A Blind Man Sees for the First Time

January 11

Chapter 9 reveals Jesus’ sixth miracle in the Gospel of John: the healing of another disabled man on the Sabbath. We also discover a stark contrast between the cause of this man’s disability and that of the thirty-eight-year paralytic Jesus healed in John 5: The paralyzed man was disabled for some unspecified sin.

This man, however, was blind from birth, and a common belief of the day held that if a child was born with any kind ailment, defect, or died young, then the parents must have sinned against God and invoked His wrath. Jesus’ disciples were not immune to this flawed religious idea, so it probably didn’t surprise the Lord when they asked Him who had sinned that this man should be born blind—his parents or him?

Jesus responded that no one had sinned to cause his blindness. Rather, he was born blind so that “God’s works might be displayed in him.” (v.3) Writing to the Church at Rome, Paul later encouraged believers that God causes everything to work out for the good of His followers. He then qualified that “the good” to which God works all things together for those who love Him is us becoming more like Jesus. (Romans 8:28–29)

Because he was born blind, this man was a lifelong beggar. Thus, he was well-known in the community as he was daily seeking alms from all who passed by. Following his healing, the Jewish leaders grilled the man at length about who had healed him. Of course, he didn’t know because he had not seen Jesus; he didn’t see anything until he washed in the Pool of Siloam.

When he was unable to identify Jesus, the Jewish leaders asked his parents. Sadly, they were afraid to say that Jesus had healed him for fear of banishment from the synagogue. So, they kicked the can back to their son, saying, “He’s an adult. Ask him!”(v. 23)

In an increasingly-heated exchange, the Pharisees pressed the man. Who healed him? Was he really born blind? If he were born blind, how does he see now? The formerly-blind, former beggar replied, “I don’t know who, and I don’t know how. All I know is that I was blind all of my life, and I can see now.” (v. 25)

As John’s recount of this event winds down in verses 35-41, he leaves us with a striking paradox: A man who was unwillfully born blind could suddenly see when Jesus stood in front of Him, yet the religious leaders—whose God-given purpose is to lead people to Him—were willfully blind to the truth standing right in front of them.

Application

Fanny Crosby (1820–1915) was a famous hymn writer who wrote some eight thousand hymns and gospel songs. She wrote so many hymns that she used almost two hundred pseudonyms to hide the fact that her hymns appeared in hymnals disproportionately compared to other hymn writers’ hymns.

Crosby was blinded six weeks after birth. And yet, being blind, Fanny Crosby saw many things more clearly than most of us do! Thirty years after being blinded, Fanny Crosby says she felt she had been “flooded by celestial light” and gave her heart to Jesus.

John Newton, the writer of the well-known hymn, “Amazing Grace” wrote his hymn almost fifty years before Fanny Crosby was born. Probably thinking of John 9:35, Newton penned the lyrics, “I once was lost, but now am found. Was blind, but now I see.”

How’s your sight? How well do you see spiritual realities? Do you need to ask Jesus to open your eyes and let you see? Ask Him to remove any scales from your eyes so you can see. (Acts 9:18)

© Copyright 2026 Craig Beaman