Jesus has escaped stoning by the Jewish leaders and then encounters a man who has been blind since birth. The prevailing attitude, including the disciples, is that either he or someone in his family has sinned against God and in judgment he was made blind. Jesus quickly answers:
“’It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world’” (Jn 9:3-5).
Notice that Jesus says “We” along with “I AM” twice. God is physically present in the world for only a short time, while Father and Son are working together to demonstrate what the “light of the world” really means. This blind man was chosen at birth to be an instrument of that demonstration of power and light:
“Having said these things he spit on the ground and made mud with his saliva. Then he anointed the man’s eyes with the mud and said to him, ‘Go, wash in the pool of Siloam’ which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing” (Jn 9:6-7).
Jesus knows that the spirit of the people of Israel is deeply skeptical, so enslaved are they to their leaders’ disbelief. The mud and saliva are not necessary for healing – but they are deeply symbolic, reaching back to Old Testament stories of God’s healing (see 2 Kings 5:10, 14).
Yet everyone the newly seeing man encounters, rather than being overjoyed at his restored sight, cannot believe that he is the same man who was blind. So they take him – where else? – to the Pharisees to be examined. He recounts what Jesus did for him, and the Pharisees become divided – some say as usual that Jesus has violated the Sabbath, but others – perhaps sensing the Light of the World? – declare that no sinner could do what has just happened!
So they ask the man what he has to say about Jesus:
“’He is a prophet’” (Jn 9:17).
Ignoring this, the Jews call the man’s parents and ask if he is actually their son. When they confirm that he is, his parents say no more, because they are terrified of the Pharisees. So the leaders make him tell his entire story all over again in great detail.
The man who now can see offers a protest that speaks to our generation as well:
“’Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing’” (Jn 9:30-33).
Their answer to him?
“’You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?’ And they cast him out” (Jn 9:34).
Jesus hears about this and seeks the man out, asking him if he believes in the Son of Man. He who has just schooled the Pharisees boldly under the whisper of the Holy Spirit then declares his belief in Jesus as the Son of Man, the Messiah!
Some Pharisees hear this public confession of faith. Perhaps feeling a tickle of doubt, they ask Jesus whether they are also blind. Jesus’ answer is one for the ages:
“’If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ”We see,” your guilt remains’” (Jn 9:40).
The problem with our world today is not that we are blind. The problem is that Jesus is right before us as believers stand in perfect unity with him as the man who was blind did. The only hope for everyone else is to confess Jesus as Lord and Savior or to choose judgment.
He who once was blind tells them so.