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Texts -- John 9:6-41 (NET)

Context
9:6 Having said this , he spat on the ground and made some mud with the saliva . He smeared the mud on the blind man’s eyes 9:7 and said to him , “Go wash in the pool of Siloam ” (which is translated “sent ”). So the blind man went away and washed , and came back seeing . 9:8 Then the neighbors and the people who had seen him previously as a beggar began saying , “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg ?” 9:9 Some people said , “This is the man!” while others said , “No , but he looks like him .” The man himself kept insisting , “I am the one!” 9:10 So they asked him , “How then were you made to see ?” 9:11 He replied , “The man called Jesus made mud , smeared it on my eyes and told me , ‘Go to Siloam and wash .’ So I went and washed , and was able to see .” 9:12 They said to him , “Where is that man ?” He replied , “I don’t know .”
The Pharisees’ Reaction to the Healing
9:13 They brought the man who used to be blind to the Pharisees . 9:14 (Now the day on which Jesus made the mud and caused him to see was a Sabbath .) 9:15 So the Pharisees asked him again how he had gained his sight . He replied , “He put mud on my eyes and I washed , and now I am able to see .” 9:16 Then some of the Pharisees began to say , “This man is not from God , because he does not observe the Sabbath .” But others said , “How can a man who is a sinner perform such miraculous signs ?” Thus there was a division among them . 9:17 So again they asked the man who used to be blind , “What do you say about him , since he caused you to see ?” “He is a prophet ,” the man replied . 9:18 Now the Jewish religious leaders refused to believe that he had really been blind and had gained his sight until at last they summoned the parents of the man who had become able to see . 9:19 They asked the parents , “Is this your son , whom you say was born blind ? Then how does he now see ?” 9:20 So his parents replied , “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind . 9:21 But we do not know how he is now able to see , nor do we know who caused him to see . Ask him , he is a mature adult . He will speak for himself .” 9:22 (His parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jewish religious leaders. For the Jewish leaders had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Christ would be put out of the synagogue . 9:23 For this reason his parents said , “He is a mature adult , ask him .”) 9:24 Then they summoned the man who used to be blind a second time and said to him , “Promise before God to tell the truth. We know that this man is a sinner .” 9:25 He replied , “I do not know whether he is a sinner . I do know one thing – that although I was blind , now I can see .” 9:26 Then they said to him , “What did he do to you ? How did he cause you to see ?” 9:27 He answered , “I told you already and you didn’t listen . Why do you want to hear it again ? You people don’t want to become his disciples too, do you?” 9:28 They heaped insults on him , saying , “You are his disciple ! We are disciples of Moses ! 9:29 We know that God has spoken to Moses ! We do not know where this man comes from !” 9:30 The man replied , “This is a remarkable thing , that you don’t know where he comes from , and yet he caused me to see ! 9:31 We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners , but if anyone is devout and does his will , God listens to him . 9:32 Never before has anyone heard of someone causing a man born blind to see . 9:33 If this man were not from God , he could do nothing .” 9:34 They replied , replied , “You were born completely in sinfulness , and yet you presume to teach us ?” So they threw him out .
The Man’s Response to Jesus
9:35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out , so he found the man and said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of Man ?” 9:36 The man replied , “And who is he , sir , that I may believe in him ?” 9:37 Jesus told him , “You have seen him ; he is the one speaking with you .” 9:38 [He said , “Lord , I believe ,” and he worshiped him . 9:39 Jesus said ,] “For judgment I have come into this world , so that those who do not see may gain their sight , and the ones who see may become blind .” 9:40 Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard this and asked him , “We are not blind too , are we?” 9:41 Jesus replied , “If you were blind , you would not be guilty of sin , but now because you claim that you can see , your guilt remains .”

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Sabbath

    [smith] (shabbath), "a day of rest," from shabath "to cease to do to," "to rest"). The name is applied to divers great festivals, but principally and usually to the seventh day of the week, the strict observance of which is enforced ...
    [nave] SABBATH Signifying a rest period, Gen. 2:2, 3; Lev. 23; 25; 26:34, 35. Preparations for, Ex. 16:22; Matt. 27:62; Mark 15:42; Luke 23:54; John 19:31. Religious usages on, Gen. 2:3; Mark 6:2; Luke 4:16, 31; 6:6; 13:10; Acts ...

  • Miracles

    [nave] MIRACLES. Index of Sub-topics Catalog of, and Supernatural Events, Of Jesus, in Chronological Order, Of the Disciples of Jesus; Convincing Effect of; Design of; Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit; Miscellany of Minor Sub-...

  • Jesus, The Christ

    [nave] JESUS, THE CHRIST. Index of Sub-topics History of; Miscellaneous Facts Concerning; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Ascension of; Atonement by; Attributes of; Compassion of; Confessing; Creator; Death of; Design of His...

  • BEG; BEGGAR; BEGGING

    [isbe] BEG; BEGGAR; BEGGING - 1. No Law Concerning Beggars or Begging in Israel: It is significant that the Mosaic law contains no enactment concerning beggars, or begging, though it makes ample provision for the relief and care of...

  • Converts

    [nave] CONVERTS "Wayside,'' Matt. 13:4, 19. "Stony ground.'' Matt. 13:5, 20, 21. "Choked,'' Matt. 13:7, 22. "Good ground,'' Matt. 13:8, 23; Luke 8:4-15. See: Backsliders; Proselytes; Revivals. Instances of Ruth, Ruth 1:16. N...

  • Faith

    [nave] FAITH. 2 Sam. 22:31; Psa. 5:11; Psa. 7:1; Psa. 9:9, 10; Psa. 18:30; Psa. 32:10; Psa. 33:18, 19; Psa. 34:8, 22 vs. 1-8;; Psa. 2:12. Psa. 36:7; Psa. 40:4; Psa. 64:10; Psa. 78:7 vs. 5-7.; Psa. 84:5, 12; Psa. 112:5, 7, 8; Psa. ...

  • Confession

    [nave] CONFESSION. Of Christ Matt. 7:21-23; Matt. 10:32, 33 Luke 12:8. John 1:15-18 Matt. 3:11. John 9:22-38; John 12:42, 43; Acts 8:35-37; Acts 18:5; Acts 19:4, 5; Rom. 10:9-11; 1 Cor. 12:3; 1 John 1:6; 1 John 2:4; 1 John 4:2, 3...

  • Blindness

    [isbe] BLINDNESS - blind'-ness (`awar, and variants; tuphlos): The word blind is used as a verb, as Jn 12:40, usually in the sense of obscuring spiritual perception. In reference to physical blindness it is used as a noun frequentl...
    [nave] BLINDNESS Disqualified for priestly office, Lev. 21:18. Of animals, disqualified for a sacrifice, Lev. 22:22; Deut. 15:21; Mal. 1:8. Miraculously inflicted upon the Sodomites, Gen. 19:11; Syrians, 2 Kin. 6:18-23; Saul of T...

  • Self-righteousness

    [nave] SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS. Num. 16:3; Deut. 9:4-6; 1 Sam. 2:9; Job 6:13; Job 11:4-6; Job 12:2; Job 13:3, 13, 15, 19; Job 16:17, 18; Job 18:2-4; Job 21:27-29; Job 22:2, 3; Job 32:1, 2; Job 33:8, 9; Job 35:2, 7, 8; Psa. 10:5, 6; Pro...

  • JESUS CHRIST, 4C2

    [isbe] JESUS CHRIST, 4C2 - Second Period--After the Mission of the Twelve till the Departure from Galilee I. From the Death of the Baptist till the Discourse on Bread of Life. 1. The Murder of the Baptist and Herod's Alarms: (Matth...

  • Siloam

    [smith] (sent). Shiloach, (Isaiah 8:6) Siloah, (Nehemiah 3:15) Siloam, (John 9:11) Siloam is one of the few undisputed localities in the topography of Jerusalem; still retaining its old name (with Arabic modification, Silwan), while ...
    [nave] SILOAM, called also Shiloah and Siloah. A pool in Jerusalem, Neh. 3:15; Isa. 8:6. Jesus directs the blind man, whom he healed, to wash in, John 9:1-11. Tower of, in the wall of Jerusalem, falls and kills eighteen people, Lu...

  • Clay

    [ebd] This word is used of sediment found in pits or in streets (Isa. 57:20; Jer. 38:60), of dust mixed with spittle (John 9:6), and of potter's clay (Isa. 41:25; Nah. 3:14; Jer. 18:1-6; Rom. 9:21). Clay was used for sealing (Job ...
    [isbe] CLAY - kla (chomer, chacaph, TiT, meleT, `abhi, ma`abheh, abhTiT; pelos, "wet clay," "mud"): True clay, which is a highly aluminous soil, is found in certain localities in Palestine,and is used in making pottery. The Hebrew ...
    [smith] As the sediment of water remaining in pits or in streets, the word is used frequently in the Old Testament. (Psalms 18:42; Isaiah 57:20; Jeremiah 38:6) and in the New Testament, (John 9:6) a mixture of sand or dust with spitt...
    [nave] CLAY Man formed from, Job 33:6. Seals made of, Job 38:14. Used by potter, Isa. 29:16; 41:25; 45:9. Blind man's eyes anointed with, John 9:6. Figurative Job 4:19; Psa. 40:2; Isa. 45:9; 64:8; Jer. 18:6; Rom. 9:21. Symbol...

  • Siloam, Pool of

    [ebd] sent or sending. Here a notable miracle was wrought by our Lord in giving sight to the blind (John 9:7-11). It has been identified with the Birket Silwan in the lower Tyropoeon valley, to the south-east of the hill of Zion. ...

  • Testimony

    [nave] TESTIMONY. Legal See: Evidence; Witnesses. Ark of, See: Ark. Religious 1 Chr. 16:8, 9; Psa. 9:11; Psa. 18:49; Psa. 26:6, 7; Psa. 119:27,172; Psa. 145:11, 12; Isa. 12:4-6; Isa. 32:4; Isa. 43:10 Isa. 44:8. Isa. 45:24; Jer...

  • Pool

    [ebd] a pond, or reservoir, for holding water (Heb. berekhah; modern Arabic, birket), an artificial cistern or tank. Mention is made of the pool of Gibeon (2 Sam. 2:13); the pool of Hebron (4:12); the upper pool at Jerusalem (2 Ki...
    [nave] POOL Of Samaria, 1 Kin. 22:38; of Jerusalem, upper pool, 2 Kin. 18:17; Isa. 36:2; lower pool, Isa. 22:9; Siloah, Neh. 3:15; John 9:7, 11; of Heshbon, Song 7:4.

  • Synagogue

    [isbe] SYNAGOGUE - sin'-a-gog: 1. Name 2. Origin 3. Spread of Synagogues 4. The Building (1) The Site (2) The Structure (3) The Furniture 5. The Officials (1) The Elders (2) The Ruler (3) The Servant (or Servants) (4) Delegate of t...
    [nave] SYNAGOGUE 1. Primarily an assembly, Acts 13:43; Jas. 2:2. Constitutes a court of justice, Luke 12:11; Acts 9:2. Had powers of criminal courts, Matt. 10:17; Matt. 23:34; Acts 22:19; 26:11, of ecclesiastical courts, John 9:2...

  • Bigotry

    [nave] BIGOTRY. Isa. 65:5; Mark 2:16 Luke 15:2; Luke 9:49, 50; Luke 18:9-14; Acts 10:28, 45; Acts 18:12, 13 Paul's Argument against Rom. 3:1-23; Rom. 4:1-16, 23-25 Instances of Joshua, through envy seeking to suppress Eldad a...

  • Church

    [nave] CHURCH, the collective body of believers. Miscellany of Minor Sub-Topics Called in the O.T., The Congregation, Ex. 12:3, 6, 19, 47; 16:1, 2, 9, 10, 22; Lev. 4:13, 15; 10:17; 24:14. Called in the N.T., Church, Matt. 16:18; ...

  • CISTERN; WELL; POOL; AQUEDUCT

    [isbe] CISTERN; WELL; POOL; AQUEDUCT - sis'-tern: Use of Terms 1. General 2. Wells or Cylindrical Cisterns 3. Private Cisterns 4. Public Cisterns 5. Pools and Aqueducts 6. Figurative Uses LITERATURE Several words are rendered by "c...

  • SINNER

    [isbe] SINNER - sin'-er (chaTTa; hamartolos, "devoted to sin," "erring one"): In the New Testament, in addition to its ordinary significance of one that sins (Lk 5:8; 13:2; Rom 5:8,19; 1 Tim 1:15; Heb 7:26), the term is applied to ...
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Arts

Hymns

(Note: In "active" or "on" condition, the hymns music will be played automatically when mouse hover on a hymns title)
  • Ajaib Benar Anugerah [KJ.40] ( Amazing Grace )
  • Puji, Hai Jiwaku, Puji Tuhan [KJ.9]
  • [Joh 9:25] Amazing Grace
  • [Joh 9:25] Lord, I Was Blind
  • [Joh 9:25] Praise God For What He’s Done For Me
  • [Joh 9:31] I Worship Thee, Most Gracious God

Questions

Sermon Illustrations

Why Me?; What Is Your Style of Evangelism?; Reasons for Human Suffering?; Our Obligation to God; A Title of Jesus; What Is Sin?; A Student; Purposes of the Incarnation

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • "Following the restoration of the temple and its services in ch. 29, the emphasis now falls heavily upon Hezekiah's strenuous efforts to reunite in worship the hitherto separated peoples of the north and south."80Hezekiah wan...
  • How is it clear that Yahweh and not the idols directs world history? Yahweh alone can predict the future and then bring it to pass (41:21-29). Since Yahweh is the God of Israel, does He have any regard for the Gentile nations...
  • 13:15 Jeremiah called the people to pay attention and not to disregard what he would tell them because they thought it was unimportant. Yahweh had a message for them.13:16 They were to give glory to Yahweh before the darkness...
  • The incident that follows occurred before the one in 8:28-34. Matthew placed it in his Gospel here for thematic reasons. It is another evidence of Jesus' supernatural power but in a different realm.9:1 Jesus arrived back in C...
  • Even though Jesus gave ample evidence that He was more than a mere man (4:35-5:43) those who knew Him best on the physical plane still refused to believe in Him (6:1-6a). This refusal led Jesus to turn increasingly from the m...
  • Though Mark did not record it, Jesus gave His disciples much additional instruction as they travelled from Capernaum in Galilee toward Jerusalem (cf. Matt. 8:19-22; 18:15-35; Luke 9:51-18:14; John 7:2-11:54). Evidently Jesus ...
  • This incident shows Jesus extending grace to a Gentile. It would have helped Luke's original Gentile readers to appreciate that Jesus' mission included them as well as the Jews. It is another case in which Jesus commended the...
  • John's presentation of Jesus in his Gospel has been a problem to many modern students of the New Testament. Some regard it as the greatest problem in current New Testament studies.15Compared to the Synoptics that present Jesu...
  • In one sense the Gospel of John is more profound than the Synoptics. It is the most difficult Gospel for most expositors to preach and to teach for reasons that will become evident as we study it. In another sense, however, t...
  • I. Prologue 1:1-18A. The preincarnate Word 1:1-5B. The witness of John the Baptist 1:6-8C. The appearance of the Light 1:9-13D. The incarnation of the Word 1:14-18II. Jesus' public ministry 1:19-12:50A. The prelude to Jesus' ...
  • John's return to the Word in verse 14 from verse 1 introduces new revelation about Him. Though still part of the prologue, the present section focuses on the Incarnation of the Word.1:14 The Word, who existed equal with God b...
  • John now presented evidence that Jesus knew people as no others did and that many believed in His name (2:23). This constitutes further witness that He is the Son of God. John summarized several conversations that Jesus had w...
  • This pericope explains why Jesus must become greater. It also unites several themes that appear through chapter 3. John the Apostle or John the Baptist may be the speaker. This is not entirely clear.3:31-32 The incarnate Son ...
  • "In chapters 1-4 the subject is described from the standpoint of a spectator, ab extra, and we are thus enabled to see something of the impression created on others by our Lord as He deals with individuals in Jerusalem, Samar...
  • John probably included this incident for a number of reasons. It accounts for the return of Jesus and His disciples to the western shore of Galilee where Jesus gave the discourse on the Bread of Life. Perhaps he did so to con...
  • Jesus next addressed those in His audience who had expressed some faith Him (v. 30).8:31 The mark of a true disciple is continuation in the instructions of his or her teacher. A disciple is by definition a learner, not necess...
  • This chapter continues the theme of Jesus as the Light of the World (8:12; 9:5). When the Light shone, some received spiritual sight, as this blind man received physical and spiritual sight. However the Light blinded others (...
  • The exact time of this miracle and Jesus' resultant discourse is unclear. Evidently these events transpired sometime between the feast of Tabernacles (7:2, 10; September 10-17, 32 A.D.) and the feast of Dedication (10:22-39; ...
  • "John evidently wants us to see that the activity of Jesus as the Light of the world inevitably results in judgment on those whose natural habitat is darkness. They oppose the Light and they bring down condemnation on themsel...
  • The Pharisees, who considered themselves enlightened, now tried to badger the formerly blind man into denying that he saw the light.9:24 The Pharisees now questioned the healed man again. They had already decided that Jesus w...
  • "John is interested in the way the coming of Jesus divides people."3479:35 The healed man had responded positively and courageously to the light that he had so far, but he did not have much light. Therefore Jesus took the ini...
  • Evidently this teaching followed what John recorded in chapter 9 (v. 21), but exactly when between the feast of Tabernacles (7:2, 14, 37) and the feast of Dedication (v. 22) it happened is unclear. The place where Jesus gave ...
  • This teaching is quite similar to what the Synoptic evangelists recorded Jesus giving in His parables, but there is a significant difference. John called this teaching a figure of speech (Gr. paroimian) rather than a parable ...
  • Again Jesus' claims resulted in some of His hearers believing Him and others disbelieving (cf. 7:12, 43; 9:16). Here the expression "the Jews"refers to the Jewish people generally, not specifically to the religious leaders as...
  • 10:40 John presented Jesus' departure from Jerusalem as the result of official rejection of Him. The event had symbolic significance that the evangelist probably intended. Jesus withdrew the opportunity for salvation from the...
  • In contrast to the hatred that the religious leaders manifested stands the love that Mary demonstrated toward the One she had come to believe in. Her act of sacrificial devotion is a model for all true disciples. This is the ...
  • To make the contrast between belief and unbelief even more striking, John returned from Mary's love to the chief priests' hatred (cf. 11:47-57).12:9 Jesus had disappeared after Lazarus' resurrection and had not yet showed Him...
  • 12:37-38 The majority of the Jews did not believe on Jesus despite the many miracles that He performed that indicated His messiahship (cf. 1:11). John again attributed Israel's unbelief to God's will, though he balanced that ...
  • Jesus realized that the Eleven did not fully understand what He had just revealed. He therefore encouraged them with a promise that they would understand His words later.14:25-26 Jesus had made these revelations to His discip...
  • Jesus introduced this teaching by explaining further why He was telling His disciples these things.16:1 The phrase "These things I have spoken to you"(Gr. tauta lelaleka hymin) brackets this subsection of the discourse and hi...
  • 18:1 "These words"evidently refer to all of what Jesus had said in chapters 13-17 all of which He probably spoke in the upper room. The Kidron Valley formed the eastern boundary of Jerusalem. The Kidron was also a wadior dry ...
  • John reported much more about Jesus' trial before Pilate than did any of the other Gospel writers. He omitted referring to Jesus' appearance before Herod Antipas, which only Luke recorded (Luke 23:6-12). He stressed Jesus' au...
  • This pericope contains another post-resurrection appearance of Jesus that bolstered the disciples' faith. It also contains John's account of the Great Commission.20:19 John moved his readers directly from the events of Easter...
  • 20:26 John located this post-resurrection appearance eight days after Easter Sunday, namely the following Sunday. His "eight days"(Gr. hemeras okto) evidently included both Sundays. Perhaps he identified the day because, by t...
  • John followed the climactic proof that Jesus is God's Son with an explanation of his purpose for writing this narrative of Jesus' ministry. This explanation constitutes a preliminary conclusion to the book.20:30 "Therefore"ti...
  • Luke had just referred to the apostles' teaching, to the awe that many of the Jews felt, to the apostles doing signs and wonders, and to the Christians meeting in the temple (2:43-44, 46). Now he narrated a specific incident ...
  • Gaius' good example stands out more clearly beside Diotrephes' bad example. Diotrephes is a rare name and means "nourished by Zeus."13John brought Diotrephes into the picture to clarify the responsibility of Gaius and all oth...
  • Since they considered themselves to be rich but were spiritually poor Jesus urged them to "buy,"implying self-sacrifice, the things they really needed (cf. Isa. 55:1). Instead of real gold they should buy "gold refined by fir...
  • This pericope furnishes the plot for the drama that unfolds in the rest of the chapter.12:1 John saw a "sign,"something that signified or represented something else (cf. v. 3; 13:13-14; 15:1; 16:14; 19:29). Usually John used ...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • The Blind Made To See, And The Seeing Made BlindWhen Jesus 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, 7. And said unto him, Go, wash in the P...
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