John 9:1-3. And as Jesus passed by he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
We are not to look upon such afflictions as any indication of special sin on the part either of the person or the parent. Of course, sin lies at the root of all our suffering as a grit generic fact, but not so that we may attribute such an affliction to any one sin. The disciples, you see, dear friends, are thinking about difficult problems. Their Master is thinking about how, practically, to meet the difficulty, and to this day there are a large number of Christians, professors, and even ministers, who occupy their time about questions which really are to no profit. If they could be answered, nobody would be the holier or the better. What does it matter to us what is the origin of evil? Far more important to turn the evil out than it is to find out how it came in. Very frequently, you know, after there is a terrible calamity or accident, we have an inquiry as to how it was done, and then we think the thing is all attended too. It would have been better, perhaps, to have an inquiry, before it was done, as to how it could be prevented. Our Lord has that wisdom that practicalness. He begins to deal with the evil rather than to raise questions about it. Yes, and he sees in that evil a good coming out of it. He says that this man was blind, that the works of God might be made manifest in him
John 9:4-7. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. 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. 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.
Our Lord used instrumentality. It did not appear, however, to be very likely to achieve his purpose. The clay seemed more likely to blind than to give sight, yet if the Lord chooses to use the poor and weak instruments that seem nothing better than dust and spittle, he has the glory of the grand result. If he takes the humble ministry of his servants and uses it in the pulpit, or in the Sunday School, or anywhere else, he has all the more glory, and is the less likely to be robbed of it because he uses such unlikely means.
John 9:8-9. The neighbors therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was, blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged? Some said, This is he:
We are sure of it.
John 9:9. Others said, He is like him:
They were cautious bodies.
John 9:9. But he said, I am he.
He knew there was no mistaking his witness.
John 9:10-11. Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened? He answered and said, A man that 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 I received sight.
Very straightforward, very concise, very accurate, and when we make answer about our conversion, it is always well to take this for a copy not too many flourishes, no coloring. He even leaves out about the spittle, but he gives it all as he can recollect it; so when you are talking about the Lord's love to you, and his way of converting you, it is quite sufficiently remarkable, without any touch of rouge. Let it be given just as it is.
John 9:12. Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said I know not.
Enough for him to know what he did know that his eyes were opened, and how it was done. So sometimes I have known persons come upon the new convert with a question which has rather baffled him, and he has been troubled, because he could not answer it. Do not let it trouble you. You are not expected to know everything. The very best and most honest thing is to say, «I know not»
John 9:13-14. They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind. And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.
So you may be sure that the Pharisees would be down upon him for that, because, according to the Rabbis, the making of the clay to put upon this man's eyes would be a kind of brick-making, and they would bring him in guilty of brick-making directly. So did these men pervert things and make men guilty where no offence had been committed whatsoever.
John 9:15. Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.
He is shorter with them. Some tales grow in telling. His gets shorter.
Besides, he has to deal with captious people; end then the least said the soonest mended; and this shrewd man thought so.
John 9:16-17. Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them. They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet.
He could see that.
John 9:18-24. But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight. And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? How then doth he now see? His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind: But by what means he now seeth, we know not; he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself. These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him. Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner.
How piously these Pharisees can talk; and generally in the name of God all sorts of mischief begin. When men are persecuting the Son of God, yet still they take the name of God upon their lips. Did they not burn the martyrs to the glory of God? Oh! yes, and so did these men thus slander Christ by saying, «We know that this man is a sinner,» and yet they spoke about giving God praise.
John 9:25. He
Our shrewd friend of the opened eyes.
John 9:25-27. Answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see. Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes? He answered them. I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples?
The man is sharp, acute, cutting.
John 9:28-29. Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses' disciples We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.
The word «fellow» is supplied by the translators. There is no such word there, because they did not know a word bad enough with which to express their scorn.
John 9:30-33. The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.
He proves; he administrates. The thing is as clear as possible, and yet they refuse to see it.
John 9:34. They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins,
It is the old rule, «Abuse the plaintiff.» Nothing could be said. Now abuse the man. He has answered you, and his arguments are too hard for you. Now throw hard words at him. «Thou wast altogether born in sins.»
John 9:34. And dost thou teach us?
Wonderful, that «us.» «Dost thou teach us?» Folly, ignorance, and pride go together. This man, in the simplest and most unaffected manner, had told his tale and urged his argument, and now they abuse him and exalt themselves. «Dost thou teach us?» No, great Pharisees, he does not teach you, for you will not learn.
John 9:34. And they cast him out.
That is the last argument. Out with him. Now we have defeated him.
John 9:35. Jesus heard that they had cast him out: and when he had found him,
What a blessed thing to be cast out, if Christ finds us! Many and many have been put out of the synagogue and treated with contempt, but then outside Jerusalem they found their Lord, for there he died without the camp, and his people need not be ashamed to go after him bearing his reproach.
«When he had found him.»
John 9:35-38. He said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is he, Lord. that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him. Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.
He does not appear to have been a Unitarian, therefore; and if those persons had their eyes opened, they would do the same. «He said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.»
John 9:39. And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
Christ is the turner of the tables. Did not the virgin mother sing, «He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and he hath exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things, but the rich he hath sent empty away»? So he ever does.
John 9:41. Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind,
Really could not see.
John 9:41. Ye should have no sin;
If you really did not know better, were totally and altogether without knowledge then you would have no sin compared with what you now have.
John 9:41. But now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.
You acknowledge that you have sinned with your eyes open, and,
therefore, your sin is all the greater.