Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

John 9:18-38

GOLDEN TEXT: “One thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.”—John 9:25

CONCERNING the first miracle wrought by Jesus, John says, “This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth His glory; and the disciples believed on Him.” This apparently was the divine purpose back of many of the miracles which Jesus performed. It is also one of the reasons for the permission of sickness and death which calls for miracles on a worldwide scale in order to be eradicated. Jesus explained concerning the one of this lesson who was born blind, that this affliction had been permitted in order that “the works of God might be made manifest in Him.” —John 9:3

In all of the Master’s miracles, He was careful to direct credit for them to His Father. He was honored by them only in the sense that He served as the Father’s representative. This was important, however, as it was one of the means by which the fact of His Messiahship was established. The word Messiah means one who is sent by God and authorized by Him to do the work foretold by the prophets. From the Jewish viewpoint, one whom they accepted as the Messiah, would necessarily have to be able to do things that were beyond the ability of mere human power to accomplish.

The circumstances associated with the healing of the man who had been born blind indicates how mightily this miracle worked in the minds of those who knew about it to convince them that Jesus had been sent of God. The Pharisees, as usual, tried to discount it on the grounds that Jesus was a sinner because He worked on the Sabbath day; but even among the Pharisees, there were some who dissented from this charge, and were inclined to believe that Jesus did have divine approval, else He could not perform such outstanding miracles.—Verse 16

The influence of the scribes and Pharisees over the Jewish people of that time is shown in the case of the blind man’s parents. A threat of excommunication from the synagogues was held over the people to prevent them from accepting Jesus as the Messiah. The people, of course, didn’t know that God was about to repudiate the whole religious setup of that time, and that they would be just as well, in fact, better off outside the synagogues than associated with them. In their ignorance they feared the wrath of God would surely be upon them if an interdict was placed upon them by the Pharisees, hence they were often hindered from expressing thoughts which they knew to be right.

The man’s parents found themselves, symbolically speaking, in a tight place. The Pharisees sought to discredit the miracle by proving that a man similar in appearance to the one that was born blind, had put in appearance, hence no miracle had been performed. They hoped that the parents would bear them out in this—that even though they knew better, they would lie about it in order not to be expelled from the synagogue.

The parents were not willing to disown their son, yet did not have sufficient strength of character and faith in God to openly declare that their son had been healed by Jesus. They affirmed that the man was their son, that he was born blind, and that now he was not blind; but suggested that the son himself, being of age, could give the most reliable testimony as to how his blindness was removed. Let us not blame the parents for their lack of courage, but let us rejoice, rather, that the time is coming when that which is right will no longer be suppressed, as it has been throughout the centuries by false religious leaders.

The son was less fearful, and when the Pharisees attempted to have him repudiate Jesus’ part in the miracle on the ground that He was a sinner, he replied, “Whether He be a sinner or no, I know not; one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.” (Verse 25) After discussing the matter further with him, and failing in their attempt to break down his testimony, they accused the man of being a sinner and cast him out. This is what the parents feared for themselves, but the son was willing to pay the penalty, for he had been convinced that Jesus was all that had been claimed for Him.

When the Master heard that the man he had healed was cast out by the Pharisees, He arranged a conference with him, with the result that the young man fully accepted Jesus as the Son of God and the Messiah. While not discounting the value of the physical eyesight which the man received, yet the opening of the eyes of his understanding was of greater eternal value. “Blessed are your eyes for they see,” said the Master to those who could discern the truth of their day. This great blessing came to the one who was born blind physically and had both physical and spiritual sight given to him by Jesus. Thus he was doubly blessed.

The miracles performed by Jesus were few in number compared with the multitudes who were afflicted. It is the divine purpose to heal all the sick—in due time—and what Jesus did at His first advent were but samples of what will be wrought on behalf of all mankind during the thousand years of His second presence. Of that time the prophet declares, “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.” (Isa. 35:5) The physically blind then will be healed, but even more important, all mankind will have the eyes of their understanding opened to behold the glory of God, and thus they will all know Him, from the least to the greatest.—Jer. 31:34

QUESTIONS:

What was one of the principal objects of the miracles performed by Jesus?

What blessing came to the man in this lesson whom Jesus healed that was more valuable than the receiving of his physical eyesight?

Is there a time coming when all the sick and afflicted will be healed?

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