As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.
His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” Some claimed that he was.
After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.
His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” Some claimed that he was.
Others said, “No, he only looks like him.”
But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”
“How then were your eyes opened?” they asked.
“How then were your eyes opened?” they asked.
I am reading the ninth chapter of John this week. This is the first story of Jesus in this chapter and it has so many issues that fill my mind. I will probably be spending a few days working through what God is speaking through this passage to me.
The first question I must face is the issue of the source of blindness. In the ancient world, people believed that those who were born with a debilitating disease the parents or grandparents had sinned. The disciples knew Jesus would know what caused the man to be blind. Along with the primary question, the larger issue I have about this section is the response of Jesus.
Jesus proclaimed this person was born blind to be a demonstration of God's power. This idea is hard for me. The thought that God would make someone "less" just to be a part of the demonstration of Jesus' power. How can a loving God do this? How can a grace filled God do this?
I realize focusing on the subject of why born is not central to my faith. It is not important to focus on while discovering the focus of God's desire to teach through Jesus. The central focus is the willingness of the person to be used for God's will.
Are we able to be the instrument of God's grace? The blind man in this story was willing to be that instrument. He went to the pool to wash off the mud. He allowed Jesus to put the mud made of spit on his eyes. This is the focus for me in the response of the blind man. Not why he is blind, but what he is willing to do with the blindness when confronted by Jesus.
