God Speaks
As he was walking along, he saw a man blind from birth.
2 “Master,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it a result of his own sins or those of his parents?”
3 “Neither,” Jesus answered. “But to demonstrate the power of God. 4 All of us must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent me, for there is little time left before the night falls and all work comes to an end. 5 But while I am still here in the world, I give it my light.”
6 Then he spat on the ground and made mud from the spittle and smoothed the mud over the blind man’s eyes, 7 and told him, “Go and wash in the Pool of Siloam” (the word Siloam means “Sent”). So the man went where he was sent and washed and came back seeing!
8 His neighbors and others who knew him as a blind beggar asked each other, “Is this the same fellow—that beggar?”
9 Some said yes, and some said no. “It can’t be the same man,” they thought, “but he surely looks like him!”
And the beggar said, “I am the same man!”
10 Then they asked him how in the world he could see. What had happened?
11 And he told them, “A man they call Jesus made mud and smoothed it over my eyes and told me to go to the Pool of Siloam and wash off the mud. I did, and I can see!”
12 “Where is he now?” they asked.
“I don’t know,” he replied.
13 Then they took the man to the Pharisees. 14 Now as it happened, this all occurred on a Sabbath. 15 Then the Pharisees asked him all about it. So he told them how Jesus had smoothed the mud over his eyes, and when it was washed away, he could see!
16 Some of them said, “Then this fellow Jesus is not from God because he is working on the Sabbath.”
Others said, “But how could an ordinary sinner do such miracles?” So there was a deep division of opinion among them.
17 Then the Pharisees turned on the man who had been blind and demanded, “This man who opened your eyes—who do you say he is?”
“I think he must be a prophet sent from God,” the man replied.
18 The Jewish leaders wouldn’t believe he had been blind, until they called in his parents 19 and asked them, “Is this your son? Was he born blind? If so, how can he see?”
20 His parents replied, “We know this is our son and that he was born blind, 21 but we don’t know what happened to make him see, or who did it. He is old enough to speak for himself. Ask him.”
22-23 They said this in fear of the Jewish leaders who had announced that anyone saying Jesus was the Messiah would be excommunicated.
24 So for the second time they called in the man who had been blind and told him, “Give the glory to God, not to Jesus, for we know Jesus is an evil person.”
25 “I don’t know whether he is good or bad,” the man replied, “but I know this: I was blind, and now I see!”
26 “But what did he do?” they asked. “How did he heal you?”
27 “Look!” the man exclaimed. “I told you once; didn’t you listen? Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?”
28 Then they cursed him and said, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know God has spoken to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t know anything about him.”
30 “Why, that’s very strange!” the man replied. “He can heal blind men, and yet you don’t know anything about him! 31 Well, God doesn’t listen to evil men, but he has open ears to those who worship him and do his will. 32 Since the world began there has never been anyone who could open the eyes of someone born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he couldn’t do it.”
34 “You illegitimate bastard, you!” they shouted. “Are you trying to teach us?” And they threw him out.
35 When Jesus heard what had happened, he found the man and said, “Do you believe in the Messiah?”
36 The man answered, “Who is he, sir, for I want to.”
37 “You have seen him,” Jesus said, “and he is speaking to you!”
38 “Yes, Lord,” the man said, “I believe!” And he worshiped Jesus.
39 Then Jesus told him, “I have come into the world to give sight to those who are spiritually blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.”
40 The Pharisees who were standing there asked, “Are you saying we are blind?”
41 “If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty,” Jesus replied. “But your guilt remains because you claim to know what you are doing.
Source: The Living Bible: BibleGateway.com
We Respond
Reflection: This chapter outlines an example of how one person made steady progress while growing in faith in Christ. Just as this man was born blind, all human beings are born blind to the things of God, having a natural inclination to sin. The cause of his blindness was not anyone’s specific sin, but to demonstrate the attributes of God, in this case His healing power. Once he was in Jesus’s presence, the blind man’s only responsibility was to believe and act on what Jesus said. This man obeyed Jesus and received his sight. When we believe what Jesus did for us on the cross and obey Him, we will receive eternal life. Next, he affirmed that he was the person who was healed. New believers need to affirm that they have been set free from their sin. The man was asked by his neighbors what had happened, and he gave a simple straight-forward answer. When questioned by the Pharisees, who were concerned about keeping the Sabbath, the man said, “I think He is a prophet sent from God.” His changed life was confirmed by those who knew him best, his parents. People close to us should be able to see changes in our lives. When the religious leaders asked him again, he reiterated, “I was blind and now I see.” We should be able to simply state the change Jesus has made in us. Again, they demanded to be told how he had been healed. He asked if they wanted to become His disciples (students). We should want to learn directly from Him (through the Bible and interactive prayer). When the authorities cursed him for suggesting such a thing, he answered, “Well, God doesn’t listen to evil men, but He has open ears to those who worship Him and do His will. Since the world began there has never been anyone who could open the eyes of someone born blind. If this man were not from God, he couldn’t do it.” (John 8:31-33 TLB) This is an example of God giving someone a bold witness (guided by the Holy Spirit) of who Jesus is when we are called before various authorities as He promised in Mark 13:11. We should depend on and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit as well whenever we are called on to give testimony about Christ’s work in our lives. The authorities got so angry that they threw him out. Finally, the man was granted a time of personal interaction with Jesus. Jesus asked him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?” Once Jesus identified Himself as the Christ (Messiah), the formerly blind man said, “‘Yes, Lord, . . . I believe!’ And he worshiped Jesus.” Jesus came to give sight to the spiritually blind and to help those who think they can see realize that they really are blind without faith in Him.
Prayer: Dear Father God, thank You for loving me. I want to make steady progress while growing in my faith in Christ. I acknowledge that I was born blind to the things of God, having a natural inclination to sin. The cause of the difficulties in my life was to demonstrate the attributes of God, in my case Your pure unfailing love. Once I was in Your presence, Jesus, my only responsibility was to believe and act on what Jesus said. I have obeyed You and received Your great healing. Since I believe what Jesus did for me on the cross and obey Him, I have received eternal life. I affirm that I am a person who has been healed. As a believer, I affirm that I have been set free from sin. May I give a simple straight-forward answer to anyone who asks me a reason for my hope. I will tell them that He is more than just a prophet (a great teacher). He was sent from God to destroy the works of Satan and save us from our sins. May my changed life be confirmed by those who know me best. May those close to me be able to see changes in my life. May I be able to explain to even religious leaders, “I was spiritually blind and now I can see and understand Jesus and the things of God.” I want to be able to simply state the change Jesus has made in me. May I be ready to tell how I have been healed any time someone asks. Help me to ask people if they want to become Jesus’s disciples (students). May we all want to learn directly from You (through the Bible and interactive prayer). Whenever anyone curses or insults me, may I answer, “God doesn’t listen to evil people, but He has open ears to those who worship Him and do His will. Since the world began there has never been anyone who could open the eyes of someone born blind. If Jesus were not from God, he couldn’t do it.” Lord God, please give me a bold witness (guided by the Holy Spirit) of who Jesus is when I am called before various authorities as You promised in Mark 13:11. I want to depend on and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit as well whenever I am called on to give testimony about Christ’s work in my life. Help me to trust You if the authorities get so angry that they throw me out (or into prison). Finally, please grant me times of personal interaction with You on a regular basis. Jesus, whenever You ask me “Do you believe in the Son of God?” may I identify You as the Christ (Messiah), my Savior and Lord. May I say with the formerly blind man, “Yes, Lord, . . . I believe!” And worship You, Jesus. You, Lord Jesus, came to give sight to the spiritually blind and to help those who think they can see realize that they really are blind without faith in You. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will examine my life using the experience of the man born blind as a pattern to see where I am in my spiritual walk.
- I will seek to grow in my understanding of who Jesus is as this formerly blind man did.
- I will ask the Lord to give me a burden for souls, the opportunity to speak up for Christ, and a boldness that won’t back down when my faith in Christ is questioned.
- I will be alert, listen for and obey the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.