the healing of a blind man
The Gospel According to St. John (9:1-23)[1]
The Healing of a Blind Man
(As a sign that he is the light, Jesus gives sight to a man born blind.)
IX 1 Now, as he walked along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who committed the sin that caused him to be born blind, he or his parents?”
3 “Neither,” answered Jesus. “It was no sin on this man’s part, nor on his parents’ part. Rather, it was to let God’s work be revealed in him. 4 We must work the works of Him who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 with that he spat on the ground, made mud with his saliva, and smeared the man’s eyes with the mud. 7 Then Jesus told him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam.” (This means “one who has been sent.”) And so he went off and washed, and he came back able to see.
8 Now his neighbors and the people who had been accustomed to see him begging began to ask, “Isn’t this the fellow who used to sit and beg?” 9 some were claiming that it was he; others maintained that it was not, but just someone who looked like him. He himself said, “I’m the one, all right.” 10 So they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “That man they called Jesus made mud and smeared it on my eyes, telling me to go to Siloam and wash. When I did go and wash, I got sight.” 12 “Where is he? They asked. “I have no idea,” he replied.
13 They took the man who had been born blind to the Pharisees. (14 Note that it was on a Sabbath day that Jesus had made the mud and opened his eyes.) 15 In their turn, the Pharisees too began to inquire how he had got his sight. He told them, “He put mud on my eye; and I washed and now I can see.” 16 This prompted some of the Pharisees to assert, “This man is not from God because he does not keep the Sabbath.” Others objected, “How can a man perform such signs and still be a sinner?” And they were sharply divided. 17 Then they addressed the blind man again, “Since it was your eyes he opened, what have you to say about him?” “He is a prophet,” he replied. 18 But the Jews refused to believe that he really had been born blind and had subsequently gained his sight until they summoned the parents of the man [who had gained his sight]. 19 “Is this your son?” they asked. “Do you confirm that he was born blind? If so, how can he see now?” 20 The parents gave this answer: “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. 21 But we do not know how he can see now, nor do we know who opened his eyes. [Ask him.] He is old enough to speak for himself.” (22 His parents answered this way because they were afraid of the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that anybody who acknowledged Jesus as Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. 23 That was why his parents said, “He is old enough. Ask him.”)
The Lessons Taught by the Story
1. Triumph of light over darkness. The primary lesson that the evangelist meant to convey is the acting out of the triumph of light over darkness. Jesus acts out here the truth he proclaimed in viii 12, “I am the light of the world.”
2. Apologetic lesson. In addition to the light/darkness, sight/blindness drama, the evangelist had a second purpose in presenting this story to his readers: that of apologetics. In the preliminary interrogation of the man by the Pharisees we hear some of the doubts that bothered the authorities about Jesus during his ministry. The problem of his violation of the Sabbath was certainly an authentic part of the early tradition about Jesus. In many interrogations of the man the real issue is whether or not Jesus has miraculous power and, if he does, who he is. Through the blind man responses reveals that Jesus is, the “Son of Man,” and brings to complete faith.
3. A baptismal lesson. Chapter ix served as a reading in preparing converts for Baptism. The Church found a baptismal lesson in this chapter, the response of the blind man to the question of Jesus, “do you believe…” as great scrutiny and the use of spittle and anointing become part of the rituals or ceremonies of baptism. It is also a good symbolism, the blind man stands for the human race… if the blindness is infidelity, then illumination is faith… He washes his eyes in that pool which is interpreted “one who has been sent”: he was baptized in Christ.
Prepared By: Frt. Melencio D. Balay, Jr., SVD
Submitted to: Fr. Willy Villegas, SVD
[1] Raymond E. Brown, S.S. The Gospel According To John. (New York: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1966).
The Healing of a Blind Man
(As a sign that he is the light, Jesus gives sight to a man born blind.)
IX 1 Now, as he walked along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who committed the sin that caused him to be born blind, he or his parents?”
3 “Neither,” answered Jesus. “It was no sin on this man’s part, nor on his parents’ part. Rather, it was to let God’s work be revealed in him. 4 We must work the works of Him who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 with that he spat on the ground, made mud with his saliva, and smeared the man’s eyes with the mud. 7 Then Jesus told him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam.” (This means “one who has been sent.”) And so he went off and washed, and he came back able to see.
8 Now his neighbors and the people who had been accustomed to see him begging began to ask, “Isn’t this the fellow who used to sit and beg?” 9 some were claiming that it was he; others maintained that it was not, but just someone who looked like him. He himself said, “I’m the one, all right.” 10 So they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “That man they called Jesus made mud and smeared it on my eyes, telling me to go to Siloam and wash. When I did go and wash, I got sight.” 12 “Where is he? They asked. “I have no idea,” he replied.
13 They took the man who had been born blind to the Pharisees. (14 Note that it was on a Sabbath day that Jesus had made the mud and opened his eyes.) 15 In their turn, the Pharisees too began to inquire how he had got his sight. He told them, “He put mud on my eye; and I washed and now I can see.” 16 This prompted some of the Pharisees to assert, “This man is not from God because he does not keep the Sabbath.” Others objected, “How can a man perform such signs and still be a sinner?” And they were sharply divided. 17 Then they addressed the blind man again, “Since it was your eyes he opened, what have you to say about him?” “He is a prophet,” he replied. 18 But the Jews refused to believe that he really had been born blind and had subsequently gained his sight until they summoned the parents of the man [who had gained his sight]. 19 “Is this your son?” they asked. “Do you confirm that he was born blind? If so, how can he see now?” 20 The parents gave this answer: “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. 21 But we do not know how he can see now, nor do we know who opened his eyes. [Ask him.] He is old enough to speak for himself.” (22 His parents answered this way because they were afraid of the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that anybody who acknowledged Jesus as Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. 23 That was why his parents said, “He is old enough. Ask him.”)
The Lessons Taught by the Story
1. Triumph of light over darkness. The primary lesson that the evangelist meant to convey is the acting out of the triumph of light over darkness. Jesus acts out here the truth he proclaimed in viii 12, “I am the light of the world.”
2. Apologetic lesson. In addition to the light/darkness, sight/blindness drama, the evangelist had a second purpose in presenting this story to his readers: that of apologetics. In the preliminary interrogation of the man by the Pharisees we hear some of the doubts that bothered the authorities about Jesus during his ministry. The problem of his violation of the Sabbath was certainly an authentic part of the early tradition about Jesus. In many interrogations of the man the real issue is whether or not Jesus has miraculous power and, if he does, who he is. Through the blind man responses reveals that Jesus is, the “Son of Man,” and brings to complete faith.
3. A baptismal lesson. Chapter ix served as a reading in preparing converts for Baptism. The Church found a baptismal lesson in this chapter, the response of the blind man to the question of Jesus, “do you believe…” as great scrutiny and the use of spittle and anointing become part of the rituals or ceremonies of baptism. It is also a good symbolism, the blind man stands for the human race… if the blindness is infidelity, then illumination is faith… He washes his eyes in that pool which is interpreted “one who has been sent”: he was baptized in Christ.
Prepared By: Frt. Melencio D. Balay, Jr., SVD
Submitted to: Fr. Willy Villegas, SVD
[1] Raymond E. Brown, S.S. The Gospel According To John. (New York: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1966).
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