Engage The Scripture Podcast
Welcome to the Engage the Scripture Podcast, where the Bible is explored through its original historical, cultural, and literary context."
Engage The Scripture Podcast
Ep. 41 John 9: 1-12 The Man Born Blind
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We begin John 9 with the disciples’ question about suffering: “Who sinned?” Jesus’ answer reframes the entire problem of evil. Then we walk through the healing of the man born blind and the reaction of his neighbors in verses 8–12 — the first ripple of a miracle that will soon shake the religious establishment.
Welcome to Engage the Scripture Podcast, where we dive deep into the Bible through its original historical context, exploring the culture, customs, languages, and the events that Shaith is writing. We are excited to be with you today as we engage the scripture together. To learn more, visit our website at engagedscripture.com.
SPEAKER_02Welcome to Engage the Scripture. I'm excited as we step into John chapter 9 today. Brent, this is where Jesus shows us what it really means to be the light of the world, not just in theory, but in action. So if you guys are ready, I'm sure Brett is ready. Go ahead and read verse 1 and 2 and get us started, Brett.
SPEAKER_01Okay, hello everyone. I'll be reading from the ESV, John 9, verse 1 and 2. As he passed by, he told man blind from birth, and his disciples asked him, Rabbi, who said, this man or his aunt, that he was born blind. Thank you, Brett.
SPEAKER_02Alright, let's engage the scripture. The first thing to notice is that phrase as he went along. That's a pretty vague connector. John doesn't tell us exactly where Jesus is standing here. The text just says as he passed by. But based on the flow of chapters 8 through 10, it's very likely Jesus is still somewhere in Jerusalem, and probably in the general area of the temple. That's where he was teaching, that's where the conflict in chapter 8 took place, and that's where the pull of Tiloam is located, which will show up later in this chapter. And as Jesus is walking, he sees a man who has been blind from birth. This isn't someone who's lost his thought later in life. This is a man who has never seen anything. In the ancient world, that meant one thing, openness. Now, the text doesn't tell us exactly where this man is sitting in verses 1 and 2, but later in the chapter we learned he was a beggar. Now it doesn't say he's begging at the temple gate, but in the first victory, beggars usually position themselves in busy public spaces, major walkways, city gates, and yet near the temple because that's where the crowds were. Now, the fact that he was blind from birth carries a symbolic meaning. John uses physical blindness to picture spiritual blindness. Humanity is spiritually blind from birth. Paul says the God of this world blinds the minds of unbelievers, and that we are dead in our trespasses and sins. So this man becomes a living illustration of what Jesus came to do, give sight. Then notice the disciples ask Jesus a question that tells you exactly how people thought in the ancient world. They say, Rabbi, who sinned? This man or his parents, that he was born blind. That question reveals a very common assumption in Jewish thought during that time. If someone suffers, someone must have sinned. It's a very tight, cause and effect way of thinking. And the disciples give Jesus two options. Option one, the man sinned in the womb. Now, some rabbis actually believe that this was possible, that a fetus could sin or participate in the mother's sin. Option two, his parents are the one who sinned, and he's paying the price. They would point to scriptures like Exodus 20 or Deuteronomy 5 about the sins of the fathers visiting the children. But okay, so let's pause here for a minute and look at this. We know that all suffering ultimately traces back to the fall. There are times when a specific sin leads to specific consequences. The Bible is full of clear examples of that. But Scripture is also very clear, not every case works that way. Consider Job. Job didn't suffer because he sinned. And the disciples, they are thinking like Job's friends, who actually made things worse if you think about it. They were looking for someone to blame. They were trying to figure out whose sin caused the suffering. And Jesus himself says in Luke 13, don't assume that tragedy means guilt. But the disciples, they haven't moved past that old line of thinking yet.
SPEAKER_01Not much has changed in 2000 years. That kind of thinking is still pretty common today. When we see tragedy, it's easy to think, I wonder what they did to deserve this.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, and that's pretty common even today, but Jesus is about to redirect the whole conversation away from blame. He's going to shift it from who caused this to what is God going to do with this? From blame to purpose.
SPEAKER_01Verse 3, Jesus answered, It was not that this man sinned or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.
SPEAKER_02Okay, before we move deeper into what Jesus says next, we really need to talk about this verse for a minute. This is one of those verses that almost always raises a big question in people's minds about God and suffering. When folks read it, the first thing they usually wonder is, so did God make this man blind just so he could heal him later? And the way it reads on the surface can sound that way. So I can't understand why people ask that question. If you've never been taught on this subject, you know, that whole question of how a good, all-powerful God relates to suffering and evil, then I can see how it would stir up a lot of emotions and cause you to wrestle with God's goodness. Now, some of you may not be thinking about that at all, but we still need to talk about it for those who are. We need to handle it with real care.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, Jeff, I think that's exactly where a lot of people struggle. When you bring up the whole subject, how a good, all-powerful God relates to suffering and evil, people wonder, how can God allow this? And in this story specifically, did God actually cause this man's blindness? So yeah, let's talk about that for a minute.
SPEAKER_02That's the right question to ask, Brent. And the good news is Jesus is not saying God caused this man's blindness. The disciples are wanting to have someone to blame. Who sinned? Whose fault is this? Who caused this suffering? But Jesus says it's not because of his own sin. And it's not because of his parents' sin. This man's blindness is not a punishment. Now here's the part we need to hear clearly. When Jesus says that the works of God might be displayed in him, he's explaining the purpose of what he's about to do next. Jesus is basically telling the disciples, you're asking the wrong question. Don't look backward for blame. Look forward for what God is about to do.
SPEAKER_01Okay, Jeff, so if Jesus is redirecting the question, then what is the right way to think about this? Because when you say, Don't look backward for blame, that makes me wonder, how does God relate to suffering and evil? If God didn't cause this man's blindness, then what's going on?
SPEAKER_02Yes, and that's a fair question, Brent, and the way I learned to think about this going back to Bible college and the professors who shaped me, the whole framework they taught us is this. God does not cause moral evil. God does not inflict suffering just to make a point. God doesn't micromanage every tragedy like a chess master. Evil comes from the misuse of freedom, both human and supernatural. Now, God sets boundaries on evil, but he allows it to play out in a fallen world. And at the same time, he's steering history toward ultimate renewal.
SPEAKER_01Okay, slow down. So to answer the big question, how can an all-powerful, all-good God allow suffering and evil? What you're saying is this God isn't the one causing the evil or the pain. It's the result of people and spiritual beings misusing the freedom God gave them. And even though God doesn't cause it and keeps guiding everything towards his final plan. Yeah, that's much clearer way to think about it.
SPEAKER_02Exactly, Brent, and the clearest example of that is Jesus Himself. God didn't cause the evil that put Jesus on the cross. Human rebellion did that. But God stepped into that evil and turned it into the very thing that would save the world. So the cross is actually the perfect picture of how God deals with suffering. He doesn't create it, he doesn't delight in it, but he enters into it, he works through it, and he brings redemption out of it.
SPEAKER_01So when Jesus looks at this blind man, he's not saying God made you suffer. He's saying, watch what God can do with your suffering.
SPEAKER_02You got it. God can take the worst evil imaginable and turn it into the greatest act of salvation the world has ever seen. That's what Jesus is doing here. He's not explaining why suffering exists, he's revealing what God does with suffering when he steps into it. This man's life, his pain, his decades of darkness is about to become the stage where God's restoring power is revealed.
SPEAKER_01Awesome.
SPEAKER_02Yes, it is. Go ahead and read verse four and five.
SPEAKER_01Verse four and five, we must work the works of him who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. All right.
SPEAKER_02First notice the shift in pronouns. Jesus does not say I must work. He says, We must work. He pulls his disciples and by extension us into his mission. We must work the works of him who sent me. He says, What I am about to do with this man, this is what we do. This is what the kingdom looks like. Then Jesus talks about day and night. And in John's gospel, when he talks about day and night, he's not just talking about the time of day. He's using these words symbolically. Day is the time of Jesus' earthly ministry. You know, the window when the light of the world is present and God's works are being revealed. Night is the coming time of his arrest and crucifixion, the moment when the window closes and the powers of darkness seem to take over.
SPEAKER_01Okay. Day equals the time of Jesus' earthly ministry. Night equals the coming period of rejection, opposition, and Jesus' death.
SPEAKER_02That's right. Jesus is saying, while I am here, the light is shining. The Father's mission is moving. We need to do the work now because this window won't stay open forever. And that leads right into what Jesus says in verse 5. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. Jesus is saying, while I am here, my light is going to shine. He's not calling himself a light. He's saying he is the light. And what he's about to do with this blind man is going to show that. It's going to be a picture you can actually see. He's about to bring light into this man's physical darkness, the same way he came to bring light into our spiritual darkness. Jesus is about to reveal his identity through this darkness, and he's going to do it as the light who gives sight, not just to eyes, but also to hearts. And remember what we said earlier. Jesus isn't explaining the cause of the man's suffering. He's revealing the purpose of what he's about to do with it.
SPEAKER_01He's showing us that whatever darkness exists, the light of the world steps into it, not to blame, but to heal.
SPEAKER_02Yes, that's right. But we also need to see this. Those who are physically blind can't see light, even when it's right in front of them. And those who are spiritually blind, they can't see truth, even when God Himself is standing in front of them. But the good news is Jesus sees the man. He truly sees him, and he's about to do the work of his father.
SPEAKER_01Okay, verse six and seven. Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with his saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud and said to him, Go wash in the pool of Saloon, which means sent. So he went and washed and came back seeing.
SPEAKER_02Before we get into the details, let's just picture this scene for a moment. Verse 1 says, as Jesus passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. According to the text, he's not calling out, he's not asking for help, he's not looking for Jesus. He can't. He doesn't even know who Jesus is. And we'll find that out later in verse 11. The disciples, they see him and immediately turn it into a theological debate. They're talking about him like he's not even there. And Jesus steps in and corrects them. Then he says, We've got to do the works of God while we have the chance, while I'm here. In other words, the light is shining right now, so let's shine it. And then without the man asking for anything, Jesus spits on the ground, makes mud, and rubs it on the man's eyes.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that's kind of strange. He spit on the ground, makes mud, and rubs it on the man's eyes.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, let me say a quick word about the spit. In the ancient world, people actually believed saliva could heal. Well, some rabbis reject that idea, but in the Greco-Roman world, it was common. So Jesus is doing something people would have recognized. And he's also taking something people saw as unclean, turning it into healing. That's what he does. John uses the word anointed. He anointed his eyes. That just means to rub in. Jesus isn't doing a ceremony, he's simply applying the mud. Okay. Why mud? Yeah, well, scholars give a few possibilities, and honestly, any of them could be right. Number one, people believe spit could heal, so Jesus may be doing something familiar. Number two, it points back to creation. God formed Adam from the dust. Jesus is giving this man something he never had, eyes. So he's not restoring lost sight, but giving sight to someone born blind. Number three, and this definitely stirred up the Pharisees, making mud like that was considered work on the Sabbath. But Jesus wasn't breaking God's laws, he was breaking their man-made rules. Now, number four, the prophets of the Old Testament often acted things out. Sometimes the action itself was the message. Jesus may be doing that same thing here.
SPEAKER_01Man, this is kind of crazy though. This poor blind man is just sitting there, minding his own business, and then slap, spit mud goes on his eyes. He's probably thinking, What is happening right now? Who is this man? And why is he putting mud on my face? And then Jesus says, Go and wash in the pool. Well that sounds good, but he can't even see. How did he even get there? He's probably thinking, Okay, now I've got to go to the pool and wash this off.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, we're not told exactly how all this plays out, but if you didn't know who Jesus was, it could almost feel like he's playing a bad joke on this guy. I mean, from what we read from the text, this guy has no idea what's about to happen. He's not expecting a miracle, and now he's probably just trying to get the mud off his face. So navigating his way to the pool probably would have been inconvenient at best.
SPEAKER_01At least he followed instructions, he went and washed the mud off.
SPEAKER_02You're right, the man did respond. He went where Jesus told him to go, and when he did, that's where the miracle met him. But we need to be careful here. The man's obedience did not cause the miracle. Jesus caused the miracle. The power wasn't in the mud, and it wasn't in the water. The power was in Jesus. Is there anything we should know about that pool Jesus sent him to? Yes, there actually is. Jesus sends him to the pool of Siloam, and John tells us that that name means Scent. Scholars don't think that's random. Jesus is the one sent by the Father, and now he sends this man to a pool called Sent. It's like a little sign inside the story pointing to who Jesus really is. Also, we know exactly where this pool is. It was uncovered in 2004. Fresh water from the Gihon Springs flowed into it, and pilgrims used it to wash before going up to the temple. It's about a half a mile's walk down to the pool from the city of David, but it's a long, tiring climb back up to where the temple mount would have been. So picture this blind man with mud on his eyes, feeling his way down that path, washing in the pool, and then making that steep walk back up. And somewhere along the way, back up, he opens his eyes and realizes he can see. For the first time in his life, he's seen a world he had only touched and smelled.
SPEAKER_01Okay, let's keep reading. Verse eight through twelve. The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, Is this not the man who used to sit and beg? Some said it is he. Others said, No, but he is like him. He kept saying, I am the man. So they said to him, Then how were your eyes opened? He answered, The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes, and said to me, Go to Salom and wash. So I went there and washed, and received my sight. They said to him, Where is he? He said, I do not know.
SPEAKER_02Alright, so let's walk through this. Verse eight says, The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar started talking. These are the people who knew him best. They've walked past him for years, although we don't know for sure, but some of these people probably dropped coins in his hands. He was probably a fixture in that area. Everybody probably knew the blind beggar. So when he suddenly shows up seeing, they don't know what to do with that. Some say that's him, others say it just looks like him. They are so shocked that it's easier to believe he disappeared and a lookalike took his place. But the man keeps saying, I am the man. He's like, guys, it's me. Then in verse 10, they finally ask the obvious question. Okay, then how were your eyes opened? And this is where you see how sharp this guy is. Unlike the man in chapter 5 who didn't even know who healed him, this man gives a clear, simple factual account. He says, The man called Jesus made mud, put it on my eyes, told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went, I washed, and I received my sight. That's all he knows. He calls Jesus the man called Jesus. He's never seen him. Remember, he was blind when Jesus put the mud on his eyes.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, right. He only knows the name because people were talking about him.
SPEAKER_02And when they ask, where is he? He says, I don't know. And that's true. He literally couldn't have known. One more thing here, notice that in verses 8 to 12, there are no Pharisees in the picture yet. These are just the neighbors, the people who watched him grow up, the people who've seen him begging his whole life. If anyone should recognize him, it's them. And this is just the beginning, because in the next section, which we will get into next week, the religious leaders show up. And this man is about to hold his own against them in a way that's honestly brilliant.
SPEAKER_01Oh yeah, it gets really interesting. So we'll jump into this next week. Thanks for listening. We'll see you then.
SPEAKER_02If you enjoyed the podcast, send us an email and let us know and allow us to pray for you. God bless you all.
SPEAKER_00You've been listening to Engage the Scripture Podcast, where context reveals the meaning. The spirit reveals the truth, and together they illuminate God's Word. If you have questions or want to dive deeper into today's topic, visit engagethescripture.com. Click on the link to the podcast notes. This podcast is for educational and virtual purposes only. The views expressed are those of the host and guests and do not constitute professional advice. Listeners are encouraged to study scripture and seek guidance to trusted spiritual leaders.