NIV Life Application Study Bible, Third Edition - Flipbook - Page 43
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9:2
aMt 23:7
bver 34; Lk 13:2;
Ac 28:4
cEze 18:20
dEx 20:5; Job 21:19
9:3
eJn 11:4
9:4
fJn 11:9; 12:35
9:5
gJn 1:4; 8:12; 12:46
9:6
hMk
7:33; 8:23
9:7
iver 11; 2Ki 5:10;
Lk 13:4
jIsa 35:5; Jn 11:37
9:8
kAc
3:2,10
9:11
lver 7
9:14
mJn 5:9
9:15
nver 10
9:16
oMt 12:2
pJn 6:52; 7:43; 10:19
9:17
qMt 21:11
9:18
rJn 1:19
9:22
7:13
34; Lk 6:22
uJn 12:42; 16:2
sJn
tver
9:23
21
vver
•
J ohn
9:23
Jesus Heals the Man Who Was Born Blind (148 )
As he went a
long, he saw a man b
lind from b
irth. 2His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, a
who sinned, b this man c or his parents, d that he was born blind?”
3“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said J
esus, “but this happened so that the
works of God m
ight be displayed in him. e 4As long as it is day, f we must do the w
orks
of him who sent me. N
ight is coming, when no one can work. 5While I am in the w
orld,
I am the light of the world.” g
6 After saying this, he spit h on the g
round, made some mud with the saliva, and put it
on the m
an’s eyes. 7“Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” i (this word m
eans
“Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. j
8 His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the
same man who used to sit and beg?” k 9Some claimed that he was.
Others said, “No, he only looks like him.”
But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”
10 “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked.
11 He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told
me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.” l
12 “Where is this man?” they asked him.
“I don’t know,” he said.
9
Religious Leaders Question the Blind Man (149 )
13 They b
rought to the Pharisees the man who had been b
lind. 14Now the day on w
hich
Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. m 15Therefore the
Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. n “He put mud on my eyes,” the
man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.”
16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the
Sabbath.” o
But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided. p
17 Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say a
bout him? It was
your eyes he opened.”
The man replied, “He is a prophet.” q
18 They r still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until
they sent for the man’s parents. 19“Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say
was born blind? How is it that now he can see?”
20 “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind.
21 But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of
age; he will speak for himself.” 22His parents said this because they were afraid of the
Jewish leaders, s who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that J esus
was the Messiah would be put out t of the synagogue. u 23That was why his parents said,
“He is of age; ask him.” v
9:1-41 In John 9, we see four different reactions to Jesus. The neigh-
bors revealed surprise and skepticism; the Pharisees showed disbelief
and prejudice; the parents believed but kept quiet for fear of excommunication; and the healed man showed consistent, growing faith.
These responses are not unlike the responses of people who encounter
Jesus today. Only the blind man responded to Jesus with an open,
confident faith.
9:2-3 A common belief in Jewish culture was that calamity or suffering
was the result of some great sin. But Jesus used this man’s suffering to
teach about faith and to glorify God. We live in a fallen world where
good behavior is not always rewarded and bad behavior is not always
punished. Therefore, innocent people sometimes suffer. If God took
suffering away whenever we asked, we would follow him for comfort
and convenience, not out of love and devotion. Regardless of the reasons
for our suffering, Jesus has the power to help us deal with it. When you
suffer from a disease, tragedy, or disability, try not to ask, Why did this
happen to me? or What did I do wrong? Instead, ask God to give you
strength for the trial and a clearer perspective on what is happening.
9:6 When Jesus spit on the ground and made mud in order to repair the
man’s eyes, he was working with original materials. Genesis 2:7 states
that God formed Adam’s body from the dust of the ground. Jesus was
demonstrating a creator’s awareness of the materials he had first used
to shape the human body.
9:7 The pool of Siloam was built by Hezekiah. His workers had constructed an underground tunnel from a spring outside the city walls to
carry water into the city. Thus, the people could always get water without
fear of being attacked. This was especially important during times of siege
(see 2 Kings 20:20; 2 Chronicles 32:30).
9:13-17 While the Pharisees conducted investigations and debated
about Jesus, people were being healed and lives were being changed.
The Pharisees’ skepticism was based not on insufficient evidence but on
jealous hatred of Jesus’ popularity and influence on the people.
9:14-16 The Jewish Sabbath, Saturday, was the weekly holy day of rest.
The Pharisees had made a long list of specific dos and don’ts regarding
the Sabbath. Kneading the mud and healing the man were considered
work and therefore were forbidden. Jesus could have merely spoken
and brought healing as he had at other times, but he may have purposely made the clay in order to emphasize his teaching about the
Sabbath—that caring for others’ needs is always right, even if it involves
working on a day of rest.