The Blind Man
Text: John 9
I. The disciples wondered what often is curious to us, “Where does suffering come from?”
A. We understand that God controls his creation. We know that God is all knowing.
B. Suffering is generally viewed as a punishment.
1. But that is not what the Scriptures teach.
2. Suffering, or trials, is a time for instruction - James 1:2-4
3. We know from the sufferings of Job that Satan employs sufferings to get us to turn from God - Job 1:9-12
C. Jesus said that his man’s blindness was an opportunity for God’s power to be displayed.
1. Jesus declares that he is here to do the work of God and that he is the light of the world
2. Only then does he mix clay and apply it to the man’s eyes
3. Why do you think Jesus precedes the healing with a declaration of his work and who he is?
a. If God was not behind Jesus (in other words if Jesus was lying), would he have given Jesus the power to heal?
4. The man is then instructed to wash in the pool of Siloam.
a. Why would the man need to wash?
b. Couldn’t Jesus have pronounced his healing without all the extras? What did the extras prove?
D. The man came back immediately with sight.
II. Now comes the dispute. Was it a miracle or not?
A. The people who lived near him are amazed, but others said no, the man just looks like him.
B. Until the man verified that he was the one who once begged in their streets.
1. He explains how he received his sight.
2. The details prove it was not an accident, but a deliberate healing.
C. When the people ask for the miracle worker, the man did not know who it was. After all, he was unable to see who healed him and the healer did not tell him who he was.
III. The Pharisees are called in to judge the matter
A. It just happened to be the Sabbath day when the miracle took place.
B. The immediate decision is that it cannot be from God because the man “worked” a miracle on the Sabbath and therefore violated the law.
1. Others pointed out that it had to have been done by God’s power, so therefore it could not have been a violation of the law.
2. God would not give power to a sinner.
C. They ask the once blind man for his opinion, and he said the man must be a prophet.
1. The response was almost “Who asked you?”
2. They decide the man was lying about being blind, that is until his parents were called and they testified that the man was his son and that he was blind from birth.
3. However, his parents refused to speculate as to how he was now able to see.
a. They knew the Pharisees were on a witch-hunt. Word had gotten out that any suggesting that the man doing it was the Messiah would be tossed out of the synagogue.
b. They took the easy way out. The man is full-grown, ask him.
D. The Pharisees give the once blind man a second chance.
1. They insist the man state that it was a miracle from God that had nothing to do with a man who sinned by working on the Sabbath.
2. The man states that he is unable to testify as to whether the man sinned. However, he is certain that he was able to see because of this man.
3. The Pharisees, looking for some excuse, ask for the details again, but the man refuses because they did not believe him the first time. So why would they believe him a second time?
4. He asks if they wanted to hear it again to become a follower of this man? (a low-blow to these people who think so highly of themselves.)
a. They accuse the once blind man of being a disciple of this man.
b. However, the Pharisees claimed to be above such things.
c. They knew that Moses came from God, but they don’t know where this man is from.
5. The once blind man is amazed. The religious rulers say they don’t know where Jesus is from, yet an obvious miracle from God had just taken place.
a. He points out that they know God doesn’t listen to sinners.
b. He notes that the healing of blindness is unique, especially for one born blind.
c. Obviously this man must be from God.
6. The Pharisees reject the man plain logic.
a. Since he was born blind, God must have marked him as a sinner from birth.
b. Why should religious people listen to a sinner?
7. The man was tossed out of the synagogue.
IV. Jesus hears of the once blind man’s rejection and seeks him out
A. He asks if the man believes in the Messiah?
B. The once blind man asks who he is?
C. Jesus states that he is the Messiah.
1. Of course, the man recognized the voice of the man who healed him.
2. He immediately falls before him to give worship.
D. This, Jesus declares, is why he came into the world
1. The blinds’ eyes are open and the rest become blind.
2. In other words, Jesus came to give people a choice. Some open their eyes and see the obvious. Others refuse to admit the obvious.
E. Some Pharisees with Jesus as if he was talking about them.
1. If they did not see because of a lack of knowledge, they wouldn’t be in sin, but because they claim to know and still could not see, they were in sin.
