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Commentary on John 9 verses 8–12
Such a wonderful event as the giving of sight to a man born blind could not but be the talk of the town, and many heeded it no more than they do other town-talk, that is but nine days' wonder; but here we are told what the neighbours said of it, for the confirmation of the matter of fact. That which at first was not believed without scrutiny may afterwards be admitted without scruple. Two things are debated in this conference about it: -
I. Whether this was the same man that had before been blind, Joh 9:8.
1.The neighbours that lived near the place where he was born and bred, and knew that he had been blind, could not but be amazed when they saw that he had his eye-sight, had it on a sudden, and perfectly; and they said, Is not this he that sat and begged? It seems, this blind man was a common beggar, being disabled to work for his living; and so discharged from the obligation of the law, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. When he could not go about, he sat; if we cannot work for God, we must sit still quietly for him. When he could not labour, his parents not being able to maintain him, he begged. Note, Those who cannot otherwise subsist must not, like the unjust steward, be ashamed to beg; let no man be ashamed of anything but sin. There are some common beggars that are objects of charity, that should be distinguished; and we must not let the bees starve for the sake of the drones or wasps that are among them. As to this man, (1.) It was well ordered by Providence that he on whom this miracle was wrought should be a common beggar, and so generally known and remarkable, by which means the truth of the miracle was better attested, and there were more to witness against those infidel Jews who would not believe that he had been blind than if he had been maintained in his father's house. (2.) It was the greater instance of Christ's condescension that he seemed (as I may say) to take more pains about the cure of a common beggar than of others. When it was for the advantage of his miracles that they should be wrought on those that were remarkable, he pitched upon those that were made so by their poverty and misery; not by their dignity.
2.In answer to this inquiry, (1.) Some said, This is he, the very same man; and these are witnesses to the truth of the miracle, for they had long known him stone-blind. (2.) Others, who could not think it possible that a man born blind should thus on a sudden receive his sight, for that reason, and no other, said, He is not he, but is like him, and so, by their confession, if it be he, it is a great miracle that is wrought upon him. Hence we may take occasion to think, [1.] Of the wisdom and power of Providence in ordering such a universal variety of the faces of men and women, so that no two are so alike but that they may be distinguished, which is necessary to society, and commerce, and the administration of justice. And, [2.] Of the wonderful change which the converting grace of God makes upon some who before were very wicked and vile, but are thereby so universally and visibly altered that one would not take them to be the same persons.
3.This controversy was soon decided by the man himself: He said, I am he, the very man that so lately sat and begged; "I am he that was blind, and was an object of the charity of men, but now see, and am a monument of the mercy and grace of God." We do not find that the neighbours appealed to him in this matter, but he, hearing the debate, interposed, and put an end to it. It is a piece of justice we owe to our neighbours to rectify their mistakes, and to set things before them, as far as we are able, in a true light. Applying it spiritually, it teaches us that those who are savingly enlightened by the grace of God should be ready to own what they were before that blessed change was wrought, Ti1 1:13, Ti1 1:14.
II. How he came to have his eyes opened, Joh 9:10-12. They will now turn aside, and see this great sight, and enquire further concerning it. He did not sound a trumpet when he did these alms, nor perform his cures upon a stage; and yet, like a city upon a hill, they could not be hid. Two things these neighbours enquire after: -
1.The manner of the cure: How were thine eyes opened? The works of the Lord being great, they ought to be sought out, Psa 111:2. It is good to observe the way and method of God's works, and they will appear the more wonderful. We may apply it spiritually; it is strange that blind eyes should be opened, but more strange when we consider how they are opened; how weak the means are that are used, and how strong the opposition that is conquered. In answer to this enquiry the poor man gives them a plain and full account of the matter: A man that is called Jesus made clay, - and I received sight. Joh 9:11. Note, Those who have experienced special instances of God's power and goodness, in temporal or spiritual things, should be ready upon all occasions to communicate their experiences, for the glory of God and the instruction and encouragement of others. See David's collection of his experiences, his own and others', Psa 34:4-6. It is a debt we owe to our benefactor, and to our brethren. God's favours are lost upon us, when they are lost with us, and go no further.
2.The author of it (Joh 9:12): Where is he? Some perhaps asked this question out of curiosity. "Where is he, that we may see him?" A man that did such cures as these might well be a show, which one would go a good way for the sight of. Others, perhaps, asked out of ill-will. "Where is he, that we may seize him?" There was a proclamation out for the discovering and apprehending of him (Joh 11:57); and the unthinking crowd, in spite of all reason and equity, will have ill thoughts of those that are put into an ill name. Some, we hope, asked this question out of good-will. "Where is he, that we may be acquainted with him? Where is he, that we may come to him, and share in the favours he is so free of?" In answer to this, he could say nothing: I know not. As soon as Christ had sent him to the pool of Siloam, it should seem, he withdrew immediately (as he did, Joh 5:13), and did not stay till the man returned, as if he either doubted of the effect or waited for the man's thanks. Humble souls take more pleasure in doing good than in hearing of it again; it will be time enough to hear of it in the resurrection of the just. The man had never seen Jesus, for by the time that he had gained his sight he had lost his Physician; and he asked, it is probable, Where is he? None of all the new and surprising objects that presented themselves could be so grateful to him as one sight of Christ, but as yet he knew no more of him than that he was called, and rightly called, Jesus - a Saviour. Thus in the work of grace wrought upon the soul we see the change, but see not the hand that makes it; for the way of the Spirit is like that of the wind, which thou hearest the sound of, but canst not tell whence it comes nor whither it goes.
(Hom. lvii. s. 1) The suddenness of the miracle made men incredulous: The neighbours therefore, and they which had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged? Wonderful clemency and condescension of God! Even the beggars He heals with so great considerateness: thus stopping the mouths of the Jews; in that He made not the great, illustrious, and noble, but the poorest and meanest, the objects of His providence. Indeed He had come for the salvation of all. Some said, This is he. The blind man having been clearly recognised in the course of his long walk to the pool; the more so, as people's attention was drawn by the strangeness of the event; men could no longer say, This is not he; Others said, Nay, but he is like him.
The strangeness of what had been brought to pass led them even to unbelief, though so much had been contrived that they might not disbelieve. They said, "Is not this he that sat and begged?" O the lovingkindness of God! Whither did He descend, when with great kindness He healed even beggars, and so silenced the Jews, because He deemed not the illustrious, nor the distinguished, nor the rulers, but men of no mark to be fit objects of the same Providence. For He came for the salvation of all.
And what happened in the case of the paralytic, happened also with this man, for neither did the one or the other know who it was that healed him. And this was caused by the retirement of Christ, for Jesus when He healed always retired, that all suspicion might be removed from the miracles. Since how could they who knew not who He was flatter Him, or join in contriving what had been done? Neither was this man one of those who went about, but of those who sat at the doors of the Temple. Now when all were doubting concerning him, what saith he? "I am he." He was not ashamed of his former blindness, nor did he fear the wrath of the people, nor did he decline showing himself that he might proclaim his Benefactor.
After having gone and washed, he encountered grace. And yet his neighbors and those who were with him when he was begging did not all come to the same conclusion about him. There were some who said that he was indeed the blind man, but others, because of the miracle that had happened to him, said it was not him but someone like him. He, however, says that it is him, not because the event itself compelled him to but because he was eager to proclaim before everyone what had happened.
"The neighbors therefore, and those who saw him previously, for he was a beggar, said, Is not this he who sat and begged? Some said, It is he: others, No; but he is like him." The opening of his eyes had altered his countenance. "He said, I am he." His voice utters its gratitude, that it might not be condemned as ungrateful. "Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened? He answered, The man who is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and saw." See, he is become the herald of grace; see, he preaches the gospel; endowed with sight, he becomes a confessor. That blind man makes confession, and the heart of the wicked was troubled; for they had not in their heart what he had now in his countenance.
(viii. Moral. c. xxx. [49.]) Or thus: By His spittle understand the savour of inward contemplation. It runs down from the head into the mouth, and gives us the taste of revelation from the Divine splendour even in this life. The mixture of His spittle with clay is the mixture of supernatural grace, even the contemplation of Himself with our carnal knowledge, to the soul's enlightenment, and restoration of the human understanding from its original blindness.
Staggered by this extraordinary miracle, the neighbors still did not believe. Yet the blind man’s arriving at the Pool of Siloam, his eyes smeared with mud, was ordained by the Lord for the express purpose of drawing the attention of many onlookers, who later would be unable to deny that they knew the man. But they disbelieved nevertheless. The Evangelist does not simply remark in passing that the man was a beggar: he does so to show that the Lord’s love for mankind was so inexpressibly great that He condescended to help the most abject of men. With tender solicitude He healed beggars, teaching us to care for the least of our brethren. Unashamed of his former affliction, unafraid of the crowd, the blind man boldly confesses, I am he, and proclaims his benefactor: A man that is called Jesus…. He calls the Lord a man because he knows nothing about Him. But what he does know (of the circumstances of the healing), he confesses to all. How did he know that his healer was Jesus? He had heard the Lord conversing with His disciples. When the disciples asked about the blind man, Christ repeated what He often told them, such as, I must work the works of Him that sent Me (v. 4), and, I am the light of the world (v. 5), and so forth. These were things that no one except the Lord taught, and from them the blind man understood that this was Jesus. That Christ had made clay and anointed his eyes, the blind man knew by feeling; of the spittle, he said nothing because he did not yet know about it. What he did not know, he did not mention, so truthful a man was he.
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SUMMARY
John 9:8 captures the immediate, astonished reaction of the community to the miraculous healing of the man born blind, a profound divine intervention by Jesus Christ. This verse vividly portrays the initial disbelief and questioning that often follows a radical display of God's power, highlighting the challenge of reconciling a person's transformed identity with their previously known state, thereby setting the stage for deeper theological inquiry and conflict within the narrative.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: John 9:8 immediately follows Jesus's unique healing of the man born blind, as detailed in John 9:1-7. Jesus's method—making clay with His saliva, anointing the man's eyes, and instructing him to wash in the Pool of Siloam—is unconventional and deliberate. The man's obedient response and subsequent sight are presented as a direct result. Verse 8 marks the transition from the private miracle to its public reception, shifting the focus to the community's reaction and the subsequent interrogations by the Pharisees, which unfold from John 9:13. This verse initiates the central conflict of the chapter: the world's inability or unwillingness to accept the clear evidence of God's work, leading to a profound exploration of spiritual blindness versus physical sight.
Historical & Cultural Context: In ancient Jewish society, blindness was often associated with sin, either of the individual or their parents, as questioned by the disciples in John 9:2. Begging was a common means of survival for those with severe disabilities, and blind beggars were a familiar sight in public spaces, particularly near temple gates or busy thoroughfares. The man's long-standing condition would have made him a well-known figure in his community. The healing of a blind person was also considered a messianic sign, prophesied in texts like Isaiah 35:5. Therefore, the community's reaction in John 9:8 is rooted not only in natural astonishment but also in the profound implications of such a healing within their religious and social framework, challenging their established understanding of divine intervention and messianic expectation.
Key Themes: John 9:8 contributes significantly to several overarching themes in the Gospel of John and this specific chapter. The primary theme is Identity and Recognition, as the neighbors struggle to reconcile the man they knew as a blind beggar with the man who now sees. This confusion underscores the radical, transformative power of Jesus's work, which often defies human expectation and categorization. Another crucial theme is Spiritual Blindness versus Physical Sight, as the physical healing of the man born blind serves as a powerful metaphor for spiritual enlightenment and the spiritual blindness of those who refuse to believe, particularly the religious authorities later in the chapter (e.g., John 9:39-41). Finally, the verse introduces the theme of Witness and Opposition, as the public's initial questioning foreshadows the escalating skepticism and outright hostility from the Pharisees, who refuse to acknowledge the miracle and persecute the man for his testimony, as seen in John 9:24-34.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
John 9:8 employs several literary devices to convey its meaning and impact. The primary device is Rhetorical Question, "Is not this he that sat and begged?" This question is not posed to elicit information but to express the profound astonishment and disbelief of the neighbors. It highlights the radical nature of the transformation and the cognitive dissonance experienced by those who knew the man previously. The verse also uses Contrast, implicitly setting the man's former state ("blind," "sat and begged") against his present reality (now seeing and no longer begging). This contrast underscores the magnitude of Jesus's miracle. Furthermore, the scene functions as Foreshadowing, as the community's initial skepticism and questioning prefigure the more intense and hostile interrogations by the religious authorities later in the chapter, revealing a pattern of human resistance to divine truth.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
John 9:8 serves as a powerful theological statement about the transformative power of God's grace and the often-disorienting nature of divine intervention. It illustrates that when God works, the change can be so profound that it challenges established perceptions and even the very identity of an individual in the eyes of others. This initial human reaction of disbelief and questioning, rather than immediate celebration, highlights a recurring theme in Scripture: humanity's struggle to comprehend and accept the extraordinary work of God, especially when it disrupts their preconceived notions or challenges their understanding of reality. The neighbors' confusion reflects a deeper spiritual truth about the difficulty of recognizing the new creation in Christ when one is accustomed to the old.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The reaction of the neighbors in John 9:8 offers a profound mirror for our own responses to radical transformation, both in others and in ourselves. Just as they struggled to reconcile the man they knew with the man who could now see, we too can find ourselves resistant to the profound changes that God brings about through faith in Christ. This verse challenges us to move beyond our fixed perceptions and embrace the new realities God creates. It reminds us that true spiritual sight often involves letting go of our old understandings and biases, allowing God to redefine what is possible. When we witness or experience God's transformative power, our response should be one of open-hearted inquiry and humble acceptance, rather than skepticism or a desire to cling to the familiar.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why were the neighbors so surprised by the man's healing?
Answer: The neighbors were surprised because the man had been blind from birth and had been a well-known beggar in their community for a long time. His condition was chronic and seemingly incurable, making his sudden sight an astonishing and unexpected event. Their surprise stemmed from the radical and undeniable transformation of someone whose identity was deeply intertwined with his disability, challenging their understanding of what was possible and forcing them to confront a miraculous intervention. The question "Is not this he that sat and begged?" (as found in John 9:8) highlights their struggle to reconcile his new reality with his long-established past.
Does this verse imply skepticism or genuine confusion from the neighbors?
Answer: John 9:8 implies a mixture of both genuine confusion and initial skepticism. The neighbors' question, "Is not this he that sat and begged?", reflects their struggle to believe that the transformed man is indeed the same person they knew. This is a natural human reaction to a truly miraculous event that defies normal experience. While it's not outright hostility at this point, their questioning sets the stage for the deeper skepticism and opposition that will emerge from the religious authorities later in the chapter, as seen when the Pharisees begin their interrogation in John 9:13. Their reaction is a common human response to the miraculous, often characterized by disbelief before acceptance.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
John 9:8, though focused on the immediate human reaction to a physical miracle, powerfully foreshadows the profound spiritual transformation offered by Christ. The neighbors' inability to recognize the healed man, despite his physical presence, mirrors humanity's struggle to perceive the true identity of Jesus as the Son of God and the Light of the World. Just as the man born blind received physical sight, Christ offers spiritual sight to those who are spiritually blind, enabling them to recognize Him as Lord and Savior. This healing is a tangible sign pointing to Jesus's ultimate mission: to bring light into the darkness of sin and unbelief, transforming lives so completely that they become "new creations" in Him, as described in 2 Corinthians 5:17. The man's physical healing in John 9 is a microcosm of the spiritual healing available to all who believe, a transformation so radical that it often leaves the world wondering, "Is this truly the same person?" because they have been fundamentally changed by the power of the Gospel.