A Series on New Testament Stories
A man born blind
(Click on the link below to read the
verses.)
John 9:1-12; 35-41
[The Bible is mostly made up of stories.
Stories about people’s lives, the struggles they faced and their faith, or lack
of it. In this series we will be looking at some of those people in the Gospel
of John. We’ll try to learn from their stories about who God is, how he worked
in their life and how that applies to us today.]
As a teenager, there were times when I would ask my Dad to help me with my
homework. Usually it was some math problem. But he wouldn’t just give me the
answer. Instead, he would help me to figure it out for myself.
I really don’t know how he did that, but he was very good at it. He
probably asked me some leading questions that got me thinking a certain way and
then, BAM! A light bulb would go on in my head.
The story about the man born blind is preceded by the entirety of chapter
eight being focused on an escalating conflict. Jesus is arguing with the spiritually
blind Pharisees about who he is, where he comes from and who they are.
Jesus is pretty blunt! He calls them liars and accuses them of being
children of the devil. The argument reaches a climax when Jesus claims to be
God. Yet, no light bulb goes on in their head. In fact, they pick up stones to
kill Jesus.
When Jesus sees a man born blind, his disciples, who during the whole
conflict with the Pharisees were mysteriously quiet, all of a sudden ask him
whose sin resulted in this man being blind.
3 “It was not because of his sins or his parents’
sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be
seen in him. NLT
He then proceeded to make mud from spit and clay, put it on the man’s
eyes and sent him to the Pool of Siloam. As a result, even though the man had
lived in darkness all of his life, he was able to see.
But because he was healed on the Sabbath, he got involved in yet another
conflict with the Pharisees. This resulted in him being thrown out of the
synagogue.
Following this, Jesus sought him out and asked if he believed in the Son
of Man. When the man realized that this was Jesus, he believed and worshiped
him.
Have you ever had an epiphany experience where God opened your eyes and
the light bulb went on? For the man born blind, it happened both physically and
spiritually.
However, this story is not only about a blind man seeing, but it’s also
about being sent. Jesus said this to his disciples.
4 We
must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The
night is coming, and then no one can work. 5 But
while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.” NLT
God sent Jesus, the light of the world, to bring sight to the blind man.
Jesus sent the blind man to the Pool of Siloam to open his eyes. Siloam is a
Hebrew word that means “to be sent”.
In the same way, when the light bulb goes on because Jesus has opened our
eyes, he sends us to share with others so that they too might see that same
light.
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