St John’s Gospel (26): Through New Eyes: Jesus the Lord of Human Pain (John 9)
John 9:1–41 As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 “We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work. 5 “While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.” 6 When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes, 7 and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went away and washed, and came back seeing. . . .
The Seven Signs + One: The New Creation
1. New Creation Breaks In: Water into wine (2:1-11)
2. Healing with a Word: Prevents death of king’s man’s son (4:46ff)
3. Life of the World: True Sabbath - Paralyzed (38 years) at Bethesda pool (5:2-9) (sin no more)
4. The New Exodus: Bread of Life - Loaves (6:1-14) + Crossing the Sea (6:19)
5. Light of the World: Born blind, cleansed at Siloam pool on Sabbath (9:1-7) (not his sin)
6. Resurrection & Life: Delays/death, then raises Lazarus (11:1-44)
7. Living Water: Water & blood on the cross (19:34-35)
+ 8. New Adam/Gardener: The resurrection (20:1-29) “First Day” (8th Day)
The Fifth Sign - This 5th sign in the Gospel is pregnant with meaning. Christ had just proclaimed in the context of the sham trial of the woman trapped in adultery that He is the Light of the World. His testimony is true and it accredited by the Father. He is sent by the Father to be the Savior of the World. This proclamation to be Light takes on deeper significance in this miraculous, unique event. He creates sight for this man born blind. In the process of this sign, Jesus acts like the Lord God who “formed man of dust from the ground” (Gen. 2:7). Since the man was born blind, his new sight is a work of new creation or being born anew. Jesus does the works of the Father who “sent” Him (vv3-4). Irenaus (ca 125-202) observed that what Jesus “had omitted to form in the womb,” namely, the man’s eyes, He now “supplied in public, that the works of God might be manifested in him.” He also must undergo the washing (baptism) that Jesus prescribed before He sight. This corresponds to an expectation set up in the conversation with Nicodemus, “No one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again [of water and Spirit].” This astounding sign of an actual unsurpassed healing testifies that only when the water sent by Jesus is applied will healing be forthcoming (contrast the 3rd Sign). Follow Jesus and you will be born of water and Spirit and you will have the light of life.
Before You are Sick Know This:
O Father, You are sovereign
The Lord of human pain,
Transmuting earthly sorrows
To gold of heavenly gain,
All evil overruling,
As none but Conqueror could,
Your love pursues its purpose—
Our souls’ eternal good.
What is your only comfort
in life and death?
A.
That I am not my own, 1
but belong with body and soul,
both in life and in death, 2
to my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ. 3
He has fully paid for all my sins
with his precious blood, 4
and has set me free
from all the power of the devil. 5
He also preserves me in such a way 6
that without the will of my heavenly Father
not a hair can fall from my head; 7
indeed, all things must work together
for my salvation. 8
Therefore, by his Holy Spirit
he also assures me
of eternal life 9
and makes me heartily willing and ready
from now on to live for him. 10