For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind

 

 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight.  And they asked them, saying, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind?  How then does he now see?"  His parents answered them and said, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know.  He is of age; ask him.  He will speak for himself."  His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue.  Therefore his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."  So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, "Give God the glory!  We know that this Man is a sinner."  He answered and said, "Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know.  One thing I know:  that though I was blind, now I see."

 

Then they said to him again, "What did He do to you?  How did He open your eyes?"  He answered them, "I told you  already, and you did not listen.  Why do you want to hear it again?  Do you also want to become His disciples?"  Then they reviled him and said, "You are His disciple, but we are Moses' disciples.  We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from."  The man answered and said to them, "Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes!  Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.  Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind.  If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing."   They answered and said to him, "You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?"  And they cast him out.  

Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, "Do you believe in the Son of God?"  He answered and said, "Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?"  And Jesus said to him, "You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you."  Then he said, "Lord, I believe!"  And he worshiped Him.  And Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind."  Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, "Are we blind also?"  Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, 'We see.'  Therefore your sin remains."

 

- John 9:18-41 

 

 In our present readings, we are in chapter 9 of John's Gospel.  John 7:1-10:21 covers the events at the Feast of Tabernacles, which takes place during the final year of Jesus' earthly life.  Yesterday we read that, as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth.  And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"  Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.  I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."  When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay.  And He said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent).  So he went and washed, and came back seeing.  Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, "Is not this he who sat and begged?"  Some said, "This is he."  Others said, "He is like him."  He said, "I am he."  Therefore they said to him, "How were your eyes opened?"  He answered and said, "A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, 'Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.'  So I went and washed, and I received sight."  Then they said to him, "Where is He?"  He said, "I do not know." They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees.  Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus  made the clay and opened his eyes.  Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight.  He said to them, "He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see."  Therefore some of the Pharisees said, "This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath."  Others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?"  And there was a division among them.  They said to the blind man again, "What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?"  he said, "He is a prophet."

 

 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight.  And they asked them, saying, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind?  How then does he now see?"  His parents answered them and said, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know.  He is of age; ask him.  He will speak for himself."  His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue.  Therefore his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."  So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, "Give God the glory!  We know that this Man is a sinner."  My study Bible comments on the behavior of the Pharisees here. It notes that with Jesus not present, they still call Him a sinner.  But earlier when He asked them face-to-face, "Which of you convicts Me of sin?" (John 8:46), they evaded that question.  Give God the glory! is an oath formula which was used before giving testimony.  My study Bible points out that he does indeed give God glory (verse 38).  The more he is pressed, the more fervent his faith becomes, while the Pharisees lapse into deeper darkness.  

 

He answered and said, "Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know.  One thing I know:  that though I was blind, now I see."   Here the healed man becomes a model of Christian witness.  My study Bible comments that many people do not bear witness to Christ because they fear they will be asked questions they cannot answer.  This man's response to people who are much more educated than he is provides our solution:  he admits what he does not know, but follows with what he does know.  This formula, "That I don't know, but what I do know is this," is foundational to witnessing one's faith to others.  

Then they said to him again, "What did He do to you?  How did He open your eyes?"  He answered them, "I told you  already, and you did not listen.  Why do you want to hear it again?  Do you also want to become His disciples?"  Then they reviled him and said, "You are His disciple, but we are Moses' disciples.  We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from."  The man answered and said to them, "Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes!  Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.  Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind.  If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing."   They answered and said to him, "You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?"  And they cast him out.   Here the Gospel gives witness to the transformation of faith taking place in this healed man.  My study Bible points out that he moves from knowing nearly nothing about Christ, through to the conclusion that Jesus cannot possibly be a sinner, to finally confessing that Jesus must be from God.  As the Pharisees once again cannot refute the man's logic, nor the truth of what he reveals, they once again resort to personal insult (see John 8:48).  Additionally, my study Bible comments on this passage that the unprecedented nature of opening the eyes of one who was born blind is a confirmation of Christ's divinity.  This was one of the prophesied signs of the coming Messiah (Isaiah 35:5; 42:7) and a prerogative belonging solely to God (Psalm 146:8). 

Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, "Do you believe in the Son of God?"  He answered and said, "Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?"  And Jesus said to him, "You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you."  Then he said, "Lord, I believe!"  And he worshiped Him.  Here the man healed of physical blindness is also healed of spiritual blindness:  he comes to see Jesus for who He is:  the divine Son of God whom it is appropriate to worship. 

 

 And Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind."  Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, "Are we blind also?"  Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, 'We see.'  Therefore your sin remains."  My study Bible comments here that our Lord's coming brought judgment to the world, not because He came to judge (John 12:47-48), but because of our accountability to Him.  Those who see and hear Christ but do not believe are judged by their own faithlessness.  

It's quite a marvel to observe this man blind from birth who first has sight given to him by Jesus, and then -- even tested by the religious leaders and their questions (which his parents refuse to answer themselves) -- he gradually is "illumined" with faith in Christ.  Clearly we can see the parallels to holy illumination, the light now permeating and taken in by his eyes also parallel to the spiritual light with which he sees as well.  As my study Bible explained in an earlier note at the beginning of this chapter (see yesterday's reading and commentary), baptism is also called "holy illumination," and the focus on light in this chapter teaches us about this process of coming to "see."  But today's reading is also a story about judgment, as Jesus' final notes in this chapter signal.  He has come for judgment.  And Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind."  As is not unusual in the stories of the Gospels, God the Father has revealed something not to the wise and prudent, but to babes (see Matthew 11:25; Luke 10:21).  For if it is God the Father who revealed Jesus' identity as Christ, the Son of the living God, to St. Peter and the disciples (see Saturday's reading), then why should we not assume that the Father has also revealed to this "babe," the one whose sight has just been given to him through grace, Jesus' divine identity?  So let us rejoice at the judgment we witness, that the wise and prudent remain stubbornly, deliberately blind, while the mouth of a babe who has just received his sight confesses that Jesus is the Christ.  Who's to say who has sight?  Who sees and knows, who doesn't see, and doesn't know?  These experts in the Scripture (the Pharisees) are the authorities passing judgment on Christ, and will soon successfully bring Him to trial.  But it is the healed who see, even the "babes" with fresh sight.  It is by grace that we have our eyes opened.  St. Paul writes, "Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit" (1 Corinthians 12:3).

 

Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him

 

 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth.  And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"  Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.  I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."  When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay.  

 

And He said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent).  So he went and washed, and came back seeing.  Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, "Is not this he who sat and begged?"  Some said, "This is he."  Others said, "He is like him."  He said, "I am he."  Therefore they said to him, "How were your eyes opened?"  He answered and said, "A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, 'Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.'  So I went and washed, and I received sight."  Then they said to him, "Where is He?"  He said, "I do not know."

 

They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees.  Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus  made the clay and opened his eyes.  Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight.  He said to them, "He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see."  Therefore some of the Pharisees said, "This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath."  Others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?"  And there was a division among them.  They said to the blind man again, "What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?"  he said, "He is a prophet."

 

- John 9:1–17 

 

Last week, the lectionary gave us readings from chapter 6 of John's Gospel.  In Friday's reading, we read that Jesus taught, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.  Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.  For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed.  He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him."   On Saturday, we read that therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, "This is a hard saying; who can understand it?"  When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, "Does this offend you?  What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend to where He was before?  It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing.  The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.  But there are some of you who do not believe."  For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him.  And he said, "Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it had been granted to him by My Father."  From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.  Then Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also want to go away?"  But Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life.  Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."  Jesus answered them, "Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?"  He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve.

 

Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth.  Today's reading consists of a healing which comprises the sixth sign (of seven) given in John's Gospel.  Of all the miracle stories in the Bible, my study Bible teaches, this is the only one in which the person was blind from birth.  This man, it says, is symbolic of all humanity.  We all need illumination by Christ, who is the Light of the world.  Today the lectionary picks up in chapter 9 which follows the readings from chapter 8 the week before last.  (Last week the lectionary gave us John's chapter 6, centered on the second Passover given in John's gospel, and focused on Christ as the bread from heaven, featuring a eucharistic message preparing us for His sacrifice on the Cross, and the Communion which would follow in the Church.)  Chapter 8 focused on elements of Himself as light in Christ's preaching, and events at the Feast of Tabernacles, which began in chapter 7.  This setting is now the autumn of Christ's final year of His earthly life, and continues at the Feast of Tabernacles.

 

 And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"  Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him."  Our Savior rejects the assumption -- which my study Bible says was common in the ancient world -- that all troubles and maladies are necessarily the consequence of personal sin, or even the sins of one's parents (see Exodus 20:5; Deuteronomy 5:9; contrast Ezekiel 18:19-21).  Although suffering can be the direct result of personal sin, it notes, this is most certainly not always the case.  In this instance, this man's blindness provides the occasion for the works of God to be revealed.  It was not related directly to the man's personal sins.  

"I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work."  The work that people do consists of faith (John 6:29), good deeds (John 5:29), and repentance (John 12:40), my study Bible says.  The night which follows is a reference both to the time after a person dies and also to the age to come, when there will no longer be an opportunity to express faith.  On that day, my study Bible notes, citing the commentary of St. John Chrysostom, there will not be faith, but all will submit, either willingly or unwillingly. 

 

"As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." The unprecedented healing of a man born blind is  confirmation of Christ's claim that He is the light of the world.  At the Feast of Tabernacles, which is now in its final, eighth day, the great lamps were lit in the courtyard of the temple.  They towered over Jerusalem, and were so bright that they lit up the city.   Jesus made this same claim at John 8:12, declaring Himself to be the fulfillment and the divine object of all celebrations of light.  God the Father, in the Scriptures, is Himself light (John 1:4-9; 1 John 1:5), which is an attribute bestowed on followers (Matthew 5:14; Philippians 2:15).  

When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay.  My study Bible cites St. Irenaeus, who sees in this mixture of clay and saliva a type of the creation of humanity from the earth (Genesis 2:7).  Christ's reveals His divinity here by restoring part of creation using the same material with which He created humanity in the beginning.  

And He said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent).  So he went and washed, and came back seeing.  Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, "Is not this he who sat and begged?"  Some said, "This is he."  Others said, "He is like him."  He said, "I am he."  Therefore they said to him, "How were your eyes opened?"  He answered and said, "A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, 'Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.'  So I went and washed, and I received sight."  Then they said to him, "Where is He?"  He said, "I do not know."   My study Bible explains that the pool of Siloam was on the outskirts of Jerusalem, a considerable distance from the temple.  It notes that water was taken from this pool for the rites connected with the Feast of Tabernacles.  Siloam, translated, Sent, is symbolic of Christ, who is the One sent by the Father (John 5:36; 20:21).  As the healing of this blind man confirmed Jesus' claim to be the light of the world (see above), so also, His making use of this pool of Siloam confirms that He is the true purification of the temple and those who worship in it.  

They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees.  Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus  made the clay and opened his eyes.  Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight.  He said to them, "He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see."  Therefore some of the Pharisees said, "This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath."  Others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?"  And there was a division among them.  They said to the blind man again, "What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?"  he said, "He is a prophet."   Earlier, in chapter 5 (John 5:10-16), the Pharisees had ignored the healing of the paralytic, and focused only on the perceived violation of the Sabbath.  So, here, also, many of them cannot see the glory of God through their own prejudices.  

As my study Bible noted (see above), this blind man is symbolic of all humanity -- we all need illumination by Christ, who is the Light of the world.  It further notes that this sixth sign of seven given in John's Gospel is an illustration of baptism, which is also called "holy illumination."  We might note how Baptism also corresponds to the use of this pool, named Siloam meaning "Sent."  So, in some sense, Christ "recreates" this man's eyes using His saliva and earth, and then the eyes of creation are washed in the waters called "Sent."  This mirrors our own "recreation," and "washing" in the waters of Holy Baptism, which do not simply cleanse but also give us a rebirth "from above" (the literal meaning of the words translated as "born again" in John 3:3).  Perhaps in this context it is highly important to take in Jesus' words regarding sin and this man born blind.  As my study Bible explained the ancient assumption that such an affliction from birth was caused by a sin of either the man himself or his parents, so Jesus dispels this notion, and gives us instead a joyful cause even for his affliction:  so "that the works of God should be revealed in him."  This is a marvel, somewhat akin to the Crucifixion, a means of death given as penalty to the worst of criminals, but used by God to instead destroy death for all of us, giving Resurrection and our capacity to participate as well in Christ's Resurrection.  This marvelous sense given to us of how God works is another sort of revelation of God's love, and stands on its head the notion of affliction merely as means of punishment for some transgression.  It also is mirrored in St. Paul's understanding of his own affliction, for which he earnestly prayed several times for relief.  St. Paul writes of the response to his prayer, "And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me" (2 Corinthians 12:9).  Suppose we each were to observe that our Baptism functions as a chance for God's grace to shine for us through our own afflictions in life?  Or that even God's love is present for us through all things?  We know through His life and especially through the Cross that Christ suffers with us, has chosen to be one of us in His life as incarnate Jesus.  But what if we were to understand from today's reading, and others like it (such as those we cite here) that our own occasions of suffering are meant to be occasions for inviting in the grace of God so that our own suffering is transfigured into something which has deeper meanings?  How many unfortunate circumstances may also turn into opportunities in which God's grace is sufficient for us?  If we know that God is love (1 John 4:8), that through Baptism and through our faithfulness we are adopted as God's children and "born again" in this sense, then what are the limits of healing our unfortunate and hurtful circumstances of life?  It is very important to consider that reliance upon God is much more than a simple formula for strength, but also found within a communion of love and healing, the creativity of the Creator (as expressed in the healing of the man blind from birth in today's reading), and that this is included in the Body of the Church and the communion of saints as well.  How many can testify to the power of God to heal a soul, release a burden, give renewed hope and life to those whose lives have been harmed by abuse and unfortunate choices, whether those choices are theirs or others?  Let us consider that grace works in God's way (see for example John 3:8; Isaiah 55:8-9) and not to our demands or expectations.  In fact, we might not really know what our own healing will look like. But nevertheless, we know God is always present, and grace belongs within our lives.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind

 

 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight.  And they asked them, saying, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind?  How then does he now see?"  His parents answered them and said, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know.  He is of age; ask him.  He will speak for himself."  His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue.  Therefore his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."  So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, "Give God the glory!  We know that this Man is a sinner."  He answered and said, "Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know.  One thing I know; that though I was blind, now I see."

Then they said to him again, "What did He do to you?  How did He open your eyes?"  He answered them, "I told you already, and you did not listen.  Why do you want to hear it again?  Do you also want to become His disciples?"  Then they reviled him and said, "You are His disciple, but we are Moses' disciples.  We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from."  The man answered and said to them, "Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes!  Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.  Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind.  If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing."  They answered and said to him, "You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?"  And they cast him out.

Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, "Do you believe in the Son of God?"  He answered and said, "Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?"  And Jesus said to him, "You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you."  Then he said, "Lord, I believe!"  And he worshiped Him  And Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind."  Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, "Are we blind also?"  Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, 'We see.'  Therefore your sin remains."

 

- John 9:18–41 

 

In our current readings, Jesus is at the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem, and it is the final year of His earthly life.  He has been disputing in the temple with the religious leaders, who sought to arrest Him and to stone Him, and failed to do either one.  Yesterday we read that, as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth.  And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"  Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.  I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."  When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay.  And He said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent).  So he went and washed, and came back seeing.  Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, "Is not this he who sat and begged?"  Some said, "This is he."  Others said, "He is like him."  He said, "I am he."  Therefore they said to him, "How were your eyes opened?"  He answered and said, "A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, 'Go to the pool of Siloam and wash."  So I went and washed, and I received sight."  Then they said to him, "Where is He?"  He said, "I do not know."  They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees.  Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes.  Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight.  He said to them, "He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see."  Therefore some of the Pharisees said, "This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath."  Others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?"  And there was a division among them.  They said to the blind man again, "What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?"  He said, "He is a prophet."

 

 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight.  And they asked them, saying, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind?  How then does he now see?"  His parents answered them and said, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know.  He is of age; ask him.  He will speak for himself."  His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue.  Therefore his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."  So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, "Give God the glory!  We know that this Man is a sinner."   My study Bible comments that, with Jesus not present, the Pharisees call Him a sinner, but earlier when He asked them face-to-face, "Which of you convicts me of sin?" (John 8:46), they evaded the question.  Give God the glory! was an oath formula which was used before giving testimony, according to my study Bible.  But nonetheless, God truly give God glory.  The more he's pressed, the more fervent his faith grows, and at the same time, the Pharisees lapse into deeper darkness. 

He answered and said, "Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know.  One thing I know; that though I was blind, now I see."  In giving this testimony, the healed man becomes a model of Christian witness.  My study Bible comments that many people do not bear witness to Christ because they are afraid they will be asked questions which they cannot answer.  But this man's answer to people who are more educated  than he is provides the right solution:  he admits what he does not know, but follows up with what he does not know, but yet follows up with what he does know.  My study Bible says that the formula, "That I don't know, but what I do know is this," is foundational to witnessing one's faith to others.

Then they said to him again, "What did He do to you?  How did He open your eyes?"  He answered them, "I told you already, and you did not listen.  Why do you want to hear it again?  Do you also want to become His disciples?"  Then they reviled him and said, "You are His disciple, but we are Moses' disciples.  We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from."  The man answered and said to them, "Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes!  Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.  Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind.  If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing."  They answered and said to him, "You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?"  And they cast him out.  Since Christ had opened this formerly blind man's eyes, He also opens his heart and illumines his spirit.  The man has moved from knowing almost nothing about Christ (verse 25), through the understanding that Jesus could not possibly be a sinner (verse 31), to confessing that Jesus must be from God (verse 33); and finally to see Christ as the divine Son of God and worship Him (John 9:38).  Since the Pharisees once again cannot refuge the man's logic nor the truth of what he reveals, they once more resort to personal insult ("You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?"); see also John 8:48.  Additionally the unprecedented nature of opening the eyes of one who was born blind, my study Bible comments, is a confirmation of Christ's divinity.  This was one of the signs of the coming Messiah (Isaiah 35:5; 42:7) and a prerogative which belonged solely to God (Psalm 146:8).

Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, "Do you believe in the Son of God?"  He answered and said, "Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?"  And Jesus said to him, "You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you."  Then he said, "Lord, I believe!"  And he worshiped Him  And Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind."  Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, "Are we blind also?"  Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, 'We see.'  Therefore your sin remains."  My study Bible notes here that the Lord's coming brought judgment to the world, not because He came to judge (John 12:47-48), but because of our accountability to Him.  It says that those who see and hear Him but do not believe are judged by their own faithlessness. 

 

Today's reading is marked by issues of "sight."  How do we see?  What do we see?  Are we responsible if we say we see?  Jesus has healed this man blind from birth, a miraculous healing that is singular in all of Scripture -- for never was there a report of a person whose sight was restored from blindness at birth.  Of course the religious leaders are even more zealously going to go after Christ now.  They were already after Him after He healed a paralytic on the Sabbath.   Now this stupendous miracle of healing a man blind from birth has also happened on a Sabbath.  The religious leaders begin by questioning the formerly blind man's parents, who are so terrified to respond that they say, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know.  He is of age; ask him.  He will speak for himself."  It's a little like the story of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3, only the inverse.  There we also read about sudden sight; we're told, "Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings."  God asks them, "Who told you that you were naked?"  Adam first blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent.  They will all pay the consequences, and we the inheritors of the earth live with the same.  But in some sense, in this healing, Jesus reverses what is sometimes referred to as the Fall.  There is no shame in this act of this man's eyes being opened.  On the contrary, Jesus has declared, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him."  Here this man's eyes having been opened in the sense of physical sight, we see his spiritual sight gradually grow as well.  Again, the themes of sight and sinning reverse themselves from the Genesis story.  The religious leaders swear him to an oath, significantly, "Give God the glory!"  And they go on to claim about Jesus, "We know that this Man is a sinner."  The roles are reversed; here it is God Himself in the Person of Christ the Son who is declared a sinner by the religious leaders.  The formerly blind man answered and said, "Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know.  One thing I know; that though I was blind, now I see."  It's truly powerful that my study Bible declares this the model of Christian witness or testimony of faith; it is both about seeing and telling the truth one knows, and that leads to a greater and expanding vision of truth.  This in turn leads to a greater revelation of faith; Jesus finds and asks the man if he believes in the Son of God.  Then He reveals to him, "You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you."  Then the man declares, "Lord, I believe!" His spiritual sight being truly opened, he then worshiped Christ.  This is the restoration of the relationship between God and Adam and Eve in the Garden, where this healed man may now speak with and fully engage in worship with God.  But there's a deeper story than the simple reversal of the Fall; it is a picture of this world in which Christ has entered.  And Jesus declares this new state of the world, this new age, in the following open way for all of us:  "For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind." This seems a paradoxical statement, but it is both further illumined and made more complex in Christ's next statement to the religious leaders, who still quite evidently don't see, ""If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, 'We see.'  Therefore your sin remains."  They cannot admit to their blindness and repent; but they declare they see, so their sin remains.  This is the state of the world in which we live now, this age which the coming of Christ has inaugurated for judgment.  At the Last Supper, Jesus will say to the disciples, "Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged" (John 16:7-11).  So we dwell in this place where so much depends upon our sight, on how we rely on faith to open our sight, or not:  sin, righteousness, and judgment all live there.  How will we play our part?  To whom shall we turn for our illumination, our sight, so that our eyes are washed in the living water He offers to restore? 

 

 

As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world

 

 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth.  And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"  Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.  I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."  When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay.  And He said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent).  So he went and washed, and came back seeing.  Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, "Is not this he who sat and begged?"  Some said, "This is he."  Others said, "He is like him."  He said, "I am he."  Therefore they said to him, "How were your eyes opened?"  He answered and said, "A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, 'Go to the pool of Siloam and wash."  So I went and washed, and I received sight."  Then they said to him, "Where is He?"  He said, "I do not know."  

They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees.  Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes.  Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight.  He said to them, "He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see."  Therefore some of the Pharisees said, "This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath."  Others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?"  And there was a division among them.  They said to the blind man again, "What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?"  He said, "He is a prophet."

 

- John 9:1–17 

 

 In our present readings, Jesus is attending the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem.  It is an autumn harvest festival, commemorating the time when Israel wandered the wilderness of Sinai, dwelling in tents or "tabernacles."  Jesus has been disputing with the religious leadership, and this is now the final year of His earthly life.  Yesterday we read that Jesus said, "He who is of God hears God's words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God."  Then the Jews answered and said to Him, "Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?"  Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.  And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges.  Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death."  Then the Jews said to Him, "Now we know that You have a demon!  Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, 'If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.'  Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead?  And the prophets are dead.  Who do You make Yourself out to be?" Jesus answered, "If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing.  It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God.  Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him.  And if I say, 'I do not know Him,' I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word.  Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad."  Then the Jews said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?"  Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM."  Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by. 

 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth.  And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"  Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.  I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."   In this chapter Jesus will perform the sixth sign of seven in John's Gospel.  Of all the miracle stories in the Bible, my study Bible says, this is the only one in which the person who is healed was blind from birth.   This man, it says, is symbolic of all of humanity; we all need illumination by Christ, who is the Light of the world.  This sign  is also an illustration of baptism, which is also called "holy illumination."   Here Jesus also rejects the assumption (common in the ancient world) that all troubles and illnesses are necessarily the consequence of personal sin, or even the sins of parents (see Ezekiel 20:5; Deuteronomy 5:9; contrast Ezekiel 18:19-21).  My study Bible adds that although suffering can be the direct result of personal sin, this is certainly not always the case.  As Christ says, in this case this man's blindness provided the occasion for the works of God to be revealed; it is not related directly to the man's personal sins.   Regarding work, as Jesus uses the term here, my study Bible says that the work that people do consists of faith (John 6:29), good deeds (John 5:29), and repentance (John 12:40).  The night that comes, it says, is a reference both to the time after a person has died and to the age to come, when there is no longer an opportunity to express faith.  According to St. John Chrysostom, on that day there will not be faith, but all will submit, whether willingly or unwillingly. 

When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay.  And He said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent).  So he went and washed, and came back seeing.  Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, "Is not this he who sat and begged?"  Some said, "This is he."  Others said, "He is like him."  He said, "I am he."  Therefore they said to him, "How were your eyes opened?"  He answered and said, "A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, 'Go to the pool of Siloam and wash."  So I went and washed, and I received sight."  Then they said to him, "Where is He?"  He said, "I do not know."   This unprecedented healing of a man who was born blind is a confirmation of Christ's claim that He is the light of the world.  See also John 8:12, in this reading.  My study Bible cites St. Irenaeus, who sees in this mixture of clay and saliva a type of the creation of humanity from the earth (Genesis 2:7).  Jesus reveals His divinity by restoring part of creation using the same material with which He created humanity in the beginning.  The pool of Siloam was on the outskirts of Jerusalem, my study Bible notes, a considerable distance from the temple.  From this pool water was taken for the rites connected with the Feast of Tabernacles, such as for purification of the altar, and to commemorate the water that flowed from the rock struck by Moses (Numbers 20:10-11).  Siloam, translated, Sent, is symbolic of Christ, the One sent by the Father (John 5:36; 20:21).  Just as the healing of the blind man confirmed Christ's claim to be the light of the world, so also, His making use of the pool of Siloam confirms that He is the true purification of the temple and those who worship in it. 

They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees.  Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes.  Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight.  He said to them, "He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see."  Therefore some of the Pharisees said, "This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath."  Others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?"  And there was a division among them.  They said to the blind man again, "What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?"  He said, "He is a prophet."  My study Bible comments here that just as the Pharisees had ignored the healing of the paralytic and focused only on the perceived violation of the Sabbath (John 5:10-16), so here many of them cannot see the glory of God through their own prejudices.  

There is an interesting tie in today's reading between water and light.  Both are symbols of the Holy Spirit, but in some sense, it's almost as if these things of the world that are so necessary for all life also combine to represent elements of divinity, even the Persons of the Trinity working together to heal and restore life to us in the deepest sense, even of soul and spirit, leading to healing of the whole human person.  Light is, of course, associated with God.  John's Gospel begins by speaking to us of the Father as light (John 1:4-9) and also John's first Epistle does the same (1 John 1:5).  As my study Bible commented, baptism is also called "holy illumination," for we are led to sight through Christ's light and the light of the Holy Spirit; and, of course, Christ speaks of Himself as the light of the world in today's reading.  He shows us the way, lights the path for us, so that we may walk through world which also will show us darkness and confusion.  Of course, the tie with the blind man who now sees is clear; eyes that cannot see are those that cannot perceive the light of the world as it reflects all things and surfaces, giving us color and perception.  To wash in the pool of Siloam, meaning Sent, is to be cleansed of the things that take away our focus, blind us to what we need, just as this water is used to purify the altar, and symbolizes the water flowing from the rock which Moses struck -- necessary and saving water in the desert, provided through the guidance of God and holy power bestowed by God upon the prophet Moses.  But we also know water as the "living water" that flows as rivers from the heart of a person receiving the grace of God, the Holy Spirit, as promised by Jesus and through our faith made possible by grace (John 7:38).  Every single living thing we know needs light and water for life, but of these two elements we are given in a kind of surpassing abundance by Christ, with spiritual power that touches more than what we understand as our flesh.  Our very lives are magnified through these elements in the spiritual sense which we can receive through Christ, in the ways that God can work within us to heal on all levels.  God can give us spiritual sight, and our hearts may be filled with rivers of the living water that is life itself.  Let us consider these images of light and water, how they provide us with life in the world and life in ourselves, giving in abundance.  Both are necessary for us in a worldly sense, and spiritually both are necessary to true life as well.  In the fullness of life God bestows, the life of the Kingdom which is everlasting, both are also necessary and give us a substance to life that will not die which can become a part of ourselves.  To be a slave of sin is also to dwell in darkness, without light that shows us the way out of this slavery, into the truth that makes us free (John 8:32).   If our sight is cleansed by the One who washes away the things that distract us from the truth we need, then we are illumined indeed.  Let us follow Him, the light of the world, so that our works may also reflect His light.

Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see

 

But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight.  And they asked them, saying, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind?  How then does he now see?"  His parents answered them and said, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know.  He is of age; ask him.  He will speak for himself."  His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue.  Therefore his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."

 

So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, "Give God the glory!  We know that this Man is a sinner."  He answered and said, "Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know.  One thing I know:  that though I was blind, now I see."  

 

Then they said to him again, "What did He do to you?  How did He open your eyes?"  He answered them, "I told you already, and you did not listen.  Why do you want to hear it again?  Do you also want to become His disciples?"  Then they reviled him and said, "You are His disciple, but we are Moses' disciples.  We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from."  The man answered and said to them, "Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes!  Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.  Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind.  If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing."  

 

They answered and said to him, "You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?"  And they cast him out.  Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, "Do you believe in the Son of God?"  He answered and said, "Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?"  And Jesus said to him, "You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you."  Then he said, "Lord, I believe!"  And he worshiped Him.  

 

And Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind."  Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, "Are we blind also?"  Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, 'We see.'  Therefore your sin remains.

 

- John 9:18–41 

 

We are currently reading about the events which occurred at the Feast of Tabernacles, during the final year of Jesus' earthly life.  Yesterday we read that, as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth.  And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"  Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.  I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."  When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay.  And He said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent).  So he went and washed, and came back seeing. Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, "Is not this he who sat and begged?"  Some said, "This is he."  Others said, "He is like him."  He said, "I am he."  Therefore they said to him, "How were your eyes opened?"  He answered and said, "A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, 'Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.'  So I went and washed, and I received sight."  Then they said to him, "Where is He?"  He said, "I do not know."  They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees.  Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes.  Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight.  He said to them, "He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see."  Therefore some of the Pharisees said, "This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath."  Others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?"  And there was a division among them.  They said to the blind man again, "What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?"  He said, "He is a prophet." 

 

 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight.  And they asked them, saying, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind?  How then does he now see?"  His parents answered them and said, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know.  He is of age; ask him.  He will speak for himself."  His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue.  Therefore his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."  In yesterday's reading (above), we read of the opening of the eyes of this man who was born blind, the sixth of seven signs in John's Gospel.  This "illumination" of the man's sight is an expression and manifestation of Christ's quality of light (John 1:4-5), as "Light of Light, and true God of true God" (Creed).  Here the religious leaders turn to the healed man's parents, to question them.  "The Jews" is used in John's Gospel as a type of political label, meant to indicate the leadership and not the people; all the people in this story are Jews.  Note the fear of the religious establishment, who  threaten "that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue," and have the power to do so.  That the people fear them is a testimony to their power, and how they wield it.  By now, they clearly consider Jesus to be an enemy and a threat, and conspire against Him.  So much so, that these parents will not speak on behalf of their son.

So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, "Give God the glory!  We know that this Man is a sinner."   My study Bible comments that now, with Jesus not present, the Pharisees call Him a sinner, but earlier when He asked them face-to-face, "Which of you convicts Me of sin?" (John 8:46), they evaded the question.  Give God the glory! it says, was an oath formula used before giving testimony.  Nonetheless, this healed man will give God glory a little further on, toward the end of today's reading (verse 38).  My study Bible makes an important observation, that the more the healed man is pressed, the more fervent his faith becomes -- but the Pharisees lapse into deeper darkness.  

He answered and said, "Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know.  One thing I know:  that though I was blind, now I see."  My study Bible remarks that this formerly blind man now becomes a model of Christian witness.  It says that many people do not bear witness to Christ because they fear they will be asked questions they cannot answer.  This man's answer to people who are far more education than he is provides the right solution:  he admits what he does not know, but he follows up with what he does know.  My study Bible cites the formula, "That I don't know, but what I do know is this."  It is foundational to witnessing one's faith to others.  

 

 Then they said to him again, "What did He do to you?  How did He open your eyes?"  He answered them, "I told you already, and you did not listen.  Why do you want to hear it again?  Do you also want to become His disciples?"  Then they reviled him and said, "You are His disciple, but we are Moses' disciples.  We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from."  The man answered and said to them, "Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes!  Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.  Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind.  If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing." My study Bible notes that the unprecedented nature of opening the eyes of one who was born blind is a confirmation of Christ's divinity.  This was one of the signs of the coming Messiah (Isaiah 35:5; 42:7) and a prerogative belonging solely to God (Psalm 146:8).

 

They answered and said to him, "You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?"  And they cast him out.  Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, "Do you believe in the Son of God?"  He answered and said, "Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?"  And Jesus said to him, "You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you."  Then he said, "Lord, I believe!"  And he worshiped Him.  My study Bible comments that, having opened the blind man's eyes, here Christ also opens his heart and illumines his spirit.  The healed man moves from knowing nearly nothing about Christ ("Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see"), through the conclusion that Jesus could not possibly be a sinner ("Now we know that God does not hear sinners. . ."), through confessing that Jesus must be from God, and to finally seeing Him as the divine Son of God and worshiping Him.  Again, the Pharisees can't refute the man's logic nor the truth of what he reveals; therefore, they resort yet again to personal insult ("You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?").  See also John 8:48.

 

 And Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind."  Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, "Are we blind also?"  Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, 'We see.'  Therefore your sin remains."  My study Bible states that Christ's coming brought judgment to the world, not because He came to judge (John 12:47-48), but rather because of humankind's accountability to Him.  Those who see and hear Him but do not believe are judged by their own faithlessness.  This is a repeated theme in John's Gospel (see also John 3:16-21).  

The formerly blind man has something to teach us all, which my study Bible points out.  He knows how to testify.  Although he does not have the education, qualifications, and social position or power of the religious rulers to whom he speaks, he makes a good testimony for himself.  He also frustrates them in the process, because what he says cannot be counterattacked, except through the fallacy of personal insult.  He uses the formula my study Bible clearly names:  "That I don't know, but what I do know is this."  In so doing, he also displays a characteristic which is has historically been deemed essential to our faith, and the real door to all the virtues, and that is humility.  It takes a kind of grounded humility to be able to speak in this straightforward and honest way.  Perhaps it is because he has spent his life as a person blind from birth, and so has never had any capacity for pretense at being something he is not.  Possibly -- as even the disciples indicate in their beliefs -- because he was surrounded by a culture that presumed that either he or his parents sinned, and so his blindness was a result, he never experienced social distinction of any kind, but rather dismissal.  Possibly such a person has retained the capacity for the type of straightforward honesty, embedded in humility, that he expresses here.  This is another factor related to hidden beauty and goodness that the light of Christ may bring out of a bad circumstance.  When Jesus teaches, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3), we should stop to think about this formerly blind man, if we are to understand what it is to be poor in spirit.  For this man embodies these qualities of honesty, humility, and being without guile that are hallmarks of what it is to be "poor in spirit," and those things in turn make him the perfect witness for Christ.  Effectively, from a life of affliction and hardship, is produced, through Christ, the beauty that blossoms in this man.  That is, not only his movement toward faith and what that means for him, and not only the opening of his eyes and the sixth great sign given us in John's Gospel of "God with us," but also that he serves as a kind of monument to witnessing for all the rest of us.  For in saying, "Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know.  One thing I know:  that though I was blind, now I see," this man gives to us a model, and the perfect image for how we present ourselves to the world.  It might be helpful to remember that Christianity and its theology is filled with mystery; we actually have a need to say there are things we don't know.  This man reminds us that there is never a need to pretend we know what we don't know, nor contrarily to behave in a way that is simply servile to those whom we would consider above us in some sense.  What is needful is to be "poor in spirit" -- humble, truthful, and without guile.  This serves for anyone, anywhere -- and maybe especially for those who would be in leadership positions.  Let us give thanks for Christ's illumination, bringing this man to such a place, and revealing the work of God in him.

Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him

 

 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth.  And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"  Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.  I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."  When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay.  And He said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent).  So he went and washed, and came back seeing.  

 

Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, "Is not this he who sat and begged?"  Some said, "This is he."  Others said, "He is like him."  He said, "I am he."  Therefore they said to him, "How were your eyes opened?"  He answered and said, "A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, 'Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.'  So I went and washed, and I received sight."  Then they said to him, "Where is He?"  He said, "I do not know."  They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees.  Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes.  Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight.  He said to them, "He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see."  Therefore some of the Pharisees said, "This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath."  Others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?"  And there was a division among them.  They said to the blind man again, "What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?"  He said, "He is a prophet."

 

- John 9:1–17 

 

Over the course of last week, we were reading John's chapter 6.  On Saturday we read that, after Christ taught about His Body and Blood, many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, "This is a hard saying; who can understand it?"  When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, "Does this offend you?  What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before?  It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing.  The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.  But there are some of you who do not believe."  For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him.  And He said, "Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father."  From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.  Then Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also want to go away?"  But Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life.  Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."  Jesus answered them, "Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?"  He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve.

 

  Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth.  And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"  Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him."  In today's reading, the lectionary once more skips forward, and the events pick up from where we left off before last week, taking place following this reading, which completed chapter 8.  We recall that Jesus is at the Feast of Tabernacles, an eight day autumn festival which commemorates the time Israel wandered seeking the Promised Land.  Many elements of that festival, including the lighting of the great torches at night (recalling the pillar of fire that led Israel by night), form the background to Christ's teaching.  These events take place in the final year of Christ's earthly life.  Here Jesus rejects the assumption, which was common in the ancient world, that all troubles and maladies are necessarily the consequence of personal sin, or even, as my study Bible notes, the sins of one's parents (see Exodus 20:5; Deuteronomy 5:9; contrast Ezekiel 18:19-21).  Although suffering can be the direct result of personal sin, my study Bible notes that this is certainly not always the case.  In this instance, Jesus teaches that this man's blindness provided the occasion for the works of God to be revealed, and was not directly related to the man's personal sins, nor those of his parents.

"I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work."  My study Bible comments that the work people do consists of faith (John 6:29), good deeds (John 5:29), and repentance (John 12:40).  It notes that the night that comes is a reference both to the time after a person's death and to the age to come, when there is no longer an opportunity to express faith.  On that day, according to St. John Chrysostom, there will not be faith, but all will submit, whether willingly or unwillingly.

"As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."  Jesus makes this statement in preparation for the sign which He is about to reveal, and also against the backdrop of the Feast, in which the illumination of the great torches (four 75-foot menorah oil lamps) would light up the city of Jerusalem at night.  To heal a man blind from birth was unprecedented, and it confirms Christ's claim here that He is the light of the world.  Note that He is repeating His words spoken earlier at the Feast (John 8:12).

When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay.  My study Bible cites St. Irenaeus here, who sees in this mixture of clay and saliva a type of the creation of humanity from the earth (Genesis 2:7).  Jesus effectively reveals His divinity by restoring part of creation using the same material with which He created humanity in the beginning.  

And He said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent).  So he went and washed, and came back seeing.  My study Bible explains that the pool of Siloam was on the outskirts of Jerusalem, a considerable distance from the temple.  From this pool there was water taken for the rites which were connected with the Feast of Tabernacles, particularly a commemoration of the water flowing from the rock struck by Moses (Exodus 17:1-7), but also for a purification of the altar.   Siloam, translated, Sent, is a symbol of Christ, the One who was sent by the Father (John 5:36; 20:21).  My study Bible says that just as the healing of the blind man confirmed Christ's claim to be the light of the world (John 8:12), so also, His making use of the pool of Siloam confirms that He is the true purification of the temple and those who worship in it.  

Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, "Is not this he who sat and begged?"  Some said, "This is he."  Others said, "He is like him."  He said, "I am he."  Therefore they said to him, "How were your eyes opened?"  He answered and said, "A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, 'Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.'  So I went and washed, and I received sight."  Then they said to him, "Where is He?"  He said, "I do not know."  They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees.  Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes.  Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight.  He said to them, "He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see."  Therefore some of the Pharisees said, "This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath."  Others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?"  And there was a division among them.  They said to the blind man again, "What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?"  He said, "He is a prophet."  My study Bible comments here that just as the Pharisees had ignored the healing of the paralytic and focused only on the perceived violation of the Sabbath (John 5:10-16), so here many of them cannot see the glory of God through their own prejudices.  Thus, the seemingly astonished response, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?"

 In many places in John's Gospel, the property of light is emphasized.  In Scripture, God the Father is described as light (John 1:4-9; 1 John 1:5), an attribute also bestowed on believers (Matthew 5:14; Philippians 2:15).  In this great sign given in today's reading, which is the sixth of seven signs in John's Gospel, Jesus opens the eyes of a man born blind.  That is, He gives "light" to the man's eyes, which were previously in darkness, thus fulfilling the promise that He is Son, couched in the words of the Creed, that He is "Light of Light and true God of true God."  My study Bible comments that of all the miracle stories in the Bible, this is the only one in which the person was blind from birth.  It adds that the blind man is symbolic of all humanity:  all need illumination by Christ, who is the Light of the world.  This sign, it adds, is an illustration of baptism, which is also called "holy illumination."  So, as Jesus manifests the quality of light, or we could say, Light-Giver, through the opening of the eyes of the blind man, if we look at the full text, we have an additional quality of His light or illumination that might be easy to miss, but is nevertheless extremely important.   When the disciples assume there must be some sinful reason why this man was afflicted with blindness since birth, Jesus tells them, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him."  This gives us a hidden reality of all of the works of Christ, and the effects of grace -- and thus the light of God.  When we ourselves may be afflicted or burdened with something that is hard to bear, or seemingly unfortunate, the light of Christ may reveal the possibility of a "good work" even through a difficult circumstance.  The care for an older parent, or a child who cannot care for themselves, might be an occasion for an illuminating work of God -- even revealing the power of prayer in a difficult situation.  To help another in need, or one afflicted by sudden trauma or accident, is an important charitable action often prompted by faith.  Very often in my own life, seemingly hard circumstances or problems that are impossible to solve by drawing on past experience or ideas from the past, become resolved through inspiration in prayer.  Frequently that means a different objective than resolving the problem by evading it or erasing it, but rather approaching it differently, or even learning to live with it and cope with it.  Such problems have the additional benefit of teaching us resilience and persistence.  Speaking just from personal experience, prayer and Christ's illuminating light have taught me to navigate sadly broken relationships, a workplace ordeal of shunning and harassment, and seeking ways forward in dealing with a loved one's end-of-life care and dementia before that.  It has been a path dotted with revelations that taught me what resources I had available, character traits I could develop, and patience in Christ that I did not think was possible for me.  This "illumination" has brought me through what were devastating circumstances for me, and into a good place.  He is the light of life indeed; the One who turned the Cross into an instrument of salvation can do the same with our bad circumstances, in so many ways we absolutely cannot predict.  So let us go forward and remember this light.  Let us give gratitude, for without being grateful, how will we ever realize what we have, and go on for more?  For we are each made for the works of God to be revealed in some sense or another, even -- and especially -- through our own prayers and those who pray with us.

 

 

 

 

For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind

 

 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight.  And they asked them, saying, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind?  How then does he now see?"  His parents answered them and said, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know.  He is of age; ask him.  He will speak for himself."  His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue.  Therefore his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."   So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, "Give God the glory!  We know that this Man is a sinner."  He answered and said, "Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know.  One thing I know:  that though I was blind, now I see."  Then they said to him again, "What did He do to you?  How did He open your eyes?"  He answered them, "I told you already, and you did not listen.  Why do you want to hear it again?  Do you also want to become His disciples?"  Then they reviled him and said, "You are His disciple, but we are Moses' disciples.  We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from."  The man answered and said to them, "Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes!  Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.  Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind.  If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing."  They answered and said to him, "You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?"  And they cast him out. 

Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, "Do you believe in the Son of God?"  He answered and said, "Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?"  And Jesus said to him, "You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you."  Then he said, "Lord, I believe!"  And he worshiped Him.  And Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind."  Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, "Are we blind also?"  Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, 'We see.'  Therefore your sin remains.

 

- John 9:18-41 

 

In our recent readings, Jesus has been at the Feast of Tabernacles, an autumn harvest festival, and it is the final year of His earthly life.  He has been disputing with the religious leaders, and given many teachings.  Because of His declaration of equality with the Father, they tried to stone Him, but Jesus went out of the temple.  Yesterday we read that, as Jesus passed by, He saw a man blind from birth.  And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"  Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.  I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."  When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay.  And He said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent).  So he went and washed, and came back seeing.  Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, "Is not this he who sat and begged?"  Some said, "This is he."  Others said, "He is like him."  He said, "I am he."  Therefore they said to him, "How were your eyes opened?"  He answered and said, "A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, 'Go to this pool of Siloam and wash.'  So I went and washed, and I received sight."  Then they said to him, "Where is He?"  He said, "I do not know."  They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees.  Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes.  Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight.  He said to them, "He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see."  Therefore some of the Pharisees said, "This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath."  Others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?"  And there was a division among them.  They said to the blind man again, "What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?"  He said, "He is a prophet."

 

  But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight.  And they asked them, saying, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind?  How then does he now see?"  His parents answered them and said, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know.  He is of age; ask him.  He will speak for himself."  His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue.  Therefore his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."  So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, "Give God the glory!  We know that this Man is a sinner."  My study Bible comments that with Jesus not present, the Pharisees call Him a sinner, but earlier when He asked them face-to-face, "Which of you convicts Me of sin?" (John 8:46), they evaded the question.  Give God the glory! was an oath formula used before giving testimony.  Nonetheless, the healed man will truly give God glory in his dialogue with Jesus further on in our reading ("Lord, I believe!").  The more he is pressed, my study Bible notes, the more fervent his faith becomes, while the Pharisees lapse into deeper darkness.  To get an idea about their use of power, note how the parents of the formerly blind man fear to say anything to them, referring them only to their son, who will understandably come to rely on Christ,  "He is of age; ask him."

He answered and said, "Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know.  One thing I know:  that though I was blind, now I see."  My study Bible says that this healed man becomes a model of Christian witness.  Many people do not bear witness to Christ because they fear they will be asked questions they cannot answer.  This man's answer to people who are much more educated than himself provides our solution:  he admits what he does not know, but follows up with what he does know.  My study Bible tells us that this formula, "That I don't know but what I do know is this," is foundational to witnessing one's faith to others. 

Then they said to him again, "What did He do to you?  How did He open your eyes?"  He answered them, "I told you already, and you did not listen.  Why do you want to hear it again?  Do you also want to become His disciples?"  Then they reviled him and said, "You are His disciple, but we are Moses' disciples.  We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from."  The man answered and said to them, "Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes!  Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.  Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind.  If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing."  They answered and said to him, "You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?"  And they cast him out.  My study Bible asks us to see the evolution of the faith of this man.  Having his eyes opened by Christ begins a process of healing whereby his heart and spirit also become illumined.  Here he moves from knowing almost nothing about Jesus, through the conclusion that He could not possibly be a sinner, to confessing that Jesus must be from God -- and in dialogue with Jesus a little farther on in today's passage, to seeing Him as the divine Son of God and worshiping Him.  As the man says, it was unprecedented that the eyes of one who born blind would be opened.  This is a confirmation of Christ's divinity, and also a prophesied sign of the coming Messiah (Isaiah 35:5; 42:7), a prerogative belonging solely to God (Psalm 146:8).  Note the process of the man's logic which the Pharisees cannot refute, neither can they dispute the truth of what he reveals to them -- therefore, characteristically, they again resort to personal insult (see John 8:48). 

Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, "Do you believe in the Son of God?"  He answered and said, "Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?"  And Jesus said to him, "You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you."  Then he said, "Lord, I believe!"  And he worshiped Him.  And Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind."  Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, "Are we blind also?"  Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, 'We see.'  Therefore your sin remains.  My study Bible says that Christ's Incarnation brought judgment to the world, not because He came to judge (John 12:47-48), but because of humankind's accountability to Him.  Those who see and hear Him but do not believe are judged by their own faithlessness.  

What does it mean to truly hear and see Christ, and yet reject any faith in Him, to reject belief?  What is it about being exposed to the deity in the expression and works of Christ which is potent enough to render judgment in those who cannot accept them?  It tells us something not only about Christ, but also about our own capacities for knowing God.  For, unless we were capable of communing with God, of recognizing spiritual truth within ourselves, how could our rejection be that powerfully condemning?  What we receive from this understanding is not simply the depth of our freedom (for how deep must our freedom be to be capable of such potent rejection?), but also the nature of truth itself, and our own internal capacity to participate in it, and the dynamic internal call to faith.  We might think it a no-brainer to accept Christ should we be standing in the shoes of any witnesses to this stupendous healing of a man who was blind from birth.  But if so, then we fail to understand our own capacity for rejection and selfishness.  For clearly, the religious authorities do not want to relinquish any of their own authority which they would have to do if they recognized Jesus as the Christ.  This capacity for self-delusion which is ultimately self-serving is something that perhaps should never surprise us, if we but look around in our world.  But the figure of Christ adds an extra dimension to this question.  His presence tells us at once about the compelling nature of spiritual truth, and also of our own capacities for rejection of it, for fooling ourselves, and for our own blindness to anything but our own immediate gratification.  For we should consider what it might mean for the Pharisees, like Nicodemus who is one of them, to accept Christ among them.  At this time in history, Israel was suffering and on its way to terrible defeat and dispersion, even the horrific destruction of the temple and the Siege of Jerusalem that would come in a generation.  Who knows what path was possible should these men have recognized and accepted Christ?  The same is true for our lives as well.  It is hard for us to see beyond our immediate grasp of circumstances; we are blind to the future.  So often we fail to calculate where our path is taking us.  This happens because we fail to acknowledge our own ignorance and blindness.  It happens because we think we know more than we really do.  And it happens because we have our own course we'd rather pursue than face where a spiritual truth will take us, and there is the real crux of the matter.  Like these Pharisees, we fail to see and note our own blindness and limited capacity for understanding the powerful forces that surround us spiritually and are invisible to us.  We fail to see where our own misguided selfishness and even corruption is leading.  But most importantly, a rejection of Christ (that is, of the spiritual truth He offers) has its own capacity for disastrous consequences, for plans that go awry, for the wrong-headed pursuit of a dead end or one that leads to destruction.  In today's reading, a man blind from birth receives his sight.  But as my study Bible pointed out, this "sight" isn't merely physical; it also, of necessity, becomes a healing of soul and spirit, a granting of sight also on these levels of personal life for this man.  Let us consider this man a stand-in for ourselves; perhaps he has the great advantage of knowing he is blind, when we do not -- and we are capable of fooling ourselves enough to believe that we know more than we really do.  For today, let us consider what we miss when we fail to sit up and take note, to find the truth in Christ standing before us, even within us and among us (Luke 17:20-21).  What we fail to see might be the very thing we need, the one thing necessary, without which we might be among the blind led by the blind.  But it is the deliberate blindness of those who should know better which should give us all pause, for it is something of which we are each capable.