John9

Jesus heals a man born blind on the Sabbath, stirring controversy among the Pharisees. The healed man boldly testifies to Jesus' power despite being questioned and subsequently cast out of the synagogue. Jesus later finds him, reveals his identity as the Son of God, and the man believes, while Jesus teaches about spiritual sight and blindness.
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The Healing of a Man Born Blind

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And as he passed by, he saw a man blind from his birth.
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And his disciples asked him, saying, Rabbi, who sinned, this man, or his parents, that he should be born blind? ​
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Jesus answered, Neither did this man sin, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. ​
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We must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. ​
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When I am in the world, I am the light of the world. ​
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When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and anointed his eyes with the clay, ​
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and said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam (which is by interpretation, Sent). He went away therefore, and washed, and came seeing. ​

Neighbors and the Identity of the Healed Man

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The neighbors therefore, and they that saw him aforetime, that he was a beggar, said, Is not this he that sat and begged?
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Others said, It is he: others said, No, but he is like him. He said, I am he.
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They said therefore unto him, How then were thine eyes opened?
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He answered, The man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to Siloam, and wash: so I went away and washed, and I received sight.
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And they said unto him, Where is he? He saith, I know not.

The Pharisees Investigate the Sabbath Miracle

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They bring to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind.
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Now it was the sabbath on the day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes. ​
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Again therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he received his sight. And he said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and I see.
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Some therefore of the Pharisees said, This man is not from God, because he keepeth not the sabbath. But others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such signs? And there was a division among them. ​
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They say therefore unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, in that he opened thine eyes? And he said, He is a prophet. ​

Interrogation of the Parents

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The Jews therefore did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and had received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight,
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and asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see?
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His parents answered and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind:
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but how he now seeth, we know not; or who opened his eyes, we know not: ask him; he is of age; he shall speak for himself.
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These things said his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man should confess him to be Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. ​
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Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him.

The Man Defends Jesus and Is Cast Out

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So they called a second time the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give glory to God: we know that this man is a sinner. ​
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He therefore answered, Whether he is a sinner, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see. ​
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They said therefore unto him, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes?
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He answered them, I told you even now, and ye did not hear; wherefore would ye hear it again? would ye also become his disciples?
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And they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are disciples of Moses.
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We know that God hath spoken unto Moses: but as for this man, we know not whence he is.
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The man answered and said unto them, Why, herein is the marvel, that ye know not whence he is, and yet he opened mine eyes.
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We know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and do his will, him he heareth. ​
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Since the world began it was never heard that any one opened the eyes of a man born blind.
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If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.
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They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out. ​

Jesus Reveals Himself to the Healed Man

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Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and finding him, he said, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? ​
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He answered and said, And who is he, Lord, that I may believe on him?
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Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and he it is that speaketh with thee.
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And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him. ​

Jesus Pronounces Judgment on Blindness

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And Jesus said, For judgment came I into this world, that they that see not may see; and that they that see may become blind. ​
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Those of the Pharisees who were with him heard these things, and said unto him, Are we also blind?
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Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye would have no sin: but now ye say, We see: your sin remaineth. ​

Study Notes for John 9

Verse 2

This question reflects the common Jewish assumption (cf. Ezek. 18) that specific suffering or congenital disability was a direct punitive result of sin, either personal or ancestral.

Verse 3

Jesus refutes the direct cause-and-effect linkage between sin and this specific suffering, shifting the focus from blame to divine purpose—that God’s power and glory might be revealed.

Verse 4

The 'day' refers to the time Jesus is actively engaged in ministry on earth; the 'night' refers to his impending death. This emphasizes the urgency of proclaiming the gospel.

Verse 5

Jesus connects this miracle directly to his identity as the Light of the World (cf. 8:12). Physical sight restored parallels the spiritual illumination he offers.

Verse 6

The use of clay (spittle mixed with dirt) recalls creation imagery (Gen. 2:7). This action was unnecessary for healing but emphasized Jesus' sovereign power and was later used by the Pharisees as evidence of 'work' on the Sabbath (v. 14).

Verse 7

Siloam means 'Sent.' John often uses symbolic geography; the man’s obedience to the ‘Sent’ one (Jesus) results in sight, symbolizing the necessity of faith and obedience.

Verse 14

The central conflict. Rabbinic law strictly forbade kneading or mixing on the Sabbath, classifying Jesus’ creation of clay as a forbidden work, thus violating their interpretation of the law.

Verse 16

This highlights the internal division among the Jewish leadership. Some prioritized the Sabbath law, while others recognized that such an unprecedented miracle must signify divine commissioning.

Verse 17

The man’s understanding of Jesus grows. His initial description (v. 11: 'A man called Jesus') evolves here to 'a prophet,' recognizing divine authority.

Verse 22

This explains the parents’ caution. Excommunication from the synagogue meant social, religious, and economic isolation, a severe penalty for acknowledging Jesus as the Christ (Messiah).

Verse 24

“Give God the praise” is an oath formula, demanding truth under divine authority (cf. Josh. 7:19). The Pharisees want the man to recant his testimony and condemn Jesus as a sinner.

Verse 25

The man offers simple, irrefutable experiential testimony. He shifts the focus from theological debate about Jesus' origin to the undeniable reality of his own transformation.

Verse 31

The man argues from common theological assumption: God only listens to righteous people, not 'sinners.' Since the miracle was unprecedented (v. 32), Jesus must be righteous and 'of God.'

Verse 34

The Pharisees revert to the assumption of V. 2—that the man’s congenital blindness proved he was deeply sinful. 'Cast him out' refers to the fulfillment of the excommunication threat (v. 22).

Verse 35

Jesus seeks out the outcast, demonstrating pastoral care for those rejected by the religious establishment. This meeting moves the man from physical sight to spiritual faith.

Verse 38

The man’s final confession and worship marks the climax of his spiritual journey, moving from 'man' (v. 11) to 'prophet' (v. 17) to 'Son of God' (v. 37).

Verse 39

Jesus explains the spiritual paradox of his ministry. His presence judges humanity by revealing truth, causing those who claim to see (Pharisees) to be exposed as blind, and those who admit blindness to receive sight.

Verse 41

Jesus confirms that their sin remains because they refuse to acknowledge their need for spiritual help. Willful denial of the manifest truth is unforgivable, unlike simple ignorance.

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