Jesus visits one who is persecuted and disadvantaged for one’s faith in Him
John 9:26–41 (NKJV)
26 Then they said to him again, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?”
27 He answered them, “I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?”
28 Then they reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples. 29 We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from.”
30 The man answered and said to them, “Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! 31 Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. 32 Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. 33 If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.”
34 They answered and said to him, “You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?” And they cast him out.
35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?”
36 He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?”
37 And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.”
38 Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him.
39 And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.”
40 Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?”
41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.
Message
I. Unbelief of the spiritually blind (26-29)
See v26.
26 Then they said to him again, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?”
This shows they didn’t believe or wouldn’t listen. See v27-29.
27 He answered them, “I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?”
28 Then they reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples. 29 We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from.”
II. Understanding, belief and bravity of the blind man (30-34)
See v30-33.
30 The man answered and said to them, “Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! 31 Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. 32 Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. 33 If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.”
The man who was blind sees that Jesus was from God because
- He opened the eyes of one who was born blind which no one has ever done since the world began.
- God does not hear sinners but hears a worshiper of God, who does His will.
The man was surprised at the Pharisees who couldn’t come to this natural conclusion. See v34.
34 They answered and said to him, “You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?” And they cast him out.
We learnt his parents feared being put out of the synagogue (John 9:22). This man who was blind from birth and was a beggar must have been more ready for any disadvantage because he had been suffering the worst situation of blindness and poverty. He stood for the truth bravely and was cast out. The whole world belongs to the evil one and those who stand on the side of truth are persecuted (1 John 5:19, 2 Timothy 3:12, John 15:18-25, John 16:1-4).
III. Jesus visits one who is persecuted and disadvantaged for one’s faith in Him (35-41)
See v35.
35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?”
When we are persecuted and disadvantaged because of our faith in Jesus, He comes to meet and bless us. See Matthew 5:11-12 NKJV.
11 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
See v36.
36 He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?”
The man answered to Jesus and expressed he would believe in the Son of God. See v37.
37 And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.”
Jesus revealed Himself to the man. It was a moment of amazing grace that the Son of God came and met him in person. See v38.
38 Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him.
The man encountered the Son of God. His heart might be filled with gratitude. He confessed His faith and worshiped Jesus. See v39.
39 And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.”
The blind man and beggar was in such humiliated conditions but able to recognise the Son of God. However, the Pharisees did not recognise Him even though He performed the miracle no one else did. They showed their spiritual blindness and stood condemned (See John 3:18). See v40-41.
40 Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?”
41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.
The Pharisees showed they were spiritually blind (See 29-33, 39). It is a sin that they pretend that they see spiritually. They should repent their sin so that God may heal their blind eyes. To see (the kingdom of God, the spiritual world), they need to be reborn (See John 3:5-8).
