Healing the blind man
John 9:1-12
This chapter, bring out the reality of Jesus statement “I am the light of the world”. Blindness was a fairly common occurrence among the people of Jesus’ day. As a result children born blind were pretty much reduced to begging as a way of existence.
Jesus and his disciples come across this man and Jesus determines to show the mighty works of God through him. He makes a mudpack, applies it to the blind man’s eyes and simply tells him to wash in the Pool of Siloam.
What are the (V3-4) “works of God”? The gospel of John is written that we might “believe in him (Jesus) whom (God) has sent” (John 6-28-29) and that we as ambassadors of Christ are to bring the message of reconciliation to others (II Cor 5).
The healing of the blind has Messianic significance. There are a number of Old Testament verses which state the Messiah would do exactly that. (Isa 42:6-7) and with this act Jesus is revealing his identity and that he overcomes the darkness (John 1:4-5).
Physical blindness is used in Scriptures to characterize our spiritual blindness. Acts 28:26 “… you will indeed see but never perceive” and I Cor 2:14 read, “the natural man (unsaved man) does not accept the things of the Spirit of God … because they are spiritually discern”. Some of the effect of our spiritual blindness is unbelief (II Cor 4:3-4) and hardness of heart (Mark 8:17-18).
This blind man parallels our condition as sinners. He was outside the temple, shut out from God – the unsaved man is alienated from God (Eph 2:12). The blind man was blind from birth – we were born in sin. The blind man was beyond human help – we were helpless sinners and no one had a cure. The blind man was a beggar – we had no ability to improve our condition.
Only Jesus Christ can save us. I John 1:5 read, “this is the message … that God is light and in him is no darkness at all”. Our only hope is to repent and believe in him.