his saliva, puts it on the blind man’s eyes, and tells him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam.” The man goes, washes, and comes back seeing. It was the Sabbath. The Pharisees are divided; his parents, afraid of being put out of the synagogue, dodge the question; but he stands firm: “One thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.” They drive him out. Jesus finds him: “Dost thou believe on the Son of God?” “Lord, I believe.” And the man worships him.
What happens
- “Who did sin, this man, or his parents?” John 9:2–3
- Clay on his eyes, then “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” John 9:6–7
- It is the Sabbath: the Pharisees are divided John 9:14–16
- Out of fear, his parents refer the Pharisees back to their son John 9:20–22
- “One thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see” John 9:25
- Driven out, he meets Jesus: “Lord, I believe” John 9:35–38
Who is in this story
The lesson
Jesus is the light of the world: he opens the eyes of those who admit their blindness and leaves in darkness those who claim to see already. A simple testimony of what he has done for us holds up against every objection.
He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.
Quick quiz on this story
What does Jesus do to the eyes of the man born blind?
Jesus “spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle,” then anointed the blind man’s eyes with it before sending him to wash. John 9:6
What does Jesus say about himself just before healing the man born blind?
Just before the miracle, Jesus says, “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” The healing illustrates that statement. John 9:5
Why do the blind man’s parents say, “He is of age; ask him”?
His parents say this because they fear the Jews, who had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. John 9:22
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