John 9:6-12 - Lesson #95

The Light of the world was questioned about the relationship between sin and the blindness of a man; "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" (John 9:2). While it is true that sin can lead to some painful consequences, it is foolishness to assume that all suffering is the result of personal sin. The friends of Job gave this foolish counsel and were met with a sharp rebuke from God; "My wrath is aroused...for you have not spoken of Me what is right" (Job 42:7). Jesus told His disciples that the blindness was not the result of sin, and then He glorified God through a miraculous act of compassion.

John 9:6-12
"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. 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. Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, 'Is not this he who sat and begged?' Some said, 'This is he.' Others said, 'He is like him.' He said, 'I am he.' Therefore they said to him, 'How were your eyes opened?' 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.' Then they said to him, 'Where is He?' He said, 'I do not know.'"

Jesus used a variety of methods when He healed. He healed a deaf man by putting His fingers in the man's ears and spitting (Mark 7:33) and He healed a blind man by spitting directly on and then touching the man's eyes (Mark 8:23-25). But He also healed the Nobleman's son from a distance by simply speaking (John 4:50). The variety ought to shift our focus away from the method and onto the Healer. Perhaps Jesus used the clay to make a link with creation. Or perhaps the clay gave the man a reason to go wash. We can't be sure why the specific method was used, but we can know with certainty that Jesus was and is the mighty Healer sent from God.

The pool of Siloam was located near the southeast corner of the city wall. The man needed to leave the spot from where he was begging, ask someone to guide him, and travel to the pool in order to wash his eyes. The healing was definitely initiated and made complete by the hands of Jesus, but it also asked for an outworking of genuine faith. Salvation is a gift initiated and made complete by God, but God works through a faith which is strong enough to obediently follow.

Some tried to explain away the miraculous with a mistaken identity. And then when they asked about the healing, the focus was on the method, the how, and not on the Healer, the Who. The man only knew that he was once blind, and after being touched by Jesus he could now see. We are all born spiritually blind in desperate need of a touch from God. Let's never try to explain away the miraculous. Let's receive His offer of true sight and then give all glory and honor to the Healer.