The Man Born Blind a sign of sight, a trial, and the blindness of the seeing
John 9 is a masterwork of irony in a single sustained scene. Jesus, "the light of the world," gives sight to a man born blind; under interrogation the man's confession grows from "the man called Jesus" to "a prophet" to "from God" to worship — while the religious experts who claim to see are shown to be blind.
Overview of John 9
9:1–12 records the sign: confronted with a man blind from birth, Jesus rejects the disciples' assumption that the blindness must be punishment for someone's sin and acts "that the works of God might be displayed." He makes clay, sends the man to wash in the pool of Siloam — "which means Sent" — and the man "came seeing." 9:13–34 is the trial: because the healing was on the Sabbath, the Pharisees interrogate the man and his frightened parents (who fear being "put out of the synagogue"), pressing him to recant. He will not — "one thing I know: I was blind, now I see" — and out-reasons the experts until they cast him out.
9:35–41 brings the resolution Jesus sought: he finds the man who was expelled, reveals himself as the Son of Man, and receives the man's confession and worship — "Lord, I believe." The scene closes on the chapter's great theme: Jesus came "for judgment, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind." The once-blind beggar sees; the sighted who say "we see" remain in their sin.
Passage Units
All three passages of John 9 are available.