They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind. (14) And it was the sabbath-day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes. (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. (16) 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. (17) They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet, (18) 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. (19) And they asked them, saving, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? How then doth he now see? (20) His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind: (21) But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself. (22) 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. (23) Therefore said his parents, He is of age, ask him. (24) 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. (25) He 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. (26) Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes? (27) 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? (28) Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses' disciples. (29) We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is. (30) 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. (31) Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. (32) Since the world began was it not heard, that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. (33) If this man were not of God, he could do nothing. (34) They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? and they cast him out.
If there be a part of this interesting narrative that we may pass over, as less demanding attention, one, than another, it is this. To behold the wretched delusion of those awful characters, the Pharisees! Their natural enmity to Christ. Their implacable malice to his doctrine. Their determined resolution to oppose, and deafen if possible, the voice of this Charmer, charm he never so wisely! Psalms 58:5. But, Reader! let you, and I, learn from hence the unspeakable mercy of distinguishing grace! Who is it that maketh us to differ from another? And what have we, or what are we, that we did not receive? 1 Corinthians 4:7
Their bitterness in excommunicating the blind man, shews to what a desperate state they were arrived. Whether this was the milder act of excommunication, called Niddui, which extended but to thirty days separation; or whether the more severe, called Cherem, which was a total separation forever from the congregation of Israel, is not said. But, Reader! how sweetly may we apply the words of the Lord, which he used upon another occasion, to this and all the other cruelties of men. And I say unto you my friends, (said Jesus), be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that, have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear. Fear him, which after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell. Yea, I say unto you, fear him. Luke 12:4-5
But, Reader, it is high time to look at this miracle in another, and a far more endearing point of view, than the mercy shewn to the body, and see, what rich and blessed lessons there are taught in it, in relation to the soul. I remarked, at the opening of the Chapter, that according to my apprehension, while I behold God the Holy Ghost appointing a whole Chapter to this record of a single miracle of Christ, I am inclined to think, that it was intended, among other things, to minister to this great end; that by so beautiful an illustration, might be shewn, the Lord Jesus spiritually giving sight to the blind in soul, and opening the mind born in trespasses and sins, to the knowledge of himself, in grace here, and to glory hereafter.
And I cannot begin my observations on this ground, without remarking, that if it was the gracious design of God the Spirit, from this miracle of Jesus, to instruct the Church in this precious truth, nothing can be more exactly suited from every circumstance of it. Though the Church of Jesus hath from everlasting a grace-union with her glorious Head; hath a being in him, and a well-being, which nothing in her time-state can finally destroy: yet born as in every individual instance the whole Church is, in the Adam-nature of a fallen, sinful, and corrupt state; all are blind to all knowledge of God, or themselves. So that like this poor man in nature, such is the Church as to grace, alt blind from birth.
And as it was Jesus passing by and seeing him, which first led to the mercy he obtained, so is it in grace; there are no advances made by the blind sinner to the Lord, until the Lord hath passed by and bid him live. Ezekiel 16:1-14. John was taught by the Holy Ghost, thus to teach the Church: If we love him, it is because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19
Moreover, the case is the same, with respect to the divine glory, in both instances. This man's blindness of body, gave occasion for the works of God to be made manifest in him; so the blindness of soul, affords opportunity for God in Christ, to be magnified in the works of grace. The clay and the pool of Siloam, were merely instrumental, in the hand of Christ: so ordinances and means of grace are but mere channels of communication, from him to his people. And without him, as the clay would rather have contributed to obstruct sight than to give it; so ordinances unaccompanied with his blessing, tend more to increase spiritual blindness than remove it. We are (saith Paul), unto God a sweet savor of Christ in them that are saved, and in them that perish. 2 Corinthians 2:15-16; Revelation 3:18
The conduct of the neighbors upon this occasion, in the surprize they expressed, at beholding one, so long known to them as blind, now suddenly blessed with sight; is not unsimilar to that wonder and astonishment the carnal world not unfrequently shew, when at any time some ungodly sinner hath his eyes spiritually opened, to the light of the divine life. The work itself is so great and altogether so divine, that God the Holy Ghost hath caused it to be celebrated in one of his songs of praise. When the Lord, turned again the captivity of Zion; then were we like to them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing. Then said they among the heathen, the Lord hath done great things for them. The Lord hath done great things for us: whereof we are glad. Psalms 126:1
One word more in relation to the poor man who stands forth in this scripture, and in the Lord's Church so precious a monument of sovereign mercy. He was not conscious at the first, who his great benefactor was. Neither could he tell, how the Lord had accomplished the wonderful cure. He only knew, that he was once blind, and now had sight. Such is not unfrequently the case in respect to spiritual mercies. How little do we know of Jesus, when first he manifests himself to us otherwise than he doth to the world. And even after renewed love tokens of his favor, how backward we are, in apprehension. All the objects we at first behold in spiritual discernment, are but indistinct, like the sight to him, who saw man as trees walking. Mark 8:22-26. But, Reader! it is blessed to be able to give the same sweet testimony as this man. Though you, or I, or any other child of God cannot exactly tell how or when or where, as to time place and method, the Lord was pleased to adopt to our effectual calling; still the day of small things is not to be despised, when we can truly say as he did: One thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I see.