John 9

By Ps. Phillips Koh

• Jesus employs physical blindness to point to a more serious spiritual blindness.

A) JESUS HEALS THE MAN BORN BLIND (vv 1-12)

• Jesus performs a miraculous healing in this section

1. The Pharisees poses a theological question (verse 2)

“Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind?”

This was the standard Jewish belief during the time of Jesus.

• “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was in order that the works of God might be displayed in him”

• How do we reconcile the sovereignty of God with human suffering?

2. The response of Jesus to the question (verse 3)

• “The man who is called Jesus made clay, and anointed my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam, and wash’; so I went away and washed, and I received my sight.”

Application : What does it mean to affirm the sovereignty of God in our lives?

3. The first testimony of the sighted man (verse 11)

B) THE PHARISEES INVESTIGATE THE MIRACLE (vv 13-34)

• The Pharisees were clearly perturbed by the incredible miracle:

1.The Pharisees dispute the heavenly origin of Jesus (v 16)

• “This man is not from God, because he does not keep the Sabbath.”

2. The testimony of the parents to the healing miracle (vv 18-21)

“We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but now he sees, we do not know; or who opened his eyes, we do not know.”

3. The second testimony of the sighted man (v25)

• “…. one thing I do know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.”

Application : How do we undergo a paradigm shift in our thinking?

JESUS DISCLOSES HIS IDENTITY TO THE SIGHTED MAN (vv 35-41)

• The purpose of this section is to reveal the true identity of Jesus

1.Jesus elicits for a personal response from the sighted man (v35)

• “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

2. The sighted man puts his trust in and also worships Jesus (v38)

3. Jesus pronounces judgement upon the Pharisees (vv 39-41)

• “For judgement I came into this world, that those who do not see may see; and that those who see may become blind.”

• Application : How do we improve our spiritual vision?

CONCLUSION

• How do we receive spiritual sight from Jesus?