91 And as he passed on, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Rabbi, who sinned, this [man] or his parents, that he should be born blind? 3 Jesus answered, Neither has this [man] sinned nor his parents, but that the works of God should be manifested in him. 4 I must work the works of him that has sent me while it is day. [The] night is coming, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am [the] light of the world. 6 Having said these things, he spat on the ground and made mud of the spittle, and put the mud, as ointment, on his eyes. 7 And he said to him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, which is interpreted, Sent. He went therefore and washed, and came seeing.
8 The neighbours therefore, and those who used to see him before, that he was a beggar, said, Is not this he that was sitting and begging? 9 Some said, It is he; others said, No, but he is like him: he said, It is I. 10 They said therefore to him, How have thine eyes been opened? 11 He answered [and said], A man called Jesus made mud and anointed mine eyes, and said to me, Go to Siloam and wash: and having gone and washed, I saw. 12 They said therefore to him, Where is he? He says, I do not know.
13 They bring him who was before blind to the Pharisees. 14 Now it was sabbath when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15 The Pharisees therefore also again asked him how he received his sight. And he said to them, He put mud upon mine eyes, and I washed, and I see. 16 Some of the Pharisees therefore said, This man is not of God, for he does not keep the sabbath. Others said, How can a sinful man perform such signs? And there was a division among them. 17 They say therefore again to the blind [man], What dost thou say of him, that he has opened thine eyes? And he said, He is a prophet. 18 The Jews therefore did not believe concerning him that he was blind and had received sight, until they had called the parents of him that had received sight. 19 And they asked them saying, This is your son, of whom ye say that he was born blind: how then 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 has opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age: ask him; he will speak concerning himself. 22 His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if any one confessed him [to be the] Christ, he should be excommunicated from the synagogue. 23 On this account his parents said, He is of age: ask him. 24 They called therefore a second time the man who had been blind, and said to him, Give glory to God: we know that this man is sinful. 25 He answered therefore, If he is sinful I know not. One thing I know, that, being blind [before], now I see. 26 And they said to him again, What did he do to thee? how opened he thine eyes? 27 He answered them, I told you already and ye did not hear: why do ye desire to hear again? do ye also wish to become his disciples? 28 They railed at him, and said, Thou art his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God spoke to Moses; but [as to] this [man], we know not whence he is. 30 The man answered and said to them, Now in this is a wonderful thing, that ye do not know whence he is, and he has opened mine eyes. 31 [But] we know that God does not hear sinners; but if any one be God-fearing and do his will, him he hears. 32 Since time was, it has not been heard that any one opened the eyes of one born blind. 33 If this [man] were not of God he would be able to do nothing. 34 They answered and said to him, Thou hast been wholly born in sins, and thou teachest us? And they cast him out.
35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him, he said to him, Thou, dost thou believe on the Son of God? 36 He answered and said, And who is he, Lord, that I may believe on him? 37 And Jesus said to him, Thou hast both seen him, and he that speaks with thee is he. 38 And he said, I believe, Lord: and he did him homage.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on John 9:1-38
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.
Commentary on John 9:24-34
(Read John 9:24-34)
As Christ's mercies are most valued by those who have felt the want of them, that have been blind, and now see; so the most powerful and lasting affections to Christ, arise from actual knowledge of him. In the work of grace in the soul, though we cannot tell when, and how, and by what steps the blessed change was wrought, yet we may take the comfort, if we can say, through grace, Whereas I was blind, now I see. I did live a worldly, sensual life, but, thanks be to God, it is now otherwise with me, Ephesians 5:8. The unbelief of those who enjoy the means of knowledge and conviction, is indeed marvellous. All who have felt the power and grace of the Lord Jesus, wonder at the wilfulness of others who reject him. He argues strongly against them, not only that Jesus was not a sinner, but that he was of God. We may each of us know by this, whether we are of God or not. What do we? What do we for God? What do we for our souls? What do we more than others?
Commentary on John 9:35-38
(Read John 9:35-38)
Christ owns those who own him and his truth and ways. There is particular notice taken of such a suffer in the cause of Christ, and for the testimony of a good conscience. Our Lord Jesus graciously reveals himself to the man. Now he was made sensible what an unspeakable mercy it was, to be cured of his blindness, that he might see the Son of God. None but God is to be worshipped; so that in worshipping Jesus, he owned him to be God. All who believe in him, will worship him.