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MAY 26
Sinai itself was moved at the presence previously had seen that he was blind said, “Is
of God, the God of Israel. not this he who sat and begged?”
9 You, O God, sent a plentiful rain, 9 Some said, “This is he.” Others said, “He is
Whereby You confirmed Your like him.”
inheritance, He said, “I am he.”
When it was weary. 10 Therefore they said to him, “How were
10 Your congregation dwelt in it; your eyes opened?”
You, O God, provided from Your 11 He answered and said, “A Man called Je-
goodness for the poor. sus made clay and anointed my eyes and said
to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’ So
Proverbs 17:5–6
I went and washed, and I received sight.”
5 He who mocks the poor reproaches his 12 Then they said to him, “Where is He?”
Maker; He said, “I do not know.”
He who is glad at calamity will not go 13 They brought him who formerly was blind
14
unpunished. to the Pharisees. Now it was a Sabbath when
Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes.
6 Children’s children are the crown of 15
old men, Then the Pharisees also asked him again how
And the glory of children is their father. he had received his sight. He said to them, “He
put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”
John 9:1–23 16 Therefore some of the Pharisees said,
“This Man is not from God, because He does
Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who
2
9 was blind from birth. And His disciples not keep the Sabbath.”
Others said, “How can a man who is a sin-
asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this ner do such signs?” And there was a division
man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his among them.
They said to the blind man again, “What do
17
parents sinned, but that the works of God you say about Him because He opened your
should be revealed in him. I must work the eyes?”
4
works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the He said, “He is a prophet.”
5
night is coming when no one can work. As 18 But the Jews did not believe concerning
long as I am in the world, I am the light of the him, that he had been blind and received his
world.”
6 When He had said these things, He spat on
the ground and made clay with the saliva; and
He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the
clay. And He said to him, “Go, wash in the 9:17 He is a prophet. While the blind man
7
pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So saw clearly that Jesus was more than a mere
he went and washed, and came back seeing. man,the sighted but obstinate Pharisees were
8 Therefore the neighbors and those who spiritually blind to that truth (v. 39). Blindness
in the Bible is a metaphor for spiritual dark-
ness, i.e., inability to discern God or His truth
(2 Cor. 4:3–6; Col. 1:12–14).
9:2 who sinned. While sin may be a cause of
suffering, as clearly indicated in Scripture
(5:14; Num. 12; 1 Cor. 11:30; James 5:15), it is sight, until they called the parents of him who
not always the case necessarily (see Job;2 Cor. had received his sight. And they asked them,
19
12:7; Gal. 4:13). The disciples assumed, like saying, “Is this your son, who you say was
most Palestinians of their day, that sin was the born blind? How then does he now see?”
primary, if not exclusive, cause of all suffering. 20
In this instance, however, Jesus made it clear His parents answered them and said, “We
that personal sin was not the reason for the know that this is our son, and that he was born
21
blindness (v. 3). blind; but by what means he now sees we do not
know, or who opened his eyes we do not know.
9:3 Jesus did not deny the general connection He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself.”
between sin and suffering,but refuted the idea 22 His parents said these things because they
that personal acts of sin were the direct cause. feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already
God’s sovereignty and purposes play a part in that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he
such matters, as is clear from Job 1 and 2. would be put out of the synagogue. Therefore
23
his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
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