The captivating narrative from John 9, where Jesus heals a man born blind, offers profound insights into spiritual sight, divine purpose, and the nature of true rest. This familiar story, often recounted, reveals layers of meaning that challenge our perceptions and invite us to see the “works of God” made manifest in our own lives.
The disciples, upon seeing the blind man, questioned whether his condition was due to his own sin or that of his parents. Jesus’s response, however, shifted their perspective entirely: “No, it’s not that. He was born blind because the works of God should be made manifest in him.” The Greek word for manifest in John 9:3 is “phaneroō,” (the root word being “phainō“) meaning “to bring forth into the light,” highlights that this man’s blindness served a divine purpose – to reveal God’s power and glory.
Jesus then declared in John 9:4, “I must work the works of Him who sent me while it is day. . . As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” This emphasizes the urgency of His mission and His identity as the source of spiritual illumination.
What followed was a peculiar act: Jesus spat on the ground, made clay with the dirt, and applied it to the blind man’s eyes. This seemingly counterintuitive action, rather than immediately granting sight, served a deeper purpose. It was a symbolic act, blinding the “eyes of the soul” that were opened in disobedience in the Garden of Eden, preparing the man for true spiritual vision.
The instruction to “Go wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means “sent”) was the final step. The water, representing the Word of God, cleansed and brought forth sight. The man’s obedience, despite the apparent illogicality of the command, led to his miraculous healing. He returned seeing, stirring the entire community.
The reaction of the Pharisees, the religious establishment of the day, stands in stark contrast to the man’s joy. Their rigid adherence to the Sabbath law blinded them to the divine work unfolding before their eyes. Jesus’s healing on the Sabbath was deemed a “work” and therefore a violation, leading them to question the man and even his parents. They were so entrenched in their own interpretations that they could not perceive the true nature of God’s work.
This highlights a critical distinction: the Pharisees, who thought they saw, were spiritually blind, while the man born blind gained both physical and spiritual sight. Jesus’s statement, “For judgment I am come into this world that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind,” underscores this paradox. True sight, Jesus implies, often requires acknowledging our own blindness.
The Sabbath, as explained, was not merely about abstaining from work, but about entering into the “rest of God.” This rest is not inactivity, but rather doing God’s work from a place of divine empowerment, not human effort. When we operate in our own strength, we become “burnt out”; but when we work from God’s rest, His “yoke is easy, and burden is light.”
Ultimately, Jesus’s healing of the blind man was a “sign” – a wonder pointing to something greater. It revealed His anointing to bring recovery of sight to the spiritually blind, a condition that persists even today within the church. Just as light reveals, Jesus, “the light of the world,” came to reveal the Father.
The entire process – the spit and clay, the washing in Siloam – points to the re-formation of man. The “dust of the ground” from which man was formed, mixed with Jesus’s word (represented by the spit), signifies a divine re-creation. Just as God breathed life into Adam, Jesus brings true life and spiritual sight through His Word.
The “others” in the story, those who were open to seeing beyond the religious norms, represent a generation God is raising up to perceive differently. This “division” is not from the devil, but from the Lord, who opens the eyes of those willing to see.
The message for us today is clear: we are on an assignment from the Father. We must work His works with urgency, understanding that true sight comes through His light and His Word. It doesn’t matter who is in power; our security and assignment come from the heavens. If you feel you’ve been walking in darkness, even within the church, today is the day for your eyes to be opened to a new spiritual reality, to see Him and, in turn, to see who you truly are in Him.