John 9 - NKJV Woman's Study Bible

9:2 Blindness was common in Jesus’ day, often resulting from a birth defect, infection, leprosy, cataracts or advanced age. The Jews associated blindness (and suffering in general) with sin:

• The man might have sinned while still in his mother’s womb (some Jews believed in prenatal sin);

• The man, in his pre-existent state (an idea that emerged from the Greek philosopher Plato about 427–327 BC) might have sinned before his conception;

• The blind man’s parents might have sinned and brought the affliction of blindness upon their son. Jews believed the sins of the parents could cause suffering for the child (see Ex 20:5; 34:7; Nu 14:18).

9:6–7 This healing was one of two healings in which Jesus used saliva (see Mk 7:33). No medicinal value was associated with the Pool of Siloam, a water supply located just inside the southeastern city wall. The pool was an engineering feat for that day created by the construction of Hezekiah’s tunnel, which diverted waters from Siloam to the Gihon spring (a less vulnerable point to the Assyrian armies). Dug through solid rock, this 583-yard tunnel of Hezekiah provided water diverted into the city from the Kidron Valley outside the city wall in the event of an enemy siege. The Siloam pool measured 20 by 30 feet and is still used as a source of water.

9:16 A debate occurred when the Pharisees accused Jesus of not keeping the Sabbath:

• Jesus had made clay, and they considered that work forbidden on the Sabbath;

• Jesus had healed the blind man (v. 14), and any non-life-threatening medical attention was not allowed on the Sabbath;

• Jesus had put saliva on the man’s eyes, a practice not allowed on the Sabbath.

Therefore, the Pharisees thought Jesus could not have come from God. But others, astounded and impressed by Jesus’ miracles (“signs”), could not consider Jesus a “sinner.”

9:39–41 Jesus used this situation in which individuals were responding to him so differently to make a point about blindness and sight. On one side was the man born blind, now fully seeing and on his knees worshiping the Lord. On the other side were the religious leaders, stubborn and hard-hearted, rejecting Jesus and calling for his death. In Jesus’ day, blindness was a metaphor for sin. Sight was a metaphor for righteousness. Jesus told the Pharisees that, even though they could see clearly physically, they were deliberately choosing to be blind spiritually.