Bible Commentaries
John 9

Verses 1-15

1 The sixth sign brings before us Israel's blindness, and the opening of their eyes when they recognize Him as the One Whom God has commissioned, at His return. It anticipates the crisis of His ministry, which was fast approaching, when He quoted the words of Isaiah, "He hath blinded their eyes, . . . that they should not see with their eyes. . ." ( Joh_12:40 ). The interest is centered in two distinct thoughts, the reason for his blindness, and the means of its removal. Why was this man born blind? The Jews took it for granted, as many do today, that all evil comes from sin, and that everyone is responsible for his own condition. This is absolutely false. Evil and sin are not outside of God's plan. They are essential to the highest happiness of the creature and the greatest glory of the Creator. This man's case was a concrete example. His healing was not because he was blind, but he was blind in order that he might recover sight, and thus God's acts may be manifested and God Himself may become known. This is true of all evil and all sin. God has introduced it into the world in order that He may display His attributes in coping with it and in removing it when its mission has been accomplished. The experience of evil and sin is transient; the memory of it will never pass away, but will always remain as the essential background apart from which God's goodness and grace never could be revealed. God's heart would always remain hidden apart from evil and sin. If this man's blindness had never been removed it would have revealed God's impotence and hate. So, if evil and sin are eternal, they will throw their darkest shadow upon the character and feelings of God, and thus defeat the very object for which they exist. But they are not eternal. Sin will be repudiated at the conclusion of the eons ( Heb_9:26 ). Only in this way can the works of God be manifested. It is useless for us to blame our parents for our sin, for they also inherited it. Even Adam could point to Eve and Eve to the serpent. We should rather thank God for it, and rejoice in the glory that it brings to God.

4 Adam in innocence knew no good. He could not appreciate what God had done for him. The only way he could know of good was to eat of the tree, which, however, also gave the knowledge of evil. The knowledge of good and of evil are inseparable. The blind man represents Israel. Why were they blind? Paul tells us in the eleventh of Romans. God locks all up together in stubbornness, that He should be merciful to all ( Rom_11:32 ). Because they were blinded they refused their Messiah and thus made it possible for God to pour out the riches of His grace on the nations. Their blindness makes it possible for Him to save them with a great salvation when He once again takes them to Himself, and thus He engages their affections. Those who see, revile Him. The blind man worships Him.

6 Before healing the blind man He increases his blindness by covering his eyes with mud. What does this mean? It corresponds with His treatment of Israel. He finds the nation blind, but instead of healing them then, He fulfills the saying of Isaiah, "He has blinded their eyes and callouses their heart, lest they may be perceiving with their eyes, and should be apprehending with their heart and turn about, and I should be healing them" ( Joh_12:40 ). Siloam means "commissioned". He continually referred to Himself as the One Whom God had sent.

When the Lord appears in glory, then they will wash in Siloam and see Him Who has been commissioned by God for their blessing. The blind man's spiritual recovery corresponded to his physical healing, for he said. "Except this Man were from God, He could not be doing anything" (33).

13 The Pharisees were the blindest of the blind. Though the most zealous and religious of all the Jewish sects, their self-confidence and hypocrisy made them the bitterest enemies of Christ and the truth. They claimed to be the spiritual leaders of the nation, hence receive the greater judgment. They boasted that they were not blind like the rest so that their sin remained. The disciples were confident that either the blind man or his parents had sinned; the Lord shows them that the Pharisees are the real sinners. This they soon demonstrate by their attempt to prove that His gracious act was not in accord with God's holy law. They had corrupted the law by their tradition.

Verses 16-41

16 It is notable how many of our Lord's recorded signs were done on the sabbath. Doubtless this indicates the fact that their antitype is to be found in the sabbatism which comes at His epiphany. When man ceases work, then is the time for God to act. Man's struggles hinder His operations and obscure the glory which invests His deeds. Holy blind the Pharisees were to this great truth is apparent from the fact that some of them actually insisted that the Lord Himself was the sinner! How far astray are all of man's perceptions! The disciples supposed it must be the blind man or his parents, the Pharisees fasten guilt on the Lord, but only He sees the truth, that the religious, self-righteous Pharisees are blind sinners above all the rest.

24 The double testimony given to the Pharisees may be a premonition of the second witness to the truth which was given to the nation, as recorded in the book of Acts. There also they give Moses and the law a place above our Lord and His apostles, who were "unlettered and plain men" ( Act_4:13 ) , not fit to teach scholars like themselves! But what the blind man lacked in scholarship he more than made up in common sense and spiritual discernment. He is amazed at their ignorance!

34 "They cast him out." This was most dreaded among the Jews, for it meant social as well as religious ostracism. How painful it is, even now, to be cast out of religious organizations, for it has all the semblanee of being cast off by God Himself. But today, even as it was then, it usually is a token of divine favor such as the Philippians enjoyed ( Php_1:29 ), and leads to a more intimate and precious acquaintance with our Saviour. Indeed, we should deem it an exalted privilege to suffer for and with Christ and His truth. There is no higher token of His regard or surer way to His reward than association with Him in His rejection.

38 Salvation, whether from physical or spiritual blindness, or lameness or any disability, is not an end in itself. It is largely futile if it fails to lead to a close acquaintance with God through His Christ. His grace captivates our hearts. The harsh measures of men only show His love in a better light. So, when the man who had been blind was cast out he was immediately taken in and was introduced to the One Who had restored his sight. Nor is this all. Once he knows Him, his heart goes out in adoration, and God gets the worship He craves. This is the true end and consummation of all evil and all blessing. How blessed that he had been born blind! What a pity that the Pharisees had not also been blind! Yet when they are recovered from their spiritual blindness, they also will bow their hearts and worship the One Who opens their blind eyes.

1 The Eastern sheepfold was an enclosure surrounded by a wall of rough jagged stones, skillfully piled, without mortar, about three feet wide at the base, tapering to one foot at the top, and from four to eight feet high. A narrow opening in this wall formed the entrance. There was no movable gate or door, but the shepherd blocked up the entrance at night with his body and so was himself the door. To be safe from wild beasts at night the sheep must come in between his outstretched limbs. The sheep runs were usually in wild, unfrequented spots, infested by bold Bedouin robbers and by wild beasts, such as the jackal, the hyena, the bear, the leopard, and the lion. David battled with a lion and a bear while he kept the sheep of his father ( 1Sa_17:36 ). For this purpose the shepherd had a stout oak club (A. V. "rod") about two feet long, with a large knob on one end studded with heavy iron nails. The other end had a noose for his wrist to help him hold it, or for fastening to his leather girdle when not in use. The shepherd had this club and a crook (rod and staff), one for the sheep's enemies, the other for the sheep themselves. With one he led them, with the other he defended them, even at the risk of his life.

The Psalmist insists that "We (Israel) are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand" ( Psa_95:7 . See also Psa_7:41 ; Psa_77:20 ; Psa_78:52 ; Psa_78:70 ; Psa_79:13 ; Psa_80:1 ). Isaiah foretells the time when He shall feed His flock as a Shepherd ( Isa_40:11 ). Jeremiah pronounces a woe on the spiritual shepherds in Israel and predicts their return out of the countries whither He had driven them ( Jer_23:1-4 ). Ezekiel speaks at length of the nation under this figure ( Eze_34:1-24 ). Now our Lord takes up the same metaphor and announces Himself as the true Shepherd of Israel. This figure is carried through the Circumcision epistles. Peter is especially commissioned to feed His sheep ( Joh_21:16 ) and exhorts his readers to do the same. This figure is never used of the nations in the present economy of grace, except in the faded metaphor "pastors". It is a figure peculiarly adapted to the kingdom, for the true King is a shepherd, as David was.

Instead of His people guarding and gorging Him, He feeds and defends them. Our translators have actually rendered the verb "rule" on four occasions ( Mat_2:6 ; Rev_2:27 ; Rev_12:5 ; Rev_19:15 ). The nations, as such, are figured by wild beasts, such as a lion, a leopard, or a bear. Our relation to Christ is far more intimate than even the tender Eastern shepherd toward His sheep, for He is our Head, and we are members of His body. The actual body of Christ is the only living form from earth in the heavens and it is the picture of our celestial place and dignity, as well as our vital contact with our Head.