What the world overlooks, Jesus sees.
Key Verse:
“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.’” —John 9:3 NASB
Background Context:
John 9 opens with a simple but powerful scene—Jesus sees a man who had been blind from birth. The disciples immediately ask a theological question, assuming sin must be the cause. Jesus redirects their thinking entirely: this man’s condition is not about blame, but about purpose. God is about to work through him in a way that will glorify His name and reveal deeper truths.
(Continued and expanded after scripture.)
Healing the Man Born Blind
1As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. 2And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” 3Jesus 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.” 6When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes, 7and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went away and washed, and came back seeing. 8Therefore the neighbors, and those who previously saw him as a beggar, were saying, “Is not this the one who used to sit and beg?” 9Others were saying, “This is he,” still others were saying, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the one.” 10So they were saying to him, “How then were your eyes opened?” 11He answered, “The man who is called Jesus made clay, and anointed my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash’; so I went away and washed, and I received sight.” 12They said to him, “Where is He?” He said, “I do not know.”
Reflection on John 9:1–12:
In this miracle, we see a pattern of divine grace. The man didn’t cry out for healing—Jesus saw him. That alone is profound. Jesus sees what others overlook. And while people want to assign blame for suffering, Jesus points us toward God’s power and purpose in the midst of it.
The method of healing is also noteworthy: Jesus spits on the ground, makes mud, and anoints the man’s eyes. Then He instructs him to go wash in the pool of Siloam. The healing required obedience. The man believed Jesus enough to act on His word—and was transformed.
When questioned afterward, the man didn’t have all the answers, but he had his testimony: “I was blind, now I see.” Sometimes our clearest witness to others is not theological expertise but the simple story of how Jesus changed our lives.
Application:
Are you facing circumstances that seem unfair or unexplained? Trust that God sees you—and He may be working out something greater than you can yet understand.
Have you allowed your own suffering to blind you from seeing Jesus? Ask Him to open your spiritual eyes.
And if you’ve experienced His touch, don’t hesitate to share your story—even if all you can say is, “I was blind, and now I see.”
Closing Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for seeing us when no one else does. Thank You for working through our struggles to reveal Your power. Open our eyes to recognize Your hand in our lives. Give us the faith to obey You, even when we don’t understand the whole picture. And may our lives declare Your goodness to a watching world. Amen.
May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.
John Golda
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