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The Man Born Blind
by Fr. Reid Hensarling
John 9:1-41
Jesus performed a miracle by recreating the eyes of a man who was born with congenital blindness. Four features in verses 1-13 highlight this healing: 1) the problem that precipitated the healing (verse 1); 2) the purpose for the man's being born blind (verses 2-5); the power that healed him (verses 6-7); and the perplexity of the people who saw the healing (verses 8-13).
While sin may be a cause of suffering, it is not always the case necessarily. The disciples assumed that sin was the primary, if not exclusive, cause of all suffering. In this instance, Jesus made it clear that personal sin was not the reason for the blindness. Jesus did not deny the general connection between sin and suffering, but refuted the idea that personal acts of sin were the direct cause. God's sovereignty and purposes play a part in such matters, as is clear from Job 1-2. Not only was Jesus spiritually the light of the world, but he also would provide the means of physical light for the blind man.
The section in verses 13-34 reveals some key characteristics of willful unbelief: 1) unbelief sets false standards; 2) unbelief always wants more evidence but never has enough; 3) unbelief does biased research on a purely subjective basis; 4) unbelief rejects the facts; and 5) unbelief is self-centered. John included this section on the dialogue of the Pharisees with the blind man most likely for two reasons: 1) the dialogue carefully demonstrates the character of willful and fixed unbelief, and 2) the story confirms the first great schism between the synagogue and Christ's new followers. The blind man was the first known person thrown out of the synagogue because he chose to follow Christ.
While the blind man saw clearly that Jesus was more than a mere man, the sighted but obstinate Pharisees were spiritually blind to that truth. Blindness in the Bible is a metaphor for spiritual darkness, the inability to discern God or his truth. The healed man demonstrated more spiritual insight and common sense than all of the religious authorities combined who sat in judgment of Jesus and him. His logic was that such an extraordinary miracle could only indicate that Jesus was from God, for the Jews believed that God responds in proportion to the righteousness of the one praying. The Pharisees were incensed with the man, and their anger prevented them from seeing the penetrating insight that the uneducated healed man had demonstrated.
While verses 1-34 dealt with Jesus' restoration of physical sight in the blind man, verses 35-41 featured Jesus bringing spiritual "sight" to him. Jesus invited the man to put his trust in him as the one who revealed God to man. Jesus placed great emphasis on public acknowledgment of who he was and confession of faith in him. Jesus' purpose was to save and not condemn. The blind man responds in faith. Belief is not merely an intellectual assent to a proposition, but an attachment of trust to an individual as the one who comes from God. In verse 41 Jesus made particular reference to the sin of unbelief and rejection of him as Messiah and Son of God. If they knew their lostness and darkness and cried out for spiritual light, they would no longer be guilty of the sin of unbelief in Christ. But satisfied that their darkness was light, and continuing in rejection of Christ, their sin remained. They have a knowledge that does not recognize Jesus for who he is. They do not recognize their need; there is no poverty of spirit. We again see the great need for humility, openness, and recognition of need in coming to Jesus.
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