The Background: Sin, Suffering, and Sovereignty

This event sparks one of the most extended narratives and dialogues in the Gospels, focusing heavily on what it means to truly "see."

• The Question of Cause: When Jesus saw the man, the disciples immediately asked: “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” This reflected the common belief that all suffering was a direct result of personal sin.

• Jesus’s Sovereign Answer: Jesus rejected the common view, declaring: “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.” (John 9:3) This truth is vital for new Christians—suffering is often a sovereign opportunity for God to reveal His power and grace.

• The Identity Claim: Jesus then declared His identity, saying: “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” This sets up the central theme: Jesus brings light (truth and salvation) into the world’s darkness.

I. The Miracle: The Process of Healing

The healing itself was unusual, involving a specific, tactile, and faith-testing process.

• The Method: Jesus spat on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and applied the mud to the man’s eyes. He then commanded the man to go and wash in the Pool of Siloam (Siloam meaning "Sent"). The miracle required the man's obedience to complete the process.

• The Obedience: The man went, washed, and "came back seeing." His physical sight was restored completely.

• The Controversy: The healing triggered an intense investigation. The formerly blind man was dragged before the Pharisees, who refused to believe the healing was real because it was done on the Sabbath. They cared more about preserving their religious rules than celebrating God's power.

II. The Character Trait: Discipleship Through Insight

The formerly blind man's character shines in his bold, unwavering testimony to Christ amidst relentless pressure.

• The Simple Witness: The man’s defense was brilliant in its simplicity: “Whether he is a sinner I do not know, but one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” (John 9:25) He focused on his personal experience of transformation.

• Growing Faith: As the questioning intensified, the man’s view of Jesus progressed rapidly: He first called Jesus "the man called Jesus" (a healer), then "a prophet," and finally declared that Jesus "is from God." When the Pharisees cast him out of the synagogue (excommunicated him), he was willing to suffer adversity for Christ.

• Spiritual Sight: Jesus later found the man and asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” The man immediately confessed, “Lord, I believe,” and worshipped Him. The man who received physical sight instantly received spiritual sight as well, recognizing and worshipping the Son of God. The Pharisees, who could physically see, became the spiritually blind ones, deliberately refusing the light.

Applying the Truth Today

The miracle of the Man Born Blind teaches the new Christian that the greatest miracle is receiving spiritual sight—the ability to recognize Jesus as the Light of the World and the Son of God. When you face opposition or questioning about your faith, follow the man’s example: stand firm on your personal testimony ("I was blind, but now I see"), and allow the persecution to drive you deeper into worship and discipleship. Your past struggles are simply the platform for God's glory to be displayed.

Reflection Questions for Your Journey:

1. Blindness vs. Sight. What are you wilfully blind to in your life (a sin, a truth about Christ) because acknowledging it would be uncomfortable or require a change?

2. Simple Testimony. If someone challenged you, can you state your faith simply, like the man: "One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see"?

3. Adversity and Growth. The man’s faith grew strongest under pressure from the Pharisees. How is a current difficulty or opposition actually pushing you to grow deeper in your worship and discipleship?

Your Reading Guide

To grasp the miracle and the controversy, read John 9:1–7 and John 9:24–38. Next, read Jesus’s claim in John 8:12. Finally, read the result of seeing God's works in Ephesians 5:8.