4/8/2015
Are We Blind Also?
Text: John 9:1-41
1
Exposition of the Text:
• Prenatal sin?
• Pre-existent of the soul?
• Consequences of parent’s sins?
4/8/2015
• Jesus’ disciples asked why the blind man was born blind?
(John 9:1-5)
• Jesus was focused on “WHAT” and not “WHO”.
• What could be done?
• This was an opportunity to display the power of God.
2
• Jesus’ disciples asked why the blind man was born blind?
(9:1-5)
• Jesus restores the blind man’s sight. (9:6-7)
• The neighbors question the blind man about his restored
sight. (9:8-12)
• The neighbors bring the blind man to the Pharisees.
(9:13-17)
4/8/2015
Exposition of the Text:
3
• The man with the withered hand. (Mt. 12:9-14)
• The demoniac in the synagogue in Capernaum. (Mk.
9:21-28)
• Peter’s mother-in-law (Mk. 1:29-31)
• The stooped woman (Luke 13:10-17)
• The man with dropsy (Luke 14:1-6)
• The infirmed man at the pool of Bethesda (Jn. 5:1-15)
• The man born blind (John 9:1-41)
4/8/2015
Jesus Heals on the Sabbath
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• The making of saliva was an infringement of the Sabbath.
• Dan King: “Among the thirty-nine works forbidden to
Jews on the Sabbath (Mishnah Shabbath 7:2) was
kneading, and Jesus had kneaded the clay with his
spittle to make the mud.” (“The Book Of John,” Truth
Commentaries, p. 188)
• The non-emergency healing on the Sabbath.
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Sabbath Traditions
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• Jesus’ disciples asked why the blind man was born blind?
(9:1-5)
• Jesus restores the blind man’s sight. (9:6-7)
• The neighbors question the blind man about his restored
sight. (9:8-12)
• The neighbors bring the blind man to the Pharisees.
(9:13-17)
• The Jewish leaders interrogate the blind man’s parents
(9:18-23)
4/8/2015
Exposition of the Text:
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• The Jewish leaders interrogate the blind man’s parents.
(9:18-23)
• The questions of the Pharisees:
• Is he your son? (19)
• Was he born blind? (19)
• How does he now see? (19)
• The parents admit:
• He is their son (20)
• He was born blind (20)
• They would not speculate regarding his sight. (21)
4/8/2015
Exposition of the Text:
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• Jesus’ disciples asked why the blind man was born blind?
(9:1-5)
• Jesus restores the blind man’s sight. (9:6-7)
• The neighbor’s question the blind man about his restored
sight. (9:8-12)
• The neighbor’s bring the blind man to the Pharisees. (9:1317)
• The Jewish leaders interrogate the blind man’s parents
(9:18-23)
• The Jewish leaders interrogate the blind man again. (9:2434)
4/8/2015
Exposition of the Text:
8
• The law forbade work on the Sabbath
• Jesus had healed on the Sabbath
• Jesus was a sinner
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The Pharisee’s Rationale:
9
• Jesus opened my eyes.
• God does not hear the prayers of sinners.
• If a man worships God and does His will, God
hears him.
• No man ever opened the eyes of one born blind
before this man did.
• Therefore if this man were not from God, he
could do nothing.
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The Blind Man’s Rationale:
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• Jesus’ disciples asked why the blind man was born blind?
(9:1-5)
• Jesus restores the blind man’s sight. (9:6-7)
• The neighbors question the blind man about his restored
sight. (9:8-12)
• The neighbors bring the blind man to the Pharisees. (9:13-17)
• The Jewish leaders interrogate the blind man’s parents (9:1823)
• The Jewish leaders interrogate the blind man again. (9:24-34)
• Jesus seeks to question the blind man. (9:35-39)
4/8/2015
Exposition of the Text:
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• The blind man was born physically blind.
• He first understood that a man called Jesus opened
his eyes. (9:11)
• He later reasoned Jesus was a prophet. (9:17)
• After the Pharisees’ interrogation he understood
that Jesus was from God. (9:33)
• Finally he understands Jesus to be the “Son of
God” (9:35-38)
4/8/2015
Are We Blind Also?
12
• The apostles were blinded by pre-conceived ideas.
• Who sinned? This man or his parents? (9:2)
• Their question was based on the presupposition
that all suffering is a direct result of sin. (ref. Job
4:7; 8:20)
• Suffering can be a direct result of our poor choices.
(Prov. 23:29-35)
• This was not the case in this instance. (John 9:3)
• The apostles were blinded by preconceived
notions.
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Are We Blind Also?
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• Some neighbors were blinded by a supernatural
bias.
• This would explain why they did not recognize
the blind man. (9:9)
• The world struggles with a supernatural bias.
• Liberal Bible scholars
• Evolutionists
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Are We Blind Also?
14
• The Pharisees were blinded by tradition.
leaders condemned Jesus for
•When
SabbathJewish
Law:
• Don’t kindle
any Sabbath,
fires (Ex. 35:3)
healing
on the
(Matthew 12:12)
• Don’t
cook (Ex. 16:23)
Jesus
responded
by saying that it was if it was
• Don’t to
leave
your mercy
place (Ex.
lawful
show
to16:29)
an animal on the
• Don’t work (Ex. 20:8-10; Dt. 5:12-14; cf. Neh.
Sabbath,
then it is right to show mercy and
10:31; 13:16-18)
help
a
man
on
the
Sabbath
(Mt.
12:12)
• Don’t bear burdens (Jer. 17:21-22)
JESUS
THEIR
• RestBROKE
(Ex. 23:12;
34:21)TRADITIONS, NOT THE
SABBATH
• Remember the Lord
(Ex. 31:15-17; 35:2)
4/8/2015
Are We Blind Also?
15
• The immaculate conception of Mary
• The perpetual virginity of Mary
• The worship of Mary
• The bodily assumption of Mary
• Praying to Mary
• Infant baptism
• Candles, incense, rosary beads
• Denominationalism
4/8/2015
Man Made Traditions
16
• The parents where blinded by fear of excommunication.
• Fear of the Jews is a common theme in John’s gospel
• Nicodemus came to Jesus by night (Jn. 3:2)
• The people speculated privately about whether or
not Jesus would come to the Feast of Tabernacles
(Jn. 7:13)
• Some “believing” rulers would not confess Jesus
(Jn. 12:42-43)
4/8/2015
Are We Blind Also?
17
• The Pharisees were blinded by arrogant certainty.
• They were certain that Jesus was not from God
because He broke the Sabbath. (9:16)
• Therefore they decide the man could not have
been born blind. (9:18)
• Therefore they interrogate his parents looking for
another plausible explanation. (9:18-21)
• They interrogate the blind man again hoping to
find another explanation to the miracle. (9:24-34)
• “Admit the truth!” (9:24)
• You are lying - you are a disciple of Christ. (9:28)
4/8/2015
Are We Blind Also?
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• “We know that this Man is a sinner!” (Jn. 9:24b)
• “You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples”
(Jn. 9:28)
• “We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this
fellow, we do not know where He is from” (Jn. 9:29)
• “You were completely born in sins, and are you
teaching us?” (Jn. 9:34)
4/8/2015
Arrogant Certainty
19
• Preconceived Ideas
• Anti-Supernatural Bias
• Man-made Traditions
• Fear
• Arrogant Certainty
4/8/2015
What Blinds Us to the Truth?
20
• By a willingness to do the Father’s will. (John
7:17)
• Be open
•The
Consider
blind man saw physically and spiritually
• Look at the evidencebecause:
4/8/2015
How Can I Avoid Prejudice?
He listened to the words of Jesus
He believed the words of Jesus
He obeyed the words of Jesus
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