The Light of the World

Jesus and His disciples were walking along and came across a blind man; a man "blind from birth" (John 9:1). He has never had the privilege of ever seeing anything. The encounter led to a timely discussion. The disciples asked, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" (v. 2). That was the question most on the minds of the people. They couldn't conceive of any other reason. Someone surely sinned and this was the punishment of God.

Jesus, however, begged to differ, saying, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned" (v. 3a). He then added, "This happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him" (v. 3b). Jesus concluded with the declaration, "I am the light of the world" (v. 5b).

With that, Jesus illustrated what He meant with a real life miracle: "He spat on the ground and made clay" (v. 6a). Then "He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay" (v. 6b). And Jesus "said to him, 'Go, wash in the pool of Siloam' (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing" (v. 7).

"The neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind" (v. 8a), were downright amazed. They asked, "How were your eyes opened?" (v. 10). He answered, "A Man called Jesus" (v. 11) healed me. And the people wanted to find Jesus, but the man did not know where He was (v. 12).

Then the Pharisees questioned the man that had been born blind (v. 13). "Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes" (v. 14). That fact caused "some of the Pharisees" to conclude, "This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath" (v. 16a). "Others said, 'How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?' And there was a division among them" (v. 16b).

The Pharisees again asked the blind man, "What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?" (v. 17a). The man answered, "He is a prophet" (v. 17b).

Not believing that the man had been blind, they called in his parents (v. 18) and asked them how this could be? (v. 19). They confirmed that he was their son who "was born blind" (v. 20), but beyond that they deferred to their son, "He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself" (v. 21).

"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" (v.  24). His response: "Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see" (v. 25).

They pressed him again as to how he was healed (v. 26), and he said, "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?" (v. 27). They claimed to be disciples of Moses (v. 28), and added, "We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from" (v. 29).

The man was amazed and replied, "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" (vv. 31-33). Then he was cast out of the synagogue (v. 34).

Jesus came and asked him, "Do you believe in the Son of God?" (v. 35). He replied, "Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?" (v. 36). "It is He who is talking with you," said Jesus (v. 37). "Then he said, 'Lord, I believe! And he worshiped Him'" (v. 38).

The man who was healed began to talk of Jesus simply as, "A Man called Jesus" (v. 11). When questioned, he came to say of Jesus, "He is a prophet" (v. 17b). Upon further consideration he began to realize that Jesus was definitely "from God" (v. 33). Finally, he talked with Jesus again and came to believe in Him as his Lord! (v. 38). Jesus is the Lord of the universe. He is my Lord. How about you? Amen.