9:1, 2 The Jews believed that there was a correlation between sin and physical infirmity.
They even believed that a baby could sin in the womb, or that the parents’ sins could cause an infirmity in a child born to them.
Job’s friends thought that his afflictions were caused by his sin.
Job 11:13-16 “If you would prepare your heart, And stretch out your hands toward Him; 14 If iniquity were in your hand, and you put it far away, And would not let wickedness dwell in your tents; 15 Then surely you could lift up your face without spot; Yes, you could be steadfast, and not fear; 16 Because you would forget your misery, And remember it as waters that have passed away…
At times, Jesus had connected sin with physical infirmity.
John 5:14b “See, you have been made well. Sin no more lest a worse thing come upon you.”
When Jesus’ disciples saw the blind man, this stimulated their thinking and they asked Jesus the origin of this man’s sin, but they had limited understanding of the causes of sin.
APPLICATION #1- Bad things happen because we live in a fallen world.
Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin…
9:3 These verses can be read a few different ways.
Some interpretations can cause us great concern. Other interpretations bring us comfort.
We need to remember that there were no punctuation marks in the Greek recording of these events.
1. The first interpretation reads as it appears in our Bibles.
This would seem to indicate that the reason the man was born blind was so that God could do a good work. That the man needed to be born blind and suffer so that God could get glory.
NOTE- God did get the glory for this healing, but He didn’t have to blind the man to do it.
2. The second interpretation puts a period after the word “sinned”.
The second half of verse 3 is joined with all of verse 4 to make one sentence.
Neither this man nor his parents sinned-
The disciples asked the wrong question according to their wrong theology.
In essence, Jesus didn’t answer their question. Sometimes we don’t know why “bad things” happen.
Instead, Jesus was eager to show mercy.
This is an example of much of modern society.
There is a time and place to analyze problems, but sometimes we may forget about bringing relief.
We shouldn’t wait to bring immediately needed relief until we fully analyze a problem.
APPLICATION #2- Analyzing the problems of the world is sometimes needed, but always be ready to bring relief.
9:4, 5 V. 4a Jesus spoke of the limited opportunity He had to do the work of the Father.
In that society, work was done during the day, and not at night.
If there was work to be done, it needed to be done while it could be done.
V. 4b Jesus’ time was limited. He was less than six months away from the cross.
V. 5 As long as Jesus was incarnate/alive, He would bring physical and spiritual light to the world.
Question- Do you live with this kind of urgency?
Jesus wouldn’t be around much longer. He was urgent about doing the Father’s work.
That blind man might never be seen again. As Jesus was prompted by the Father, He responded.
APPLICATION #3- Jesus lived with an urgency and a readiness to do His father’s will as He passed by. He lived knowing that His days were numbered. Be Like Jesus.
9:6 In antiquity, it was believed that saliva was a remedy for diseased eyes.
Jesus could have healed him with a touch or a word, but this time was different.
We are not told why Jesus chose to heal the man this way, but…
1. The blind man may have needed to be spiritually involved & have active faith in Jesus’ words.
2. Jesus may have been trying to make a point with the religious rulers who saw His actions as a violation of Sabbath laws.
The Jews forbade applying healing remedies unless a life was in danger.
They also forbade kneading (making mud) and anointing (when Jesus applied the mud).
9:7 If this event began in the Temple Mount area where Jesus taught, the distance to Siloam would have been about 600 meter, or 6 ½ football fields.
If the blind man had help, it would have been a ten minute walk without crowds.
If this was shortly after the Feast Of Tabernacles, it would have been crowded still, and a longer walk.
The Pool of Siloam was a ritual cleansing pool used by the Jews before they entered the Temple area.
This man needed to respond in faith to the command of Jesus.
He didn’t ask Jesus to heal Him, but Jesus mercifully sought him out. He wasn’t looking for Jesus.
It is not unreasonable to assume that the conversation of verses 1-7 took place in the hearing of the blind man.
He would have heard Jesus say that the blindness wasn’t to be blamed on the man or his family.
He would have heard Jesus say that He (Jesus) came to do the works of God.
He would have heard Jesus say that He (Jesus) was the light of the world.
This man felt Jesus put the mud on his eyes, and command him to go to the Pool of Siloam.
The man could have easily objected, saying, “I am blind. I cannot do that.”
Or…“Can someone bring water back to me from Siloam?”
Or…“I heard that you healed others with just a word. Can’t you do that now?”
APPLICATION #4–You may not expect an area of your life to ever be changed.
Obey Jesus’s words regarding what He wants to heal in you, even if it seems too hard.
The blind man obeyed Jesus, and for the first time in his life, he could see.
I believe that there are many “first times” that await many of us.
Many things that God wants to change in our lives.
Things that exist because we live in a fallen world.
APPLICATION #1- Bad things happen because we live in a fallen world.
APPLICATION #2- Analyzing the problems of the world is sometimes needed, but always be ready to bring relief.
APPLICATION #3- Jesus lived with an urgency and a readiness to do His father’s will as He passed by. He lived knowing that His days were numbered. Be Like Jesus.
APPLICATION #4- You may not expect an area of your life to ever be changed.
Obey Jesus’s words regarding what He wants to heal in you, even if it seems too hard.