Healing the Man Born Blind
Primary Reference: John 9:1-41
Encountering a man blind from birth, Jesus' disciples asked whose sin had caused the blindness — the man's or his parents'. Jesus rejected both explanations, declaring, "Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him." He then made clay with His own saliva, anointed the man's eyes, and instructed him to wash in the Pool of Siloam. The man obeyed and came back seeing — a miracle without precedent in all of Scripture.
The aftermath of this miracle occupies most of John chapter 9, as the Pharisees conducted a hostile investigation. They interrogated the healed man repeatedly, called his parents, and ultimately expelled him from the synagogue for refusing to denounce Jesus. The formerly blind man's progressive understanding of Jesus is remarkable: he first called Him "a man," then "a prophet," then declared He must be "of God," and finally, when Jesus found him, worshiped Him as Lord.
Jesus used this miracle to teach that He is the Light of the World, come to give sight to the blind and to expose the blindness of those who claim to see. The Pharisees who rejected the miracle were declared more blind than the man born without sight. By making clay and anointing the man's eyes, Jesus echoed God's original creation of Adam from the dust of the ground — the Creator was remaking what sin had marred. The Pool of Siloam, whose name means "Sent," pointed to Jesus Himself, the One sent by the Father to bring sight and salvation.
Scripture References
John 9:1-41
The full account of Jesus healing the man born blind and the Pharisees' investigation.
John 9:5
"As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world" — Jesus' declaration before the healing.
Genesis 2:7
"The LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground" — echoed in Jesus making clay for the man's eyes.
Isaiah 42:6-7
"I the LORD... will give thee for a light of the Gentiles; to open the blind eyes."
Isaiah 9:2
"The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light" — fulfilled in Christ the Light.
Psalm 27:1
"The LORD is my light and my salvation" — the God who gives both physical and spiritual light.
Psalm 146:8
"The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind" — a divine prerogative exercised by Jesus.
Isaiah 8:6
The waters of Shiloah (Siloam) — the same pool Jesus sent the blind man to wash in.
John 8:12
"He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."
2 Corinthians 4:6
"God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts."