The sixth miracle seems similar to the previous healing miracle we saw in chapter 5 where Jesus healed a paralyzed man for 38 years. The movements of Jesus are the same: Jesus healed, disappears, and then reappears.
John 9:1-7
And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.
Jesus focuses on this man who was blind from birth. From here, the conversation ensues about the cause. The disciples’ inquiry Jesus as to whether the man’s blindness is a direct effect of sinning. However, Jesus doesn’t focus on the cause but rather the purpose. He will continue to describe the purpose through the next two verses. What we see here is that God permits suffering and difficulties to arise in our life so that the work of God can be clearly seen. We look at the events in the world and say, why does God permit such things? Why doesn’t God do something? Yet, only through God’s work, which comes through Christ’s and His Church, can we see things made right.
The work of God
What are works of God? Jesus’ answer to this question was “I am the light of the world.” Of course, we keep asking good questions, “why light?” Light is essential to physical life as it is essential for many of the same reasons spiritually. Light dispels darkness. Light enables life to reproduce – photosynthesis. Light helps to warm. Light helps us to see and therefore, it guides us as well.
How does Christ give us light, especially since Jesus uses spittle and dirt to bring the healing? It just seems amazing that Jesus’ supernatural power was seen through spit, mud and obedience. Jesus used spit three times in Scripture, one for a deaf man (Mark 7:33) and two for blindness (this passage and Mark 8:23). Still, what does is this supposed to point us toward? That is John’s intention in writing, right? I think first this is going back to the creation of man when God formed us out of the dust of the Earth. God created in the beginning and still has power over his creation. Secondly, I show that Christ blesses the use of his creation to promote his work. Namely the church. We are the clay in God’s hands and we pray that you would use us to deliver Jesus’ light to this dark world.
Through our witness let us show people God’s love. Matthew 5:14 says, “ye are the light of the world, A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.” We should seek to let our life dispel the darkness of times. To let God’s power be on display in our life. Our cry is Ephesians 5:14, “Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.”
Jeremy Kamer Ministries 