John 9

25 The blind man didn’t care what the Pharisees thought. He didn’t care if Christ was a sinner or not. That wasn’t his concern. He only knew one thing, and all the Pharisees put together weren’t going to change his mind. “One thing I know. I was blind but now I see.”

This is the testimony of every true Christian: “Once I was spiritually blind, but now I see. Once I was dead in sin, but now I am alive in Christ. Once I was in bondage, but now I am free.” The Christian has no doubt. He has experienced these things for himself.

26 The Pharisees repeated the same question to the man. They hoped that by mistake he might contradict something he had said before. Then they could accuse him of lying.

27 When the Pharisees kept asking the same questions, the blind man became irritated. He said to them: “Why do you ask the same thing again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?” He knew they didn’t; he was only mocking them.

Notice that the blind man said “too.” That meant that he now considered himself a disciple of Jesus.

28-29 Then the Pharisees scoffed at the blind man. They said that they were disciples of the great Moses. They obeyed the law which God had given to Moses. God Himself spoke to Moses many times.

But as for this fellow called Jesus, who was He? “We don’t even know where he comes from.” The Pharisees thought that by saying this they could show that Jesus was a “nobody,” that He could not be the Messiah. But, in fact, they were showing the opposite. Everyone believed that when the Messiah came, no one would know where He came from (see John 7:27 and comment). Thus the Pharisees were unwittingly giving evidence that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.

30 The blind man was amazed at the spiritual blindness of the Pharisees. They should have known where Jesus was from. Any man who could heal in this way had to be from God (verse 33). How could the Pharisees not know that?

31 The blind man agreed that God did not listen to the prayers of sinners—that is, those who continue in sin and do not repent (Psalm 66:18; Proverbs 15:29). He listens only to the godly man who does his will. In saying this, the blind man spoke the truth.

32 This is the very reason that Jesus had to be a godly man, not a sinner. In order for Jesus to have healed the blind man, God must have been listening to Jesus. And God had obviously answered Jesus’ prayer. In all of the Old Testament, in all of history, there had never been an instance of the opening of the eyes of a person born blind. No “sinner” could have done such a miracle.

33 Therefore, Jesus had to have come from God. Otherwise, He could have done nothing.

34 The Pharisees became even more angry, because this uneducated blind beggar was lecturing them! They insulted him, saying, “You were steeped in sin at birth.” That is, “You were born in sin. Your blindness was caused by sin in the beginning.” It was nothing to them that he was no longer blind! Then they expelled him from the synagogue.

35-36 Jesus heard that the Pharisees had expelled the blind man from the synagogue, so He went to find him. The blind man had not yet seen Jesus with his own eyes. But perhaps he recognized Jesus’ voice. He was ready to believe, but he was not yet sure exactly who he was supposed to believe in. Jesus asked him, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”⁷⁸ And the man replied, “Who is he?”

37 “I am he,” said Jesus (see John 4:26). Those who seek to know who Jesus is of ten find Him nearer at hand than they imagined!

38 Now the blind man fully realized who Jesus was. First he had thought He was a man (verse 11). Then he had thought He was a prophet (verse 17). Now he knew that Jesus was more than a prophet; He was the Son of God, the Messiah, the Christ. The man’s faith was complete. “Lord, I believe” (see John 20:28).

39 Then Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world.” Judgment was not Jesus’ main reason for coming (see John 3:17; 12:47 and comments). However, when Jesus came to save men, He also brought judgment with Him at the same time. Jesus brings both salvation and judgment: whoever believes in Him receives salvation; whoever does not believe is condemned and receives judgment (see John 3:18 and comment).

When Jesus comes, He brings our sins into the light, His light. Our inner thoughts and motives are revealed. In His light, all men stand condemned. Only through faith in Him can our condemnation be removed (see Romans 8:1 and comment).

Jesus came so that the blind will see. Here Jesus is talking mainly about those who are spiritually blind. Like the blind man of this story, who was blind from birth, all men are spiritually blind from birth. Jesus came that all men might have the chance to receive spiritual sight.

At the same time, He came so that those who see will become blind (see Mark 4:10-12 and comment). Jesus’ meaning is this: He came so that those, like the Pharisees, who claim to have spiritual sight will be shown to be spiritually blind. The Pharisees by their words and actions proved themselves to be blind. Those who receive Jesus receive spiritual sight. Those who reject Jesus remain spiritually blind.

40 The Pharisees who were listening asked, “Are you saying that we are blind?” They did not think they were blind. They considered themselves the guides and leaders of the people.

41 Jesus answered, “No, I am not saying you are completely blind. if you were completely blind, you would have an excuse for your sin (John 15:22). You would not be guilty of sin. But you claim you can see. And indeed you do have some spiritual sight. You have enough spiritual knowledge to have believed in me, but instead you refused to believe. Therefore, your guilt remains.”

The Pharisees had a little spiritual knowledge, but they boasted that they had much. They were proud. Those who think they don’t have anything to learn will learn nothing. The Pharisees knew that the Messiah would come; but when Jesus came and stood before them, they didn’t recognize Him. To recognize Jesus, the first thing we must do is to acknowledge our own spiritual weakness and blindness (see Matthew 5:3 and comment). Only then will Jesus give us full spiritual sight.