Thematic Bible: The blind men
Thematic Bible
Converts » Zealous » The blind men
Then the neighbors, who had seen the man begging previously, said, "Is not this the man who [used to] sit there and beg?" Other people said, "[Yes], that is him," while [still] others said, "No, [it is not]; he [just] looks like him." The man said, "I am the one, [all right]." So, they said to him, "How was your sight restored, then?" read more.
He answered, "That man called Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes; then He said to me, 'Go to Siloam and wash [yourself].' So, I went and washed and my sight was [miraculously] restored." Then the people said to the man, "Where is he?" "I do not know," he replied. [So], they brought the man, who had been blind, to the Pharisees. Now it was the Sabbath day when Jesus had made the mud and restored the man's sight. So, the Pharisees also asked him again how his sight was restored. He said to them, "He put mud on my eyes; I washed [myself], and [now] I can see." Some of the Pharisees then said, "The man who did this is not from God, because he does not observe the Sabbath day. But other people said, "How could a man who is a sinner do such [miraculous] signs?" And the people were divided among themselves [over the issue]. So, they said to the [former] blind man again, "What do you have to say about the man, since [you say] he restored your sight?" The man replied, "He is a prophet." But these Jews [i.e., Pharisees] did not believe that the man had been blind and had received his sight back until they called his parents and asked them, "Is this your son, whom you say was born blind? How [is it] then, that he can now see?" His parents answered, "We know this is our son and that he was born blind. But as to how it is that he can now see, we do not know; and we do not know who restored his sight [either]. Ask him, for he is old enough and can answer for himself." His parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jewish authorities who had already decided that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Christ would be expelled from the synagogue. So, his parents said, "He is old enough, ask him." So, they called the [former] blind man a second time, and said to him, "Give honor to God [Note: In Jewish idiom this phrase meant "Tell the truth." See Josh. 7:19]; we know this man is a sinner." So, he answered, "I do not know if he is a sinner or not. But one thing I do know; I used to be blind, but now I can see." The Pharisees said to him, "What did he do to you? How did he restore your sight?" He answered them, "I just told you, but you would not listen. Why should I tell you again? Do you men want to become his disciples, too?" Then they began ridiculing him, saying, "You are his disciple, but we are Moses' disciples. We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this man, we do not [even] know where he came from." The man replied, "Is not that strange! You do not know where he came from and yet he restored my sight! [Note: The next sentence may be the beggar stating the Pharisees' argument. See verse 24]. We know that God does not listen to sinners [i.e., when they pray]; but God does listen to the person who reveres Him and does what He wants. It has never been heard of, since the world was created, that anyone has restored sight to a man born blind. Unless this man came from God, he would not be able to do anything [like this]." They replied to the beggar, "You were born entirely in sins [i.e., you have been a sinner all your life], and you are [trying] to teach us?" Then they threw him out [of the synagogue. See verse 22]. [When] Jesus heard that they had thrown the beggar out, He found him and asked him, "Do you believe in the Son of man?" He answered, "Who is he, sir? [Tell me], so I can believe in him." Jesus said to him, "You have seen Him and He is the One who is talking with you." And the man said, "Lord, I believe." And he knelt in front of Jesus [i.e., in reverence].
He answered, "That man called Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes; then He said to me, 'Go to Siloam and wash [yourself].' So, I went and washed and my sight was [miraculously] restored." Then the people said to the man, "Where is he?" "I do not know," he replied. [So], they brought the man, who had been blind, to the Pharisees. Now it was the Sabbath day when Jesus had made the mud and restored the man's sight. So, the Pharisees also asked him again how his sight was restored. He said to them, "He put mud on my eyes; I washed [myself], and [now] I can see." Some of the Pharisees then said, "The man who did this is not from God, because he does not observe the Sabbath day. But other people said, "How could a man who is a sinner do such [miraculous] signs?" And the people were divided among themselves [over the issue]. So, they said to the [former] blind man again, "What do you have to say about the man, since [you say] he restored your sight?" The man replied, "He is a prophet." But these Jews [i.e., Pharisees] did not believe that the man had been blind and had received his sight back until they called his parents and asked them, "Is this your son, whom you say was born blind? How [is it] then, that he can now see?" His parents answered, "We know this is our son and that he was born blind. But as to how it is that he can now see, we do not know; and we do not know who restored his sight [either]. Ask him, for he is old enough and can answer for himself." His parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jewish authorities who had already decided that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Christ would be expelled from the synagogue. So, his parents said, "He is old enough, ask him." So, they called the [former] blind man a second time, and said to him, "Give honor to God [Note: In Jewish idiom this phrase meant "Tell the truth." See Josh. 7:19]; we know this man is a sinner." So, he answered, "I do not know if he is a sinner or not. But one thing I do know; I used to be blind, but now I can see." The Pharisees said to him, "What did he do to you? How did he restore your sight?" He answered them, "I just told you, but you would not listen. Why should I tell you again? Do you men want to become his disciples, too?" Then they began ridiculing him, saying, "You are his disciple, but we are Moses' disciples. We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this man, we do not [even] know where he came from." The man replied, "Is not that strange! You do not know where he came from and yet he restored my sight! [Note: The next sentence may be the beggar stating the Pharisees' argument. See verse 24]. We know that God does not listen to sinners [i.e., when they pray]; but God does listen to the person who reveres Him and does what He wants. It has never been heard of, since the world was created, that anyone has restored sight to a man born blind. Unless this man came from God, he would not be able to do anything [like this]." They replied to the beggar, "You were born entirely in sins [i.e., you have been a sinner all your life], and you are [trying] to teach us?" Then they threw him out [of the synagogue. See verse 22]. [When] Jesus heard that they had thrown the beggar out, He found him and asked him, "Do you believe in the Son of man?" He answered, "Who is he, sir? [Tell me], so I can believe in him." Jesus said to him, "You have seen Him and He is the One who is talking with you." And the man said, "Lord, I believe." And he knelt in front of Jesus [i.e., in reverence].