Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

Lesson #154

With this lesson we begin the first section of chapter 9. That section is defined by John 9:1 – 7, which introduces us to the focus of the chapter; a man born blind whom Jesus heals. “Now as Jesus was passing by, he saw a man who had been blind from birth” (John 9:1 NET). Remember, at the end of chapter 8, the Jews were so angry and filled with hate they picked up stones to stone Jesus to death, but Jesus managed to escape from them. Along this escape route, Jesus sees a man who was born without any sight. Jesus could have easily passed by, but he sees an opportunity to further teach through performing another miracle. Stopping to perform this healing will also allow time for the Jews to catch up to him, making for an exciting time to come in a future lesson.

“His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who committed the sin that caused him to be born blind, this man or his parents?”” (John 9:2 NET). This question reveals a universal opinion held among the Jews that a misfortune of this nature was the result of someone’s sin. Since he was born blind, the disciples could not determine who committed the sin; the man or his parents. They assumed it had to be one or the other. If it was the man’s fault, that would imply he sinned before he was born. I believe Jesus chose this situation to clear up this untrue opinion that a misfortune like this is the result of sin.

Jesus answered the disciples, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him” (John 9:3 ESV). Jesus is making it clear that in this situation it was neither the sin of the man or his parents that caused the blindness. Jesus then indicates that God caused it. Long before this man was born God determined this man’s blindness and also determined this meeting of Jesus with the man. God in this sovereignty can choose to inflict people or place them in certain situations in the world to later use them to further his work in some way. How often we see misfortune as bad luck that causes difficulty in life and we don’t realize that God may have allowed it or even caused it for a purpose. Maybe we need to see these trials of life as an opportunity; even an honor to work with God on something close to his heart.

Jesus continues his answer, “We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work” (John 9:4 ESV). The Father sent Jesus to do some work. In this case that work involves healing, on the Sabbath, a man born blind. It is not the healing that is to be the focus here, but what Jesus is going to teach through that healing. We often lose sight of that today. When a trial comes our prayer request often are to get us through it; to remove the trial. We fail to grasp how God may want to use the situation to benefit us in some way or to prepare us for further ministry he has for us.

“While it is day” refers to the time Jesus is here on the earth. He is the light of the world and so while he is here that time is called day. “Night is coming” is the time of the crucifixion and death of Jesus when darkness seems to have the victory, but before that time Jesus knows there is work to be done; work which he could not do after he leaves.

Prayer

Father, how exciting it is to open a new chapter and experience further teaching by Jesus; teaching that removes past misunderstandings and teaching that instructs us in a clearer understanding of God, his ways, and his purpose for our lives. Father, open my understanding to the things you want to teach me from this chapter.