22: Healing of the Born Blind: ‘He is a prophet’ (John 9:1 – 17)

Jesus’ healing of the born blind caused trouble with the Pharisees. It was on a Sabbath. But, this is to reveal the acts of God.

πŸ‘‰ Read John 9:1 - 17


Q1. “The man was born blind so that (                ) may be revealed. And the revelation could be done through Jesus Christ, who is the (          ) of the world.” 

The acts of God, light.

Though this man was born blind and suffered for forty years, he was blessed to participate in Jesus’ ministry.

If there is no light, no one can work and nothing can be revealed. Only when the light of Jesus shines, any ministry be meaningful. The passage alludes that God reveals His works only through Jesus Christ. 

The Bible emphasizes that this man was blind from birth.


Q2. Find the verses that describe how the man was healed. (three places)

Verses 6-7, 10-11, 15.

Why did Jesus smear mud on his eyes and make the man manage to travel to the pool, probably with someone else’s guide, instead of just healing him on the spot? 

The author emphasizes that Jesus’ action could have violated the Sabbath regulation, from the view of the Pharisees. Jesus, on purpose, challenged the Pharisees’ wrong interpretation of the Sabbath. 

People noticed such a possible violation of the Sabbath and, thus, brought the man to the Pharisees to hear their interpretation of the miracle. (13)


Q3. While the man acknowledges Jesus as a prophet. Why did some of the Pharisees not acknowledge Jesus?   

They thought Jesus had not observed the Sabbath.

The Pharisees’ confusion is understandable because, from the Pharisees’ viewpoint, the healing and the violation of the Sabbath contradict each other. If it was so, they should have waited until things got clearer. But they made a haste decision in the following passage.

They failed to recognize God’s works for being obsessed with their understanding of the law. 

It is the same for us. When God is doing something new, that we haven’t thought about, we are puzzled about God’s will. At such a moment, we’d better not make a haste decision but wait for God’s time for clarification. 



Though the blind had suffered many years, he was blessed to experience God's power and to recognize the Messiah.

The Pharisees failed to see God's new work, which is symbolized by the healing of the BORN blind, being preoccupied with their misinterpretation of the law. 


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