91 As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth . 2 And His disciples asked Him, " Rabbi , who sinned , this man or his parents , that he would be born blind ?" 3 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. 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 ." 6 When He had said this , He spat on the ground , and made clay of the spittle , and applied the clay to his eyes , 7 and said to him, "Go , wash in the pool of Siloam " (which is translated , Sent ). So he went away and washed , and came back seeing .
8 Therefore the neighbors , and those who previously saw him as a beggar , were saying , "Is not this the one who used to sit and beg ?" 9 Others were saying , "This is he," still others were saying , "No , but he is like him." He kept saying , "I am the one." 10 So they were saying to him, "How then were your eyes opened ?" 11 He 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 ." 12 They said to him, "Where is He?" He said , "I do not know ."
13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who was formerly blind . 14 Now it was a Sabbath on the day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes . 15 Then the Pharisees also were asking him again how he received his sight . And he said to them, "He applied clay to my eyes , and I washed , and I see ." 16 Therefore some of the Pharisees were saying , "This man is not from God , because He does not keep the Sabbath ." But others were saying , "How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs ?" And there was a division among them. 17 So they said to the blind man again , "What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes ?" And he said , "He is a prophet ." 18 The Jews then did not believe it of him, that he had been blind and had received sight , until they called the parents of the very one who had received his sight , 19 and questioned them, saying , "Is this your son , who you say was born blind ? Then how does he now see ?" 20 His parents answered them and said , "We know that this is our son , and that he was born blind ; 21 but how he now sees , we do not know ; or who opened his eyes , we do not know . Ask him; he is of age , he will speak for himself ." 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews ; for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed Him to be Christ , he was to be put out of the synagogue . 23 For this reason his parents said , " He is of age ; ask him."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on John 9:1-23
Commentary on John 9:1-7
(Read John 9:1-7)
Christ cured many who were blind by disease or accident; here he cured one born blind. Thus he showed his power to help in the most desperate cases, and the work of his grace upon the souls of sinners, which gives sight to those blind by nature. This poor man could not see Christ, but Christ saw him. And if we know or apprehend anything of Christ, it is because we were first known of him. Christ says of uncommon calamities, that they are not always to be looked on as special punishments of sin; sometimes they are for the glory of God, and to manifest his works. Our life is our day, in which it concerns us to do the work of the day. We must be busy, and not waste day-time; it will be time to rest when our day is done, for it is but a day. The approach of death should quicken us to improve all our opportunities of doing and getting good. What good we have an opportunity to do, we should do quickly. And he that will never do a good work till there is nothing to be objected against, will leave many a good work for ever undone, Ecclesiastes 11:4. Christ magnified his power, in making a blind man to see, doing that which one would think more likely to make a seeing man blind. Human reason cannot judge of the Lord's methods; he uses means and instruments that men despise. Those that would be healed by Christ must be ruled by him. He came back from the pool wondering and wondered at; he came seeing. This represents the benefits in attending on ordinances of Christ's appointment; souls go weak, and come away strengthened; go doubting, and come away satisfied; go mourning, and come away rejoicing; go blind, and come away seeing.
Commentary on John 9:8-12
(Read John 9:8-12)
Those whose eyes are opened, and whose hearts are cleansed by grace, being known to be the same person, but widely different in character, live as monuments to the Redeemer's glory, and recommend his grace to all who desire the same precious salvation. It is good to observe the way and method of God's works, and they will appear the more wonderful. Apply this spiritually. In the work of grace wrought upon the soul we see the change, but we see not the hand that makes it: the way of the Spirit is like that of the wind, which thou hearest the sound of, but canst not tell whence it comes, nor whither it goes.
Commentary on John 9:13-17
(Read John 9:13-17)
Christ not only worked miracles on the sabbath, but in such a manner as would give offence to the Jews, for he would not seem to yield to the scribes and Pharisees. Their zeal for mere rites consumed the substantial matters of religion; therefore Christ would not give place to them. Also, works of necessity and mercy are allowed, and the sabbath rest is to be kept, in order to the sabbath work. How many blind eyes have been opened by the preaching of the gospel on the Lord's day! how many impotent souls cured on that day! Much unrighteous and uncharitable judging comes from men's adding their own fancies to God's appointments. How perfect in wisdom and holiness was our Redeemer, when his enemies could find nothing against him, but the oft-refuted charge of breaking the sabbath! May we be enabled, by well-doing, to silence the ignorance of foolish men.
Commentary on John 9:18-23
(Read John 9:18-23)
The Pharisees vainly hoped to disprove this notable miracle. They expected a Messiah, but could not bear to think that this Jesus should be he, because his precepts were all contrary to their traditions, and because they expected a Messiah in outward pomp and splendour. The fear of man brings a snare, Proverbs 29:25, and often makes people deny and disown Christ and his truths and ways, and act against their consciences. The unlearned and poor, who are simple-hearted, readily draw proper inferences from the evidences of the light of the gospel; but those whose desires are another way, though ever learning, never come to the knowledge of the truth.