John 9 - NIV Grace and Truth Study Bible

9:1–7 The healing of the man born blind is the sixth of Jesus’ seven signs (see note on 2:9–12). It illustrates the differing effects of what it means that Jesus is the light of the world. As the chapter progresses, the man comes to have a clearer understanding of Jesus’ identity. On the one hand, the blind man received both physical and spiritual sight, and on the other hand, the religious leaders rejected the light and were confirmed in their darkness.

Blindness in the Old Testament was more than just a physical ailment. It was commonly used as a metaphor for spiritual blindness (Isa 6:9–10). The Messiah was to bring light and sight (Isa 29:18). Jesus addressed the ultimate purpose of the man’s affliction rather than its cause (Jn 9:3). Jesus used the opportunity to challenge his disciples to join him in the work God sent him to do. There is a note of urgency in his words. The miracle itself is reported with brevity. Jesus made mud on the ground and applied it to the man’s eyes. The action of kneading dirt on the ground was strictly forbidden on the Sabbath according to the rules of the Pharisees.

9:8–17 The man’s neighbors questioned his identity because they had never known him to be able to see. After they were convinced of his identity, they questioned him about how he had gained his sight. Their questioning gave him the opportunity to recount his story in detail. He identified “the man” Jesus as the one who healed him (v. 11). The Pharisees were the next people to question the man. For a second time he recounted his healing, though his reply this time was much briefer than before. The crucial issue was that the healing took place on the Sabbath (v. 16). As a result of the man’s testimony, the Pharisees were divided over their beliefs regarding Jesus’ identity. The man considered Jesus to be a prophet.

9:18–23 The religious leaders then interrogated the man’s parents, hoping to prove that the healing was a sham. While his parents affirmed the fact that their son was born blind, they had no idea how he had received his sight. The parents put the burden back on their son to explain his healing. John notes that the parents feared expulsion from the synagogue.

9:24–34 The religious leaders summoned the man a second time and wanted more information. The man responded with his own testimony of what had taken place. While the leadership tried to intimidate the man with their knowledge and status, he refused to be bullied. The Pharisees questioned the man with the hope of finding evidence to condemn Jesus. The back-and-forth between them became increasingly intense. The more pressure they put on him to denounce Jesus, the more he spoke in defense of Jesus. Eventually, everyone became polarized into one of two camps: followers of Jesus or of Moses. When the Pharisees’ frustration reached its boiling point, they put the man out of the synagogue (v. 34).

9:35–41 Jesus found the man and questioned him about his faith in the Son of Man. The man asked, “Who is he?” Jesus’ acknowledgment that he is the Son of Man was much like his confession to the Samaritan woman that he is the Messiah. John remains interested in the way Jesus’ coming divided people. The man made a profound confession of faith (v. 38), while the Pharisees were confirmed in their spiritual blindness. The man now saw both physically and spiritually; however, the Pharisees saw physically but were blind spiritually. The man’s understanding of Jesus’ identity developed throughout the narrative from Jesus being “a man” to being the “Lord” who is to be worshiped. As the light of the world, Jesus drew the man from spiritual blindness to spiritual light.