What Happens When the Light Shines (John 9)

"Jesus said, 'For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind'” (Jn 9:39).

• Key Theme: What happens when the light shines (Jn 9:5; 8:12)? Some are made to see, like this man born blind (Jn 9:25b), while others who think they see, turn away blinded, as it were, by the light (Jn 9:39-41). Jesus' mission is to bring spiritual light to a world in darkness.
• Key Irony: The healed beggar progresses from physical blindness to spiritual sight and faith in Jesus (grows in his understanding of Jesus (a man → a prophet → from God → Lord/Son of Man), while the Pharisees, who, despite having physical sight and claiming superior Bible knowledge, regress, becoming increasingly hardened and blind, and descend into spiritual blindness by willfully rejecting Jesus, the light of the world (Jn 9:5; 8:12).

Read John 9:1-7, 25, 35-41.

1. What is the connection between sin and suffering (Jn 9:1-2; Ps 89:32; Eze 18:20; Rom 6:23a)? How would you deal with suffering in light of Jesus' response (Jn 9:3-5)?
2. Why do you think Jesus healed the blind man the way he did (Jn 9:6-7; Gen 2:7)?
3. How does the healed man's understanding of Jesus grow (Jn 9:11, 17, 33, 35-38)? 
4. How do the Pharisees demonstrate their spiritual blindness as they investigate a miracle of sight (Jn 9:16, 24, 28-29, 34, 40-41)? What is the ultimate sin that leaves someone in darkness (Jn 9:39-41)?
5. How do we not become blind and stupid (Jas 1:22, 26; Obad 1:3; 1 Cor 3:18; Zeph 1:17; Jn 3:19-20; 9:41; 1 Jn 2:11; 2 Cor 4:4)?
• Are you in danger of spiritual blindness because you know the Bible better than most people?

John 9:1-41 — Jesus Heals the Man Born Blind. Central Theme: Spiritual sight vs. physical sight (spiritual blindness)— Jesus as the Light of the World exposes the irony that those who are physically blind come to see (both physically and spiritually), while those who claim to see are revealed to be spiritually blind. The passage is a sustained meditation on true and false perception of who Jesus is. Outline: I. The Miracle (1-7). II. The Investigation (8-34). III. The Revelation (35-41).

I. The Miracle [the Healing] (1–7). Disciples ask a theological question: whose sin caused this blindness (Jn 9:2)? Jesus reframes it: the man's condition exists so God's works might be displayed (Jn 9:3). Jesus makes mud, anoints the man's eyes, sends him to wash at the Pool of Siloam (Jn 9:6). The man obeys and returns seeing (Jn 9:7).

II. The Investigation (8-34). 1st interrogation: the neighbor's (8–12). Neighbors debate whether he is the same beggar; the man insists he is the same person (Jn 9:8-9). They ask how — he recounts what "the man called Jesus" did (Jn 9:10-11). He doesn't yet know where Jesus is (Jn 9:12). 2nd interrogation: the Pharisees (13–17). The Pharisees investigate because the healing occurred on the Sabbath (Jn 9:13-14). Division among them: some call Jesus a sinner (breaks Sabbath), others ask how a sinner does such signs (Jn 9:16). They ask the man his opinion — he calls Jesus a prophet (Jn 9:17). 3rd interrogation: the Parents (18–23). Jewish leaders summon the parents to verify the man was born blind (Jn 9:18-19). (Jn 9: Parents confirm his identity and blindness but deflect on how or who healed him (Jn 9:20-21). They fear being expelled from the synagogue — so they defer to their son (Jn 9:22-23). 4th interrogation: the man again (24–34). Leaders demand the man give glory to God and declare Jesus a sinner (Jn 9:24). The man's now-famous retort: "I was blind, now I see" (Jn 9:25). He turns the interrogation around — sarcastically asking if they too want to become his disciples (Jn 9:26-27). He reasons boldly: God doesn't listen to sinners; this miracle proves Jesus is from God (Jn 9:28-33)..The leaders cast him out (Jn 9:34).

III. The Revelation [Spiritual sight and blindness revealed] (35–41). A. Spiritual sight (35-38). Jesus seeks him out and reveals himself as the Son of Man (Jn 9:35). The man asks who he is in order to believe (Jn 9:36). Jesus identifies himself; the man worships him — full spiritual sight achieved (Jn 9:37-38). B. Spiritual blindness [The reversal declared] (39–41). Jesus announces his purpose: judgment — so the blind will see and those who see will become blind (Jn 9:39). The Pharisees ask if they are blind (Jn 9:40). Jesus delivers the closing verdict: "Because you claim you can see, your guilt remains" (Jn 9:41).