The Gospel According to John Chapter 9

[뉴맨]

The Gospel According to John Chapter 9

The Bible Text from https://www.bible.com/bible/111/JHN.9.NIV

See or Not?

Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

1 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. (Prenatal blinded man; incurable.)

2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (The disciples thought the sin caused blindness. They, and many prisoned in the mechanical Cause and Effect frame.)

3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, (Not necessarily because of sin but there can be many causes, that we may not know what the cause is for sure, for problems such as blindness.) “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. (We must, however, find the best solution which would glorify God. Rom. 8:28)

4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. (Today, the current time is the time to do God's will.)

5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (Jesus must shine the light over the world while He was on the earth; such a short time in history but eternal effect.)

6 After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. (Jesus healed in many ways. Here, He made a healing paste with His saliva and mud which were from common matters but of special healing power.)

7 “Go,”he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam(1)” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. (Washing the paste out in the Pool of Siloam he became to see.)

8 His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” (The neighbors were amazed by his healing.)

9 Some claimed that he was. Others said, “No, he only looks like him.” But he himself insisted, “I am the man.” (Even some of them were in doubt of his identity because it was unimaginable.)

10 “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked. (They asked the man to check the reality.)

11 He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.” (He himself testified what he had gone through.)

12 “Where is this man?” they asked him. “I don’t know,” he said. (He didn't know where Jesus is because he came back to his home after the healing.)

The Pharisees Investigate the Healing

13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. (They brought him to the Pharisees, whom were considered to be their leaders, for this noticeable happening.)

14 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. (Yes, the controversial Sabbath again. 5:16-17)

15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.” (The man repeated his testimony of the healing.)

16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” (Some denied Jesus due to the violation of the law of Sabbath by Jesus.) But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided. (But others approved Jesus due to the extraordinary "divine" healing.)

17 Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” The man replied, “He is a prophet.” (But the man acknowledged Jesus as a prophet, which was the best answer according to his judgement at the moment.)

18 They still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents.

19 “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?” (The Pharisees doubted if the healing might be a hoax. So they cross checked his parents if this man is their son.)

20 “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind.

21 But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” (The parents didn't know how this can happened but confirmed the son's identity and the healing.)

22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. (The parents feared of the hostile Pharisees against Jesus, and reported them the very basic fact.)

23 That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.” (And added to ask their mature son for the fact. How will the man assume his responsibility as the one who experienced firsthand.)

24 A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.” (The Pharisees summoned the once-blinded man and forced him for the answer which they wanted to hear; even in the name of God.)

25 He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” (The man made clear his new life because of Jesus. Because of his new experience of God's power which had been revealed by Jesus, his perspective was changed.)

26 Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” (But the Pharisees stayed in their old perspective, such as the law of the Sabbath, which prohibiting the labor in the Sabbath, could not accept the new liberating ministry of Jesus in spite of the public demonstration of the power of Jesus. They asked the same question to the man. New wine in new wineskins, but they failed to renew their perspective in spite of the new revelation. Mt. 9:17)

27 He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?” (The man seemed annoyed by the repeated questions, even boldly and mockingly asked. "Do you want to be disciples of Jesus too?")

28 Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses!

29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.” (The pride of the Pharisees was severely damaged by the boldness and fairness of the once-blinded "trifling" man, they differentiated themselves to be the disciples of Moses while he was the disciple of the mere fellow Jesus. They didn't realize Jesus is superior than Moses incomparably.)

30 The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes.

31 We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will.

32 Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind.

33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” (Notice his bold and profound claims for Jesus. He, once much ignorant, had found the truly working God for His people through Jesus. He is not only opened his physical eyes but also his spiritual eyes were awakened to see the never-seen God through Jesus.)

34 To this they replied, “You were steeped (totally) in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out. (The Pharisees threw him out because they couldn't handle him any more with their logics and status. The violence was the sign of their defeat and shame.)

Spiritual Blindness

35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” (Jesus, as meeting him again later, asked him if he believes in Jesus as the incarnation of the truth of God.)

36 “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.” (He had been ignorant, much more than the Pharisees, about much of the truth as the once-born-blinded humble man, but now eagerly wanted to know the truth for his faith in Jesus.)

37 Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.” (Jesus encouraged him making clear that it is Him the Messiah.)

38 Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. (The once-blind man boldly and firmly confirmed his faith in the Lord Jesus, and worshiped Him.)

39 Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” (Jesus' existence and ministry reveal who refuses and who accepts.)

40 Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?” (What Jesus said spreaded out to many, even to the Pharisees.)

41 Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains. (Admitting the ignorance is the beginning of learning. Proud spirit never learns. Blind from sin? No. But sin from the blind of truth.)

(1)Pool of Siloam (Google AI)

The Pool of Siloam is an ancient, rock-cut water reservoir located in the City of David in Jerusalem, famously known as the site where Jesus healed a man born blind (John 9:7). Fed by the Gihon Spring via Hezekiah's Tunnel, it served as a crucial water source and a massive ritual bath (mikveh) for pilgrims.

Key Details About the Pool of Siloam:

Meaning: The name Siloam (Σιλωάμ) derives from the Hebrew word for "Sent" or "Sent out".

Biblical Significance: In John 9, Jesus sends a blind man to wash in this pool to receive his sight. It is also mentioned in Luke 13:4 regarding a tower that fell.

Construction: Originally built or upgraded by King Hezekiah in the 8th century BC to secure water during the Assyrian siege.

Purpose: It served as a large ritual pool for Jewish pilgrims to purify themselves before ascending to the Temple.

Discovery: While a Byzantine-era pool was long known, the larger, 1st-century "Second Temple" pool where Jesus likely walked was discovered in 2004.

The pool is situated at the southern end of the City of David,, representing a major archaeological find that confirm‎s biblical narratives regarding the geography of Jerusalem.

You could see more, including map at https://www.neverthirsty.org/bible-qa/qa-archives/question/what-significant-about-pool-siloam-in-john9-7/