John Chapter 9
Jesus Gives Sight to a Man Born Blind
A. The Man is Healed
1. (John 9:1-2) The disciples ask a question.
“Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’”
a. As Jesus passed by
The previous chapter concluded with a hostile rejection of Jesus, where the Jews attempted to stone Him for blasphemy (John 8:59). Yet, as John records, Jesus passed by them unharmed, and now His attention turns toward a man blind from birth. The contrast is striking: those who claimed to see were spiritually blind, while this physically blind man would be granted both physical and spiritual sight.
Jesus was not rattled by His enemies or their violence. He remained calm, composed, and purposeful in His mission. As one commentator noted, “We find Him calm and self-possessed, acting with a profound disregard of His enemies and their hatred” (Boice). Spurgeon likewise remarked, “One of the things worthy to be noticed in our Lord’s character is His wonderful quiet of spirit, especially His marvelous calmness in the presence of those who misjudged, and insulted, and slandered Him.” This quietness of spirit reveals the sovereignty and assurance of Christ even when surrounded by hostility.
The blind man was a beggar, as verse 8 later clarifies. Alford suggests he may have declared publicly that he was blind from birth, which explains why the disciples could ask their question with such specificity.
b. Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?
The disciples reveal more interest in theological speculation than in compassion. They saw the man as a riddle to be solved rather than a soul to be helped. This question reflects the prevalent Jewish assumption that all suffering is the direct result of sin.
Spurgeon wisely counseled against such idle speculation: “It is ours, not to speculate, but to perform acts of mercy and love, according to the tenor of the gospel. Let us then be less inquisitive and more practical, less for cracking doctrinal nuts, and more for bringing forth the bread of life to the starving multitudes.”
The disciples were echoing the logic of Job’s friends, who insisted that Job’s great suffering must have been the result of some hidden sin. As Bruce observed, “In their thinking about divine retribution they had not advanced far beyond the position of Job’s friends.”
This line of thinking was widespread in rabbinic teaching. Rabbi Ammi stated, “There is no death without sin, and there is no suffering without iniquity” (Morris). Therefore, the disciples assumed that either the man himself had sinned before birth, or his parents had sinned in a way that resulted in his condition.
Dods catalogued several possible beliefs underlying their question:
Some Jews believed in the pre-existence of souls, suggesting a soul might sin before birth.
Some believed in reincarnation, that the man may have sinned in a previous life.
Others thought a baby could sin in the womb.
Still others believed his blindness might be punishment for a future sin he would commit.
Or, it may have simply been a confused and careless assumption born of bewilderment.
c. Perspective
John consistently presents miracles as signs, pointing beyond the physical to the spiritual. Here, the healing of physical blindness becomes an enacted parable of spiritual blindness and sight. Jesus had just declared, “Before Abraham was, I AM” (John 8:58), exposing the Pharisees’ blindness to His deity. Now He encounters one literally blind from birth, showing that all of humanity is spiritually blind until the Light of the World opens their eyes.
This miracle is the sixth sign in John’s Gospel (see John 2:1-11; 4:46-54; 5:1-9; 6:1-14; 6:15-21; 11:1-45). John’s purpose is to demonstrate that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing, we may have life in His name (John 20:31). The disciples’ flawed theology sets the stage for Jesus to correct their misconceptions and reveal God’s glory in this man’s healing.
Jesus Gives Sight to a Man Born Blind
A. The Man is Healed
2. (John 9:3-5) Jesus responds to the question, without answering it.
“Jesus answered, ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.’”
a. Neither this man nor his parents sinned
Jesus immediately corrects the false assumption that all suffering must be the direct result of personal sin. He makes clear that this man’s blindness, though tragic, was not caused by some particular sin of his parents or himself. Rather, it was a consequence of the fallen condition of the world.
The effects of Adam’s sin introduced death, decay, and suffering into creation (Romans 5:12). Because of that fall, we live in a world where birth defects, disease, and death are part of the human experience. While certain sins may lead to specific consequences (for instance, a parent’s sinful behavior may result in harm to a child), not all suffering is directly traceable to individual sin. Jesus dismantled that simplistic cause-and-effect thinking here.
This response also preserves God’s justice and goodness. If every tragedy were directly connected to a particular sin, God would be reduced to a cruel scorekeeper rather than the loving Redeemer revealed in Scripture.
b. But that the works of God should be revealed in him
Jesus shifts the focus from cause to purpose. Rather than asking, “Why did this happen?” the right question is, “How can God be glorified through this?”
This man’s blindness was not meaningless. It was part of God’s sovereign plan so that His glory might be displayed through Christ’s miraculous healing. The works of God are revealed not only in deliverance but also in endurance, joy, and the sanctifying grace believers exhibit in trials (Romans 8:28).
Spurgeon wisely said, “It is ours, not to speculate, but to perform acts of mercy and love, according to the tenor of the gospel.” Instead of treating the man as a theological puzzle, Jesus treated him as an object of divine mercy.
Commentators have stressed this balance:
Alford: “In the economy of God’s Providence, his suffering had its place and aim, and this was to bring out the works of God in his being healed by the Redeemer.”
Dods: “Evil furthers the work of God in the world. It is in conquering and abolishing evil that He is manifested. The question for us is not where suffering has come from, but what are we to do with it.”
Bruce: “This does not mean that God deliberately caused the child to be born blind… It does mean that God overruled the disaster of the child’s blindness so that, when the child grew to manhood, he might, by the recovering of his sight, see the glory of God in the face of Christ.”
Trench summarized it this way: every sufferer will, in the end, be made aware that his trial had a role in promoting the advance of God’s glory.
Lets tie this miracle to John’s purpose: this is the sixth sign in the Gospel of John, each one demonstrating Christ’s authority over creation and pointing to a greater spiritual truth. Just as light is foundational to life in creation (Genesis 1:3), Christ is essential to spiritual life. In healing this man, Jesus embodied His role as the Light who opens blind eyes, both physical and spiritual.
Jesus Gives Sight to a Man Born Blind
A. The Man is Healed
3. (John 9:6-7) The man is healed.
“When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And He said to him, ‘Go, wash in the pool of Siloam’ (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.”
a. He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva
Jesus employed a most unusual means for healing. Instead of simply speaking the word, He used saliva and dust to make clay, placing it upon the blind man’s eyes.
This method was purposeful:
Just as God formed Adam from the dust of the ground (Genesis 2:7), so Christ, the Creator in flesh, used dust and clay in an act of new creation, restoring what had been absent since birth. This miracle not only healed but also symbolized divine creative power at work.
Jesus varied His methods of healing intentionally. By doing so, He prevented any tendency toward ritualism or formula. The power was not in mud, spit, or method, but in the divine authority of Christ.
John’s emphasis, however, seems to fall on compassion rather than creation. Tenney observed, “The touch of a friendly hand would be reassuring. The weight of the clay would serve as an indicator to the blind man that something had been done to him, and it would be an inducement to obey Jesus’ command.” The act was both tangible and personal.
Morris further notes, “In His ministry to the souls of men Jesus adopted no stereotyped approach. He dealt with each man as his particular need required.” Each encounter was unique, showing Christ’s personal care for each soul.
In the ancient world, saliva was regarded as medicinal. Barclay explains, “Spittle, and especially the spittle of some distinguished persons, was believed to possess certain curative qualities.” Alford similarly affirms, “The virtue of the fasting saliva, in the cases of disorders of the eye, was well known to antiquity.” Thus, while odd to us, the method would not have been perceived as entirely alien to those in that culture.
Mark records two other healings that involved saliva: the deaf and mute man (Mark 7:33) and the blind man at Bethsaida (Mark 8:23). Jesus’ diverse methods underscore that healing power resided in Him, not in the means.
b. Go, wash in the pool of Siloam
Here Jesus tested the man’s faith by commanding him to take action. The initiative was Christ’s—the man did not seek Him out—but obedience was required for the miracle to be completed.
The command was not easy to obey. To walk as a blind man with mud in his eyes, finding his way to the pool, and descending its steps, required faith and determination. Yet the man obeyed without hesitation.
This illustrates how the gospel often appears offensive, inadequate, or even harmful to the natural mind:
Offensive, because it wounds human pride (1 Corinthians 1:21).
Inadequate, according to worldly wisdom, because it seems too simple. Yet no human system of psychology, politics, or philosophy has transformed lives like the gospel of Christ.
Harmful, according to critics, who say that free grace encourages sin. Yet the gospel truly transforms lives in holiness and purity.
The pool itself carried rich symbolism. Its waters came through Hezekiah’s tunnel, a marvel of Old Testament engineering (2 Kings 20:20; 2 Chronicles 32:30). Barclay noted it was called Siloam—“Sent”—because the waters were sent through the conduit into the city.
Trench adds further symbolism: water from this pool had just been used in the Feast of Tabernacles, poured out on the altar in anticipation of the latter-day outpouring of the Spirit. Now, Christ—the true One Sent—used that very water as part of His sign, showing Himself as the One who brings the promised Spirit.
Morris observes, “Again and again John refers to Jesus as having been ‘sent’ by the Father. So now blindness is removed with reference to and with the aid of the ‘Sent’.”
c. So he went and washed
The man’s obedience was a demonstration of genuine faith. Jesus had not explicitly promised sight, yet the man acted upon His word. True faith trusts Christ even on implied promises, knowing His word is sure.
Even as a blind man, he pressed through every obstacle—his disability, the awkwardness of mud in his eyes, the difficulty of reaching the pool—to obey Christ’s command. This obedience was the outward expression of inward belief.
d. And came back seeing
This miracle is unparalleled in the Old Testament. Though prophets healed the sick, raised the dead, and even multiplied food, no record exists of anyone born blind being healed until this moment. This sign was uniquely Messianic.
The Old Testament declared, “The LORD opens the eyes of the blind” (Psalm 146:8). To perform this work was to act with the power of Yahweh Himself. Further, Isaiah foretold of Messiah’s ministry: “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped” (Isaiah 35:5).
Thus, the healing of this man was a direct confirmation that Jesus was the promised Christ.
Alford pointed out that John’s wording literally says the man “recovered sight,” as if blindness were an unnatural deprivation and sight the proper condition restored.
Trench saw typology here: just as the healed paralytic in John 5 represented Israel’s coming healing after long helplessness, so this man blind from birth is a picture of the Gentiles—born in spiritual blindness, but now healed by the One who is the “Sent” from God.
e. Perspective
This healing continues John’s pattern of signs pointing to Christ’s identity. This was not merely an act of compassion but a deliberate testimony that the Light of the World (John 9:5) had power to overcome both physical and spiritual blindness. The use of Siloam—“Sent”—further reinforced John’s theme that Jesus is the One Sent from the Father.
Jesus Gives Sight to a Man Born Blind
B. The Controversy Surrounding the Healing
1. (John 9:8-12) The neighbors react to the healed man.
“Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, ‘Is not this he who sat and begged?’ Some said, ‘This is he.’ Others said, ‘He is like him.’ He said, ‘I am he.’ Therefore they said to him, ‘How were your eyes opened?’ He answered and said, ‘A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, “Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.” So I went and washed, and I received sight.’ Then they said to him, ‘Where is He?’ He said, ‘I do not know.’”
a. Others said, “He is like him.” He said, “I am he.”
The transformation was so dramatic that many could hardly believe this was the same man. A person born blind, reduced to a life of begging, was now able to see with full clarity. The change was undeniable, and yet so unexpected that some doubted their own eyes. This disbelief underscores the miracle’s authenticity—it was no gradual healing but an immediate, complete restoration.
The man himself settled the matter: “I am he.” His testimony bore weight. The healed man became his own witness, boldly affirming his identity despite others’ doubts. His confession anticipates the bold testimony he will give later in the chapter.
b. A Man called Jesus
At this stage, the man’s knowledge of Christ was minimal. He did not yet recognize Jesus as Messiah, Son of God, or the Light of the World. He only knew His name—“Jesus”—and that He was the One who healed him. This illustrates how spiritual understanding often begins small but grows through obedience.
Interestingly, the man had not even seen Jesus with his own eyes yet. When Jesus applied the clay, he was blind. When he washed, Jesus was not present. His knowledge was based solely on hearing and obeying the Lord’s command. This progression mirrors the growth of faith: first obedience, then deeper understanding, then finally worship (which comes later in John 9:38).
2. (John 9:13-16) The healed man is brought to the Pharisees.
“They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees. Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, ‘He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.’ Therefore some of the Pharisees said, ‘This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.’ Others said, ‘How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?’ And there was a division among them.”
a. Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes
John carefully notes that this miracle took place on the Sabbath. Jesus could have chosen any day, but He deliberately performed many healings on the Sabbath to confront the distorted legalism of the Pharisees. By their interpretation, kneading clay—even with saliva—was a form of forbidden labor. Bruce points out that kneading was specifically listed among the thirty-nine categories of prohibited work in rabbinic tradition.
Yet Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2:28), showed that mercy and necessity are always lawful. Clarke observes, “Works of necessity and mercy never could be forbidden on that day by Him whose name is mercy, and whose nature is love.” The Sabbath was meant to bless man, not enslave him (Mark 2:27). By healing, Jesus demonstrated that the Sabbath finds its true fulfillment in Him.
b. Therefore some of the Pharisees said, “This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath”
Their judgment was swift and harsh. Jesus could not be from God, they reasoned, because He did not conform to their traditions. Notice their language: “This Man”—a contemptuous expression, translated by some as “This fellow.” (Tasker). To them, their traditions carried more weight than the miracle itself.
This reveals how religious pride can blind men worse than physical disease. They refused to see the glory of God because it came in a form that challenged their authority.
c. There was a division among them
Instead of producing unity, Jesus provoked division. The very presence of Christ forces a choice: He is either rejected as a sinner or received as the One sent from God.
Some of the Pharisees asked the right question: “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” Their reasoning mirrored Nicodemus’s confession earlier: “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him” (John 3:2). Yet theirs was a minority voice. Most chose to reject Christ despite overwhelming evidence.
Morris notes that this minority quickly fades from the narrative. After verse 16, the opposition dominates the story. The weight of tradition, pride, and hatred for Jesus proved stronger in their hearts than the evidence of God’s power.
d. Insight
John structures his Gospel around seven signs, each designed to reveal Jesus’ identity. The healing of the man born blind was unique because, in all Scripture, no one born blind had ever been healed before. This pointed directly to messianic prophecy (Isaiah 35:5). Yet rather than receiving this as proof, the Pharisees used it as ammunition for rejection.
This division shows the spiritual blindness Jesus came to expose: those most confident in their “sight” were blind to the Light standing before them.
B. The Controversy Surrounding the Healing
3. (John 9:17-18) The religious leaders question the man born blind.
“They said to the blind man again, ‘What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?’ He said, ‘He is a prophet.’ But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight.”
a. What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?
The Pharisees, already divided (John 9:16), turned to the healed man for his testimony. Normally, they would never consult a beggar about a theological matter, much less a man who had been ceremonially marginalized as unclean and cursed. Yet their perplexity forced them to ask. Morris observed, “It is a measure of their perplexity and division that they ask the man what he thinks of Jesus. Normally they would not have dreamed of putting a question on a religious issue to such a man.”
This reveals the weakness of their position. When truth is undeniable, even the most unlikely witnesses may be consulted, and even the lowly may confound the proud (1 Corinthians 1:27).
b. He is a prophet
The man’s understanding of Jesus continued to grow. At first, he only knew His name (John 9:11). Now he identified Him as “a prophet.” In the Old Testament, prophets both spoke for God and performed miracles (1 Kings 17:22-24; 2 Kings 5:14). By calling Jesus a prophet, the man acknowledged divine authority in Him.
Clarke notes an important implication: “According to a Jewish maxim, a prophet might dispense with the observation of the Sabbath. If they allow that Jesus was a prophet, then, even in their sense, He might break the law of the Sabbath and be guiltless.” Thus, the man’s answer directly challenged their accusation.
This growth of faith reflects how revelation builds step by step. First the man trusted Jesus’ word enough to obey, then he confessed Him as a prophet, and by the end of the chapter he will bow before Him as Lord.
c. But the Jews did not believe concerning him
Instead of accepting the obvious miracle, the leaders refused to believe the man had ever truly been blind. Their unbelief drove them to deny reality itself. Tasker observes, “Unable to explain this unprecedented phenomenon of a man born blind being enabled to see, they will not admit that it has really happened.”
This shows how unbelief is not a matter of insufficient evidence but of hardened will. Even the most undeniable signs are rejected when the heart is determined against Christ. As Missler often emphasizes, miracles alone cannot compel belief; faith comes by hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17)
4. (John 9:19-23) The Pharisees question the parents of the man born blind.
“And they asked them, saying, ‘Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?’ His parents answered them and said, ‘We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself.’ His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, ‘He is of age; ask him.’”
a. Is this your son, who you say was born blind?
The Pharisees now questioned the parents, seeking to undermine the testimony by implying a conspiracy. The parents confirmed without hesitation: “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind.” Their testimony closed the door on any suggestion that the healing was staged or fraudulent.
This confirmation should have compelled the leaders to acknowledge God’s power. Instead, they continued their hostile interrogation, demonstrating the hardness of unbelief.
b. By what means he now sees we do not know
The parents deliberately avoided stating what they surely knew, that Jesus had healed their son. John explains their silence: they feared excommunication. The Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus as the Christ would be cast out of the synagogue.
Excommunication carried severe consequences in that society, far beyond what modern Western believers understand. Ezra 10:8 provides an Old Testament precedent. Dods outlines three degrees of excommunication in Jewish practice:
A 30-day exclusion,
A second admonition followed by another 30-day exclusion,
Finally, the Cherem or ban, an indefinite sentence that completely cut off social and religious life. The person was treated as a leper, isolated from community.
This threat was so strong that even many rulers who believed in Jesus remained silent, fearing to be cast out of the synagogue (John 12:42).
Today, excommunication often carries little weight because of denominational variety and the ease of moving between churches. Yet in a deeper sense, many practice “self-excommunication” by removing themselves from fellowship without biblical cause, effectively isolating themselves from the life of the body of Christ.
c. He is of age; ask him
The parents deflected responsibility back onto their son. Their language was emphatic: “Ask him; he is of age; he will speak for himself.” Alford notes the emphasis in the pronouns, highlighting their eagerness to distance themselves from danger.
Morris comments, “It is plain that they discerned danger, and had no intention of being caught up in it with their son.” Their natural instinct to protect their child was overridden by fear of losing their standing in the community. Fear of man proved stronger than loyalty to truth.
d. Insight
John repeatedly highlights how Jesus’ presence forces a decision. For the blind man, Jesus’ healing led to growing faith. For the parents, it led to fearful silence. For the Pharisees, it hardened unbelief. The same light that opened the blind man’s eyes exposed the darkness in the hearts of others.
C. The Religious Leaders Interrogate the Man Born Blind
1. (John 9:24-25) The simple testimony of the man born blind.
“So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, ‘Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner.’ He answered and said, ‘Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.’”
a. Give God the glory
This statement was either a solemn admonition to speak truthfully, echoing Joshua 7:19—“My son, I beg you, give glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession to Him”—or it was an attempt to divert all credit away from Jesus. The Pharisees, unable to deny the miracle, tried to control its interpretation.
Alford notes that the expression was a formal adjuration, reminding the man that he was under oath before God. Morris adds, “The man is being told that he has not been completely frank up till now. He has held back something which would show Jesus to be a sinner.” Their tactic was intimidation dressed in piety.
b. We know this Man is a sinner
The leaders’ verdict was predetermined. Their charge was not based on Scripture but on their man-made Sabbath traditions. To them, healing on the Sabbath was evidence enough of sinfulness. But their statement reveals their blindness—they elevated tradition above the Word of God (Mark 7:8-9).
Their use of “we know” highlights their arrogance. Instead of being open to truth, they relied on their authority to suppress it. Yet their so-called knowledge was willful ignorance.
c. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see
The man’s testimony was simple yet unassailable. He did not attempt to debate theology with the Pharisees. He anchored his words in undeniable reality: once he was blind, now he could see.
Morris notes: “They take their stand on their preconceived ideas, he on the simple facts that he knows.”
Bruce observes: “It was frustrating for his interrogators that neither of those statements could be refuted: the former statement was confirmed by the evidence of the parents; the truth of the latter they could see for themselves.”
For the believer, this verse has become a model of testimony. We may not know all the answers to skeptics’ questions, but we can testify to the transformation Christ has worked in our lives. Personal experience does not replace Scripture, but it validates the reality of Scripture’s power.
This statement also anticipates the hymn-like testimony of countless believers: salvation brings spiritual sight. As Missler notes, John’s narrative here functions as a parable acted out—physical sight symbolizes the greater miracle of spiritual illumination.
2. (John 9:26-27) The man born blind reacts to the intense questioning.
“Then they said to him again, ‘What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?’ He answered them, ‘I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?’”
a. They said to him again
The repeated questioning reveals not a search for truth but a hostile interrogation. The religious leaders hoped to trap the man into contradicting himself. Their persistence underscores their desperation; the evidence stood against them, so they turned to intimidation.
b. I told you already, and you did not listen
The man displayed remarkable courage and clarity. Though uneducated and formerly marginalized, he saw through their schemes. Clarke notes: “As the mercy of God had given him his sight, so the wisdom of God taught him how to escape the snares laid for his ruin.”
This statement also condemns the Pharisees’ unbelief. Their problem was not lack of evidence but refusal to listen (cf. John 5:39-40).
c. Do you also want to become His disciples?
With biting irony, the healed man turned their interrogation into mockery. His words implied both that he was already Jesus’ disciple and that they too might consider following Him.
Bruce comments: “He now displays a hitherto unsuspected capacity for ironical repartee.” Morris adds, “The man did not really expect that these men who were so plainly opposed to Jesus were changing their minds. But he was quite ready to bait them.”
His boldness reflects growing faith. At first, he only knew Jesus’ name (John 9:11). Then he declared Him a prophet (John 9:17). Now he identified himself with Jesus as a disciple. His understanding of Christ is unfolding in stages, while the Pharisees’ blindness grows darker.
d. Insight
This passage illustrates the polarizing effect of Jesus. The same miracle that brought sight to the blind man exposed the blindness of the leaders. Their repeated questioning parallels the spiritual deafness of Israel, while the man’s increasingly bold confession foreshadows the witness of the apostles before hostile authorities in Acts.
C. The Religious Leaders Interrogate the Man Born Blind
3. (John 9:28-34) After wisely answering the religious leaders, the man is excommunicated.
“Then they reviled him and said, ‘You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples. We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from.’ The man answered and said to them, ‘Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.’ They answered and said to him, ‘You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?’ And they cast him out.”
a. We are Moses’ disciples … as for this fellow
The Pharisees attempted to elevate themselves by claiming loyalty to Moses while dismissing Jesus with contempt. Their phrase “this fellow” dripped with arrogance. Yet, ironically, Jesus Himself had said that Moses wrote of Him (John 5:46). By rejecting Christ, they were in truth rejecting Moses. Their boast exposed their blindness to the very Law they claimed to uphold.
b. Why, this is a marvelous thing
The healed man’s response was both logical and sharp. He marveled not at his healing, but at their unbelief in the face of such clear evidence. With irony he exposed their ignorance: “You, the experts of Israel, do not know where He is from—and yet He opened my eyes?” Morris notes that his emphasis was pointed: you do not know? The irony was devastating.
c. Now we know that God does not hear sinners
The man reasoned from Scripture. Passages such as Isaiah 1:15 and Psalm 66:18 declare that God does not heed the prayers of those who persist in rebellion. Thus, if Jesus were truly a sinner as they claimed, God would not empower Him to perform such a miracle.
Tasker comments: “As a well-brought-up Jew the man regards it as axiomatic that a miracle wrought in answer to prayer is proof that its worker is no sinner.”
Spurgeon adds: “If Christ had been an impostor, it is not possible to conceive that God would have listened to His prayer, and given Him the power to open the blind man’s eyes.”
The man’s argument was simple yet irrefutable. God had validated Christ by answering Him with power.
d. Since the world began it has been unheard of
The uniqueness of the miracle underscored its divine nature. Nowhere in the Old Testament was a person born blind restored to sight. The man’s healing was an unmistakable sign of Messiah, fulfilling Isaiah 35:5: “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.”
e. You were completely born in sins … and they cast him out
Unable to refute his testimony, the Pharisees resorted to insult and rejection. They accused him of being “completely born in sins”—a reference to their belief that his blindness was divine punishment from birth. Their pride was wounded, for they had been out-argued by a formerly blind beggar.
Trapp wisely notes: “A mortified man will yield to learn of anybody; ‘a little child shall lead him.’” But the Pharisees’ arrogance kept them from humility.
Finally, they excommunicated him from synagogue fellowship. Morgan observes: “The casting out of this man meant his excommunication from his religious rights in Temple and synagogue.” Yet what appeared to be rejection by men positioned him for greater fellowship with Christ.
Clarke rightly remarked that false religion has always sought to silence truth by force, but truth outlives its persecutors.
4. (John 9:35-38) The man born blind and then healed believes on Jesus.
“Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, ‘Do you believe in the Son of God?’ He answered and said, ‘Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?’ And Jesus said to him, ‘You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.’ Then he said, ‘Lord, I believe!’ And he worshiped Him.”
a. When He had found him
The leaders rejected the man, but Jesus sought him out. This echoes the Shepherd seeking His sheep. Rejection by men is painful, but Christ Himself comforts the outcast. Morgan beautifully states: “If He finds and receives, what does it matter who rejects?” Spurgeon adds, “He that enjoys the favor of the Son of God will not tremble at the frown of the Sanhedrim.”
b. Do you believe in the Son of God?
This is the climactic moment. Jesus called the man beyond physical healing into saving faith. The question was personal and emphatic: “Do you believe?” As Tenney notes, “It demanded a personal decision in the face of opposition or rejection.”
At this point, the man had obeyed Christ (John 9:7), confessed Him as prophet (9:17), declared himself His disciple (9:27), and defended Him as from God (9:33). Now Jesus led him into full faith.
Some manuscripts read Son of Man instead of Son of God. Both titles point to Messiah, the divinely appointed Savior. The question pressed the man to entrust himself fully to Jesus.
c. You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you
The irony is profound: the man who had been blind all his life was not only given physical sight but was now gazing upon the very Son of God. Unlike the Pharisees who claimed to see yet remained blind, this man saw and believed.
d. Lord, I believe! And he worshiped Him
This is the high point of the narrative. The man confessed Jesus as Lord and responded in worship. Significantly, Jesus received the worship. Angels (Revelation 19:10) and apostles (Acts 14:11-15) rejected worship, but Jesus accepted it, proving His deity.
The man’s progression of faith is clear:
Jesus is a man (John 9:11).
Jesus is a prophet (John 9:17).
Jesus is my Master, I am His disciple (John 9:27).
Jesus is from God (John 9:33).
Jesus is the Son of God (John 9:35-38).
Jesus is the One I trust and worship (John 9:38).
e. Insight
This passage captures John’s theme of light versus darkness. The blind man moved step by step into greater light until he worshiped Christ. The Pharisees, claiming sight, descended further into darkness. The miracle functions as both a physical healing and a spiritual drama, showing that those who acknowledge their blindness can receive sight, while those who claim sight apart from Christ remain blind.
C. The Religious Leaders Interrogate the Man Born Blind
5. (John 9:39-41) Jesus distinguishes between the blind and the seeing.
“And Jesus said, ‘For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.’ Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, ‘Are we blind also?’ Jesus said to them, ‘If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, “We see.” Therefore your sin remains.’”
a. For judgment I have come into this world
At first glance this statement may seem to contradict John 3:17, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” The distinction lies in purpose versus effect. Jesus’ primary mission was salvation, but His coming inevitably results in judgment because people must respond to Him either in faith or unbelief.
Jesus is the dividing line of humanity, “the pivot on which human destiny turns” (Tenney). His very presence forces decision, revealing the true state of men’s hearts. Morgan explains: “His statement that He had come to judge the world meant that He would be the separating One, the One through whom God would judge.”
Like the Continental Divide that determines the flow of rivers, Christ divides all people. Those who embrace Him receive eternal life; those who reject Him remain in condemnation.
b. That those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind
Here Jesus applies the physical miracle as a spiritual lesson. Those who admit their blindness—recognizing their need for truth—are given sight. Those who claim sight—professing self-sufficiency and rejecting Christ—are confirmed in their blindness.
Tasker explains: “They which see not means they who have no spiritual vision but are conscious of their need of it; and they which see means they who wrongly suppose that they already possess spiritual vision.”
Dods adds: “Those who are conscious of their blindness and grieved on account of it may be relieved; while those who are content with the light they have lose even that.”
Spurgeon applied this practically: “We ought not to suffer any person to perish for lack of knowing the gospel. We cannot give men eyes, but we can give them light.”
John 9 as a whole paints a spiritual allegory of salvation:
We are all born spiritually blind.
Jesus takes the initiative to heal.
He performs a work of creation, not reformation.
Faith requires obedience to His command.
Baptism is a symbol of washing, representing cleansing and new sight.
Our transformation astonishes the world, which struggles to recognize us.
Loyalty to Christ provokes persecution, but strengthens our witness.
We move from little knowledge to greater understanding, climaxing in worship.
The healed man remains nameless; Jesus alone is exalted.
c. Are we blind also?
The Pharisees scoffed at Jesus’ words, unwilling to admit their condition. Their prideful question carried mockery: “Surely, we are not blind?” In reality, their refusal to acknowledge Christ proved their blindness.
Spurgeon illustrated: just as an older man eventually admits his need for spectacles, so the sinner who recognizes his guilt gladly depends on God. But those who resist acknowledging their blindness remain in darkness. Pride keeps the spiritually blind from seeking the true Light.
d. If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, “We see.” Therefore your sin remains
Jesus concluded with a solemn warning. Those who admit their blindness can receive sight and forgiveness. But those who claim to see, while rejecting Christ, remain in their sin. Their guilt is not lessened but heightened, because they reject the very Light sent to save them.
There is a great difference between true blindness and willful blindness. The physically blind long for light, but the spiritually proud shut their eyes to it. Bruce observes: “To be so self-deceived as to shut one’s eyes to the light is a desperate state to be in: the light is there, but if people refuse to avail themselves of it but rather deliberately reject it, how can they be enlightened? As Jesus said, their sin remains.”
e. IMissler’s supplemental insight
John’s Gospel consistently uses sight and blindness as metaphors for spiritual reality. Here, the miracle of giving physical sight serves as an enacted parable of salvation: Christ, the Light of the World, opens eyes willing to see, but hardens those who reject Him. The Pharisees, claiming knowledge of the Law, became blind by rejecting the One whom the Law and Prophets foretold.
