The Man born Blind

Sabbath Evening Chat
January 27, 2006

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The story of Jesus healing a man born blind is one of the most dramatic in all the Bible. It inaugurates the final chapter of the Messiah’s life. With it the lines were drawn between the Savior of the world and the great religious leaders of His day. The following are our observations concerning a series of questions advanced to those who participated in Blow the Trumpet’s Sabbath Evening Chat.

1. Why did the disciples think the blind man’s parents might have been responsible for his blindness?

The Bible doesn’t say. But here is a possibility. The disciples may have thought there was a connection between the blind man’s condition and God’s judgement on his parents. This may have been based on Ex. 34:7 which says:

“Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.”

It is interesting to note that the disciples also suggested that the man himself may have committed some sin resulting in his blindness. But how could he have done such a thing if he was born blind? Most scholars contend that ancient rabbinical writings suggest that sin can be committed in an embryonic or fetal state. The Expositors Bible commentary makes this observation.

“To this they [the disciples] added the thought that perhaps he might have sinned before birth… Such a concept appears in rabbinical writings.” Volume 9 p. 101

Whatever the reason, Jesus cut through all the speculation and offered the truth concerning why this man suffered in a world of darkness his entire life.

2. What reason did Jesus give for the man’s blindness and what does this mean to us?

Jesus said: “Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him” (Jn. 9: 3).

The point Jesus was making was that the man’s blindness was ordained by God so that His power and authority over this infirmity could be demonstrated. This is not the only time Jesus acknowledged that God allowed calamity to strike in order to reveal His sovereignty over the physical world. In John 11:4 He explained that the death of Lazarus was also ordained for a greater purpose.

With this said, what can God’s people learn from human suffering and God’s intervention?

The great acts of healing performed by the Messiah stand as proof that God has complete command over the physical world in which we reside. Every sickness we suffer comes to us with His consent, but also with His promise. He WILL heal it. The time will come when sickness will be no more and vibrant health will be the rule. Jesus healed the man born blind. He will eventually heal everyone.

3. Why did Jesus heal on the Sabbath?

Although the religious leaders of the day repeatedly accused The Messiah of breaking the fourth commandment when performing great healing miracles on the Sabbath, He most assuredly did not. Jesus was and is the Lord of the Sabbath (Mk. 2:28) and as such He had a perfect understanding of what the Sabbath meant.

The Sabbath pictures a time when God’s millennial Kingdom will be established on the earth. When that Kingdom comes great healing will occur in which the blind will see, the lame will walk, the deaf will hear and the dumb will sing (Isa. 35:1-6). As the King that will reign over that Kingdom, Jesus was and is a great healer. He even informed John the Baptist (through his disciples) that his power to heal was evidence that He was the promised Messiah (Mt. 11:1-5). By healing on the Sabbath Jesus was actually acting out what would ultimately take place in His Kingdom. In truth it was a perfect way for the King of kings to honor the Sabbath.

4. What was unique about how Jesus healed the man and what does it mean?

This particular healing was unique in that it involved a man that was BORN blind. It was congenital blindness. This being the case is it possible that unlike other healings that were corrective in nature, this one was creative in nature? In other words is it possible that Jesus was actually forming an eyeball out of the mud He had made with His spit? Remember, man was created out of the dust of the earth, by none other than Jesus Christ prior to His incarnation (Gen. 2:7). Is it possible that this particular miracle revealed the Messiah as the very Creator of all that exists (Jn. 1:3, Col. 1:16-17)?

5. What was the reaction of the Pharisees when they heard of this miracle and what can God’s people learn from it?

Opinion was divided albeit the majority thought Jesus was guilty of transgressing the Sabbath commandment. Some have suggested that the dissenters may have been Nicodemus and/or Joseph of Arimathea.

However, there is a lesson to be learned from the reaction of these religious leaders. Instead of the majority rejoicing over this wonderful event, they expressed resentment. They cloaked their jealousy in righteous indignation. But their motivation was clear. Even Pontus Pilate would later see through their thinly masked resentment of the Messiah (Mk. 15:10).

Perhaps the most important lesson we can learn from the reaction of the Pharisees is that envy and jealously are sins of the heart. They attack the very core of decency. Furthermore, this attitude has no place in God’s Church. The disciples were even rebuked by Jesus when they challenged a man who was casting out demons in Jesus’ name. They voiced their opposition to this man on the grounds that he was not one of their followers (Mk.9: 38). But Jesus saw it much differently.

Today in God’s Church there is much squabbling over who is the greatest among the various groups. Some even brand others as apostates based on nothing more than miniscule differences. This should not be. One is not made better by diminishing another.

6. What can we learn from the reaction of the blind man’s parents when they were asked about their son’s healing?

The blind man’s parents were terrified of the religious leaders because of the power these bullies exercised over them and the way that power was abused. This is one of the things Jesus excoriated the Pharisees for at the end of His life, which was now rapidly approaching (Mt. 23:). All of God’s leaders should take to heart how they treat His children. They should nurture them in love (Psa.23). There is no reason for Christians to fear their shepherds.

7. Why did Jesus seek out the man he had just healed?

John’s gospel doesn’t say, but here is a possible answer. What took place with this miracle was life changing. Not only was this man now able to see but he had just crossed swords with the most powerful figures in Jewish life. It is clear that his parents did not want to square off against the Pharisees because they feared they would be excommunicated from the synagogue. Such a fate would mean being shunned and publicly disgraced. It was a career ender. Despite this fact, the healed man stood his ground (Jn. 9: 24-34). Jesus may have sought him out (v 35) to offer words of consolation and hope (vs 35-37). In essence, Jesus revealed who He was. That must have been one of the greatest announcements ever uttered. It is hard to imagine this man not becoming a convert.

8. What do the following words of Jesus mean?

And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? Jesus said unto them, If you were blind, you should have no sin: but now you say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth. (Jn. 9:39-41)

The point Jesus was making was that if these religious leaders would acknowledge their blindness, they could receive forgiveness. However, if they want to assert that they have understanding (sight) then in essence they are willing to stake God’s judgement on it.

We at Blow the Trumpet genuinely enjoyed our time with you.
We hope to see you next week.