The Man Born Blind

[Jhn 9:1-5 KJV] 1 And as [Jesus] passed by, he saw a man which was blind from [his] birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? 3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. 4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

This account in John 9 has roots in John 6. Concerning the bread of heaven, which came into the world, where Jesus was asked to provide things, which he Himself is. And even though he was in their midst, the fulfillment of everything, they did not see it or believe it.

[Jhn 6:27-29 KJV] 27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. 28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

Being born blind is not as rare a condition as is supposed. The prophets declare that darkness covers the earth, and great darkness, the people. Having been declared to the disciples that the work of God is that you believe on him who God has sent, they later encounter the man born blind. The disciples ask about whose fault it is? Who sinned that he was born blind? Him or his parents? Jesus answered that neither he nor his parents had sinned, but that the works of God might be manifest in him. It seems there is a different goal in mind, a different perspective of what constitutes a work. Jesus did not imply that miracles, signs, wonders, healings, etc., in themselves, were a completed “work” without the result of faith. In another place this exchange took place: [Jhn 10:36-38 KJV] 36 Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? 37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. 38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father [is] in me, and I in him. If these great things that Jesus did, do not produce faith in Him, the understanding that He is the only way to the Father, then the many works that helped flesh are short lived. Because the flesh will still grow old and falter. Jesus once raised a dead young girl, restoring her to life, and commanded that something be given her to eat. This shows us that the young girl had not been resurrected, but resuscitated. Her natural body, though restored, still had it’s limitations.

Jesus had just answered the question about whose fault it was that the man had been born blind:

[Jhn 9:6-7 KJV] 6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, 7 And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

A very telling picture unfolds in what followed. The man born blind goes through an immediate quick work. He went from not knowing who Jesus was, or where he was, not knowing if Jesus were a sinner or not, to supposing that Jesus was a prophet, to understanding that if Jesus were not of God He could have done nothing. He is put out of the synagogue. Jesus finds him and asks if he believes on the Son of God? The man in complete sincerity asks, “who is he that I might believe?” (He had never seen Jesus). Jesus said, “you HAVE seen him, and he is speaking to you”. Then the works of God were completed in him: He said, “Lord, I believe”. And he worshiped him.

As spectacular as was the opening of the eyes of a man born blind, it would be a short lived accomplishment without resulting in the eternal work of faith in the man.

On a day where many in the world mark and observe the Lord having arisen from the dead, I consider the truth that we, as many as believe, are crucified with Him, and raised with Him. He did not rise alone. He is the only way to the Father, and faith in Him is the works of God in them that believe.