THE HUB

Blindness

Devotional

This healing in John 9 is prophetic: the Old Testament speaks of the Promised One healing blindness (Isaiah 29:18; 35:5; 42:7). In all of Scripture, only Jesus is credited with miracles which give sight to the blind. This is not only proof of His identity, it symbolizes the unique way in which the Messiah grants understanding of the truth (Matthew 11:5; Matthew 12:22–23).

1 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. 7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. 8 His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some claimed that he was. Others said, “No, he only looks like him.” But he himself insisted, “I am the man.” 10 “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked. 11 He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud anput it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash.

JOHN 9:1-11

Questions:

  • Do you praise Jesus for what He’s doing in your life, even when it’s hard to understand? Please explain.
  • Does your faith falter or flourish when your family is fearful or unbelieving?
  • Do you find your faith in Jesus deepening or weakening in the midst of threat and danger?
  • Do you confess Him openly and defend Him with your simple testimony?

Practice The Way of Jesus:

Blindness is a common theme in the Bible. An inability to see physically is a great parallel to blindness to spiritual matters. Can you "see" the matters that are important to God? Or do you not have space for Jesus in your ideology? This week, consider how you can imitate the blind man in this passage. Ask yourself: Have I been living out the matters that are important to God? Or have I been blinded by the "god of this age?”