John 9:1–41

  ¹ Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. ² And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” ³ Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. ⁴ I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. ⁵ As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” ⁶ 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. ⁷ 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. ⁸ Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?” ⁹ Some said, “This is he.” Others said, “He is like him.” He said, “I am he.” ¹⁰ Therefore they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?” ¹¹ 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.” ¹² Then they said to him, “Where is He?” He said, “I do not know.” ¹³ They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees. ¹⁴ Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. ¹⁵ 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.” ¹⁶ 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. ¹⁷ They said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.” 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 who had received his sight. ¹⁹ And they asked them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” ²⁰ His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; ²¹ 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.” ²² 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. ²³ Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.” ²⁴ 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.” ²⁵ 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.” ²⁶ Then they said to him again, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?” ²⁷ 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?” ²⁸ Then they reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples. ²⁹ We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from.” ³⁰ 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! ³¹ Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. ³² Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. ³³ If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.” ³⁴ They answered and said to him, “You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?” And they cast him out. ³⁵ 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?” ³⁶ He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” ³⁷ And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.” ³⁸ Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him. ³⁹ 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.” ⁴⁰ Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?” ⁴¹ Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.

Commentary 

Vs. 1-2 ¹ Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. ² And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 

 And so it was that while Jesus was still in Jerusalem, and passing by a certain spot, He saw a man who was blind from birth (vs. 1). And when the disciples saw him, they asked Jesus, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Now their question reveals a commonly held and taught belief amongst the Jews back then that such aliments were the judgment of God, which sadly is not a view unique to them, for even today people often assume that tragedies are always the judgement of God! 

Vs. 3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. 

 Now when Jesus heard them say this, He told them that neither the man nor the man’s parents had sinned to cause this to happen to him, rather he was born like this for this very moment, so that the works of God should be revealed in Him (Vs. 3). And how many others are born into conditions that are beyond their control, and yet the works of God, (i.e. the grace of God, the love of God, the reconciliation to God etc.) are not displayed through them, (and by default us as well), because we as the Body of Christ very often miss out on doing the works of God towards them! Therefore, always remember that reaching out beyond the walls of our buildings is our mandate, whether by preaching, or teaching, or serving, or encouraging, or generously giving of time, talent, or resources etc., to some good and noble cause, that is and always has been our mandate (Isaiah 1:17; Matt. 5:44; Luke 6:35; Acts 9:36; Rom. 12:13; Gal. 6:9-10; Eph. 2:8-10; 4:28; 1 Tim. 2:8-10; 5:9-16; 6:17-19; Titus 2:7, 14; 3:8; Heb. 13:16; James 4:17). That said this was a very specific God created circumstance through which He was going to reveal His Son in a very undeniable way, not only to the Jews, but the whole world! 

Vs. 4 “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.” 

Because God sent Him to do the works of God, the Lord Jesus Christ was singularly focused on doing the works of God wherever and whenever He could, because He knew it would not be long before the Jews would come and take Him and crucify Him! Therefore, the second half of Jesus’ statement when He says “…the night is coming when no can work”, is referring to the night of His betrayal and Crucifixion Death. 

Vs. 5 “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 

 Nonetheless as Jesus says here, “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” And so even though Jesus is no longer physically in the world His Word, His people, and His Holy Spirit is, and so now His light still illuminates the world to God through us all who believe in Him, who keep His Word! 

Vs. 6 “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.” 

 Now Jesus in healing this man born blind from birth choose to use a most unusual method, by combing His salvia with the dirt of the ground to apply to the man’s eyes to give Him sight, sight which he never had before! 

Vs. 7 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. 

Having anointed the man’s eyes, Jesus now tells him to go and wash in the pool of Siloam; that is the ancient pool that King Hezekiah built that was designed to collect water from spring of Gihon for Jerusalem (2 Kings 20:20; 2 Chr. 32:30). Now the Scripture notes that Siloam translated means Sent, which could be indicating that Jesus Christ as the sent One from God had just sent this man who had never seen before to receive His sight, and just physical sight, but Spiritual sight, both of which he never had before (gleaned from BBC). For truly that is what the Lord Jesus Christ gives us all who believe in Him, the ability to see and discern what is of God and what is not. Thus, no longer do we walk according to world and “god” of it, who has blinded their eyes lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them (2 Cor. 4:4). And so being sent to first receive his sight later he will be sent to preach and proclaim the Gospel of the Lord Jesus who gave him sight! And in this it will not be by a direct command or decree, but by the transformation of his person, and thus his heart, that will be God’s Sent witness to the Jews. 

Vs. 8-9 ⁸ Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?” ⁹ Some said, “This is he.” Others said, “He is like him.” He said, “I am he.” 

There is some real irony in what takes place here, giving that these neighbors of the man who Jesus just given sight to, do not now immediately recognize him, for in giving him, sight Jesus completely transformed his person! And so rather than stumbling around in the darkness as he once did the man now walks boldly and confidently. And so here the once blinded man, amidst their arguing about him, must adamantly tell them that he is him! Thus, the irony is that the once helplessly blinded man, is now the one who sees God clearly, while the Jews who claim to have spiritual sight see nothing at all, of the Lord Jesus Christ, nor of the man whom He just gave sight too! 

Vs. 10-11 ¹⁰ Therefore they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?” ¹¹ 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.” 

 The Jews then having ceased arguing about the man’s identity, for clearly it was their neighbor who was born blind, now ask him how his eyes were opened. It is then at this point that the man now gives a simple and honest testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ, saying to them, “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.” And how refreshing it would be to hear today someone likewise simply testify of the Lord Jesus Christ by saying that that the Lord Jesus Christ told me to believe in Him and I would have remission of all my sins and everlasting life, so I did, and that is when He changed me! 

Vs. 12-14 Then they said to him, “Where is He?” He said, “I do not know.” ¹³ They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees. ¹⁴ Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. 

 Having heard the man’s testimony they do not believe him, for they now ask him where Jesus is, and not so that they might also believe in Him, but rather so that they might question and scrutinize Him! However, the once blinded man honestly not knowing where Jesus is cannot tell them, and so they now bring him to the Pharisees, because it was on a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. And though previously threatened by the Jews not to “work” on the Sabbath, Jesus throughout His ministry life quite intentionally continued to do the works of God on the Sabbath! 

Vs. 15 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.” 

 The Pharisees now likewise begin to scrutinize him, asking him how he received his sight, and once again the once blinded man gives a simple and honest confession of the Lord Jesus Christ and how He gave sight to him, saying to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” 

Vs. 16 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. 

 The once blinded man now finds himself in the midst of an argument amongst the Pharisees, for some of the Pharisees were adamant that Jesus was not from God because He was not keeping the Sabbath according to their traditions and interpretations of it. While others amongst them could not reconcile the fact that if Jesus were a “sinner” how then could He do such things! And so even amongst the Pharisees there was a division about Jesus, with some leaning towards believing in Him, while others were refusing too. 

Vs. 17 They said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”  

 Unable then to reconcile their differences amongst themselves, they once again turn to the blind man and ask him, about Jesus, saying this time to him, “What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?” Thus, in asking him again they seemingly now acknowledge the undeniable fact that Jesus gave the man born blind sight. And so, with their question the man without hesitation says to them all, “He is a prophet.”  

Vs. 18-19 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 who had received his sight. ¹⁹ And they asked them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 

 The Jews though were unwilling to believe him that he had been born blind and that now he sees, and so they called his parents to ask them. 

Vs. 20-23 ²⁰ His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; ²¹ 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.” ²² 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. ²³ Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.” 

 And so, when brought before them, the parents told the Pharisees that this was indeed their son and that he was born blind (vs. 20). However, beyond that they were not willing to say anything as to how he received his sight or who opened his eyes (vs. 21), 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.” ^{Vs. 22} Thus the Jews were not seeking evidence of the Lord Jesus Christ as being their Messiah, rather they were already conspiring against Him, and in this they were actively keeping people from openly testifying of Him under the threat of being put out of the Synagogue if someone did so, which is akin to being put out of (or being completely alienated) from their community. And so, the parents having acknowledged that this was indeed their son born blind and that now he sees will go no farther, but rather they redirect the Pharisees to question him about how his eyes were opened (vs. 23). 

Vs. 24 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.” 

 The Pharisees then being frustrated with the blind mans parents’ response, now call him again and tell him to, … “Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner.” ^{Vs. 24} Now in telling the blind man to “Give God the glory!” and calling the Lord Jesus Christ a sinner, the Pharisees were unwilling to acknowledge that the Lord Jesus Christ had just done this merciful miracle on the once blind, which in fact was giving glory to God! However, because the Pharisees were so determined not to have anything good thought or said about the Lord Jesus Christ; and yet they couldn’t deny what just took place; they told the blind man to “Give God the glory!” Which is sort of generic, for many people will give God the glory for many things, and yet not all believe in Him as He has said to believe in Him and that is through His Son! For with the Lord Jesus Christ’s Coming to mankind God cannot be known apart from His Son! 

Vs. 25 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.” 

 The once blind man though is not moved by the threat of being put out of the Synagogue, for he is not about to deny the One who just gave him sight by generically, “Giving God the glory”. And so, he says to the Pharisees, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.” Those words then “One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see” resonate with everyone who was once blinded by the god of this age, and thus deceived into doing his will, but know through the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ can likewise see! 

Vs. 26-27 ²⁶ Then they said to him again, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?” ²⁷ 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?” 

 With the once blind man’s clear and truthful response, the Pharisees are feeling increasingly troubled inside, and so they ask him again, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?” Now it is at this point that the once blind man is becoming frustrated with them constantly asking him the same questions, and so he responds to them by saying, “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?” ^{vs. 27} 

Vs. 28-29 ²⁸ Then they reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples. ²⁹ We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from.” 

 When the Pharisees heard him say, “do you also want to be His disciples?”, they immediately turned on him and reviled him. Now we are not told what they said to him, but I’m sure it was caustic and abusive! Having done so they now accuse him of being a disciples of Jesus, which he increasingly was becoming, and which they in calling him such (as if that were so terrible or a “crime”), are showing themselves not only are they completely ignorant of God and His Son, but also they are not disciples of Moses, as they now claim to be. 

Vs. 30-33 ³⁰ 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! ³¹ Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. ³² Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. ³³ If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.” 

 And so it is that the once blind man is now beginning to see them for what they truly are, for he now sarcastically says to them, “Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes!” And so, in saying as much to them, he is also beginning to see that Jesus is not some mere mortal Man, but Someone far Greater than us all! For he now goes on to remind them of their own theological belief that they all held and taught, that, “God does not hear sinners.” However, if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him (vs. 31). Therefore, how could Jesus possibly be a sinner if He could do such things, for truly, “Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. ³³ If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.” ^{Vs. 32-33} The blind man then by his own experience and reasoning and even His own basic understanding of God’s Word is now convinced that Jesus is from God! 

Vs. 34 They answered and said to him, “You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?” And they cast him out. 

 When the Pharisees heard him boldly say that if Jesus were not from God he could do nothing, that is give sight to someone born blind, they immediately rejected that word by saying to him that he was completely born in sins, (i.e. that was why he was born blind in their sight), and so having condemned the man as an unrestorable sinner, who was now testifying openly of Jesus in defiance of them, they cast him out, that is they excommunicated him! 

Vs. 35 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?” 

 When the Lord Jesus heard that they had cast him out, He sought him! And when Jesus found him, He asked him the most crucial question that each one of us must answer for ourselves, “Do you believe in the Son of God?”  

Vs. 36 He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” 

 The man though not yet having had Jesus reveal His Divine Person to him now answers Jesus by saying, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” AND SO, IN HIS RESPONSE THER IS AN EAGERNESS AND WILLINGNESS TO BELIEVE IN HIM! All he needs is to have his faith directed towards Christ! 

Vs. 37 And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.” 

 With that then Jesus delays no longer and very plainly reveals to the man that He is the Son of God! 

Vs. 38 Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him. 

And with Jesus’ revelation of His Person to him the once blind man immediately and openly cries out, saying, “Lord, I believe!” And with that salvation has come to that man because he believed! 

Vs. 39 ³⁹ 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.” 

Having accomplished God the Father’s Will and Purposes with His restoration of the once blind man, and then having heard his faith publicly spoken, Jesus now openly says to all present, “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.” 

In Jesus’ Word then is the Promise of Spiritual sight, of everlasting life! being given to everyone who sees Jesus Christ and believes in Him as the Son of God! That’s the Good News! However, we must not forget that Jesus first said that for judgment He has come into the world! Therefore, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (or not) will be the measure of everyone before God! Those then who do not see (and thus feel no hope for themselves) then will be made to see the Lord Jesus Christ just as the Scriptures says, (Isaiah 9:2; Matt. 4:16, also Isaiah 42:5-7). While those who are steeped in their own self-assurance of themselves, whether by their own religious practices, or by their genealogical or “spiritual” ancestry, or by whatever else makes them feel so confident and assured in of themselves then will be made blind, because they already see themselves, and yet feel no need for Him, and so they will never be made to see Jesus for who He truly is! 

Vs. 40-41 ⁴⁰ Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?” ⁴¹ Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains. 

The Pharisees hearing Jesus speak these Words now in their own self assurance say to Him, “Are we blind also?” Therefore, Jesus responds to them and all who think themselves better that someone else by saying, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains. In other words, Jesus is saying to them because you think you have no need of salvation from Me you will not have it. However, if you honestly admitted that you yourselves were also sinners; and thus, no better than the blind man I restored sight too; you would have no sin, because I would restore true Spiritual sight to you and also give everlasting life to you. But now because you say we see, and yet do not see your own need for eternal redemption from Me, therefore your sin remains! Because apart from believing in the Lord Jesus Christ one’s sin remains!

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.