20160519 Thursday, May 19 2016
John 09: The Day When Everyone Will See

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized"

As they walked in Jerusalem, the Messiah and some of His disciples ("disciple" simply means student) encountered "a man which was blind from his birth." They asked, "Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?"

"9:1 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. 9:2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?" (John 9:1-2 KJV)

The Messiah then answered their question in a way that only He could have answered.

"9:3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. 9:4 I must work the works of him that sent me [see Works Means Obedience; also What Happened When The Messiah Arrived In Heaven?], while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. 9:5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." (John 9:3-5 KJV)

The Messiah then made a mixture of clay, keeping in mind that the first humans were made from clay (although often translated as "dust"), by the LORD God, who was Christ (see The Identity Of The LORD God and The LORD God Our Saviour).

"9:6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, 9:7 And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing." (John 9:6-7 KJV)

The man was miraculously healed, but the healing would not have happened if the man didn't obey what his Healer told him to do ("Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight"). The healing wasn't in the pool; it was the results of the man's obedience and faith - that those who mocked the healing obviously didn't have.

"9:8 The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged?

9:9 Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he.

9:10 Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?

9:11 He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight. 9:12 Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not." (John 9:8-12 KJV)

The spiritually blind then brought the man to the Pharisees, who also could not "see" a miracle when one was standing right before them.

"9:13 They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind. 9:14 And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes. 9:15 Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see." (John 9:13-15 KJV)

As is typical of carnal-minded people, ancient and modern, who are confronted with Truth (see Who Has A Spirit Of Confrontation?) that overwhelms their self-worshipping myths and fantasies, they first resorted to blustering slander. In this case, they accused the Messiah of violating the Sabbath by doing a miracle on that day - the Sabbath that Christ, as the LORD God, created and commanded all of humanity to observe, beginning with Adam and Eve (the first human Sabbath keepers; see When Is The LORD's Day?) and formally given to the Israelites at Mount Sinai. The reality is that they were the violators of the Sabbath by defiling it with their man-made traditions (see How Did The Messiah's Levite Priesthood Change?).

"9:16 Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day.

Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.

9:17 They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet."

The people that the religious "authorities" were to have served had, over a long time, permitted their ministers to tyrannize them. When the Pharisees asked the healed man's parents about him, they were afraid that they would "be put out of the synagogue" if they told the Truth to men who were rejecting the Truth (see also Is Your Church A Cult?).

"9:18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight. 9:19 And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see?

9:20 His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind: 9:21 But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself. 9:22 These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. 9:23 Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him." (John 9:18-23 KJV)

Their inquisition then turned back to the healed man. Amazingly, they urged him to "Give God the praise," while calling Jesus a "sinner."

"9:24 Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner.

9:25 He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.

9:26 Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes?" (John 9:24-26 KJV)

The healed man would not, could not, any longer be intimidated by them. He knew that he had been healed, and he knew that it happened because he had the faith and obedience in the one who did it.

"9:27 He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples?

9:28 Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses' disciples. 9:29 We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.

9:30 The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. 9:31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. 9:32 Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. 9:33 If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.

9:34 They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out." (John 9:27-34 KJV)

The incident is a prime example of the "blind leading the blind" ("15:12 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? 15:13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. 15:14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch." Matthew 15:12-14 KJV). But the "blind man" could now see, not just with his eyes, but with his spirit. After the man was put out by the unbelievers, the Messiah found him and asked him "Dost thou believe on the Son of God?" The man's answer was a repeat of his earlier actions of faith and obedience: "Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him."

"9:35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?

9:36 He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?

9:37 And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.

9:38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.

9:39 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." (John 9:35-39 KJV)

What about those "blind" Pharisees? Some of them later began to "see" (the famous "John 3:16" lesson was given to a Pharisee, Nicodemus, whose "eyes" had been opened; see What Was The Lesson Of John 3:16?), while others, such as Saul/Paul had their eyes opened later (see the Fact Finder question), while others have yet to have their opportunity to choose the right Light (see Who Lights Your Walk?) in due time (see Israel In History and Prophecy: The New Covenant).

"9:40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?

9:41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth." (John 9:40-41 KJV)

Fact Finder: Among those spiritually blind (because they were blinded to the Truth by another spirit; again, see Who Lights Your Walk?) Jerusalem religious authorities was a Pharisee named Saul, who would, after his conversion, become known as the apostle Paul. As part of his conversion, was Saul struck down blind while he was on a journey to persecute Christians? When was Saul able to "see the light"?
See Acts 9:1-19 and Straight Street; see also The Passed Over Pharisees