John 9:1-15

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.