The Method Used to Heal

Lesson #155

With this lesson we continue with the section defined by John 9:1 – 7 and the answer Jesus was giving to the disciples about the cause of the man’s blindness. Jesus continues by saying, “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (John 9:5 ESV). A summary of the seven I AM statements is found in Lesson #137. Here on earth we experience day and night, which is determined by the rotation of the earth in respect to the sun. The light from the sun is constant, but the rotation of the earth determines the amount of light any one spot receives. In the spiritual realm this is true with respect to Jesus. Since Jesus is our spiritual light, our relationship with him determines the amount of light our soul experiences. As Jesus withdraws from our soul, spiritual darkness settles in. While Jesus is in the world he is our spiritual light. When we are born again this light comes to dwell in our soul forever, but while we are on earth the intensity of that light is determined by our relationship with Jesus.

To demonstrate that he has the power to give light in the spiritual realm, Jesus is going to demonstrate his power by giving sight to a man born blind. Jesus now begins his demonstration: “Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud” (John 9:6 ESV). It is not clear why Jesus made mud using his spit to anoint the blind man’s eyes. One thought relates to the use of spit as medicine. The Jews regarded spit as a medicine for diseased eyes, but it was not to be used on the Sabbath and Jesus was healing on the Sabbath. A second thought goes back to the Genesis account when God formed man from the dust of the ground (Genesis 2:7). The soil used to make mud connects Jesus with creation. Jesus as creator is going to provide light for this blind man and he is going to do it on the Sabbath, showing that he is over the Sabbath.

Jesus then gives instruction to the blind man: “and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing” (John 9:7 ESV). The man could have just stood there and he would have remained blind. He had to act out his faith in Jesus and obey the command to go wash in the pool of Siloam in order to obtain his sight. The water had no importance other than to wash off the mud, but as the mud was washed off the man gained his sight for the first time. He returns to Jesus now seeing. There is an important lesson here for us. How often we read promises in the Scriptures, but we don’t act on them and as a result we don’t experience the power of the Word and our lives and as believers we do not bring glory to God.

Prayer

Father, this lesson reminds me of how independent I have been and how slow I have been in listening to your instructions and obeying them. As a result, I have forfeited so many opportunities to experience your power at work in and through my life. Lord, forgive me and encourage me to draw closer to you and listen more carefully in my walk through life.