Jesus by this point in the gosple of John is becoming widely known to everyone, some people believe he is the christ, other's don't. He continues performing signs and yet as we will see in this chapter, many people are scared to speak positively about him, while the religious leader's hearts harden.

As you read this chapter, consider where you stand. Do you believe Jesus is the mesiah? How can you go seeking the truth behind Jesus? And remember that rather than having blind trust, seek to strengthen it by confirming the bible against historical world events the bible predicts.

Jesus Heals A Blind Man

[John 9:1 ESV] As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth.
[2] And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
[3] Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.
[4] We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.
[5] As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

As I read this passage, it reminded me of a common misunderstanding that new christians or non-believers think, in that people get sick or bad things happen because they sin. In this case, Jesus is talking about a man who is blind from birth.

His disciples questions him as to why this man was blind since birth. And if it was because he was a sinner himself or his parents were. However Jesus responds in a way I find super interesting. That the man and his parents sin was not the reason for his blindness, but so that the works of God could be displayed to the world through the man.

[John 9:6 ESV] 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
[7] and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.

And so this man, was healed by Jesus. Jesus did something we these days would consider quite disgusting, however the result of Jesus's saliva mixed with dirt to be used to anoint this mans eyes, and the man's trust that what Jesus tells him to do lead this man to become fully healed and able to see clearly.

What a joy it must have been for this man to be able to see again from the blessing of Jesus through a very unusual method.

Why did Jesus use his saliva and dirt to make mud for healing this man and what does Jesus doing this teach us about faith? What does Jesus's response to his disciples tell us about sin and sickness? What does this passage teach us about trusting Jesus?

Cast Away For Faith

[John 9:8 ESV] The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?”
[9] Some said, “It is he.” Others said, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.”
[10] So they said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?”
[11] He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed and received my sight.”
[12] They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.”

The man who was healed of his blindness was known by a lot of people, and when he was healed, he became unrecognisable to some. Others wanted to know how he was healed since it was unheard of for blindness to be healed. However people didn't believe him when he explained what happened.

But honest question, would you have believed? And if you were in an environment where the man who healed a blind man was such a hot topic that could land you in trouble, would you still believe? But when we continue reading they go directly to the vipers nest.

[John 9:13 ESV] They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind.
[14] Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes.
[15] So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”
[16] Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them.
[17] So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”
[18] The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight
[19] and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”
[20] His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind.
[21] But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.”
[22] (His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.)
[23] Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

As we can see, this is a vipers nest of people who have positions of authority and power in society. Ordinary people were cautious with what they said here for fear of being put out of the synagogue, but I also believe there is some fear of being stoned to death for they could just as easily consider it blasphomy which is punishable by stoning to death.

But here we also see the leaders simply don't even believe the man who claims he was born blind and that Jesus healed him which gave him his sight back. So they get the parents to come and confirm that this man is their son and that he was born blind, and sure enough, the parents do confirm that to be true. But even this confirmation doesn't seem to allow them to believe as we will see here

[John 9:24 ESV] So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.”
[25] He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.”
[26] They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”
[27] He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?”
[28] And they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.
[29] We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.”

So the leaders call Jesus a sinner. But the man who was blind stays with the facts, he can see again which is not something a normal person can just do. When asked to explain a second time what happened the man decides to stoke the hive. He declines to answer because he already explained and points out that they don't seem to want to listen to him the first time. Then asks why they want to hear it again, with a jab at them wanting to become disciples of Jesus.

The Pharisees state simply that they know Moses has spoken to God and God listened to him, but they have no idea where Jesus came from. Presumably they still think he is a sinner, likely only because he doesn't follow their rules of sabath.

But the man who was blind then goes and cooks them alive.

[John 9:30 ESV] The man answered, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes.
[31] We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him.
[32] Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind.
[33] If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”

In effect what the man said here implies the following things.

1. He can't be a sinner because God would not listen to Jesus or do miracles through Jesus if he was a sinner
2. It's not possible for anyone to open the eyes of a man born blind simply on the fact that it has never happened in history
3. Jesus opening the eyes of a man born blind suggests that he is more than just a man or is a man sent by God himself
4. If Jesus was not a man from God, he couldn't do anything that he has done

[John 9:34 ESV] They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out.

They could not stand being cooked alive by this man who funnily enough, isn't blind to who Jesus really is. So they just kicked him out saying that he was "born in utter sin" using his past blindness as proof that he is a sinner and a lesser person than them.

Who in this debate do you think won the argument? What do you think about what the man who was blind said about Jesus and the Pharisees? Do you think you hide your thoughts about some things around people to avoid being cast out or similar?

What do you dear reader think of this chapter in the bible? What draws your interest, raises questions, or speaks to you? Leave a comment below with your thoughts as you read the bible. God Bless you 😄