Jn. 1:1-5; 8:12; 9:1-5, Jesus: The Light of the World (2)

The story in John 9 is about a blind man, but it also continues the themes developed in the previous chapters.  Jesus challenged the “status quo” when He healed the man by the pool of Bethesda in John 5.  He had performed this miracle on the Sabbath, thus violating established rules about what was legal to do or not do on the seventh day (5:16-18). 

It is still the “Feast of Tabernacles” (Jn. 7:2.) This encounter with a man born blind continues the friction between the Jews (the leadership) and Jesus.  Even more, Jesus continues speaking the truth about Himself, and confirming that truth through a specific, miraculous sign.  Jesus had proclaimed in 8:12: I am the light of the world.  He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.  He restates this in the opening verses of John 9: As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.  This story is about the light being turned on for a blind man.

I want to quote a paragraph from Arthur Pink’s commentary on John that summarizes John 8 as we move into Chapter 9:

So it was in John 8.  Christ as the Light of the world discovers (i.e. “uncovers”) not only the state of Israel, but too, the common atheism of man.  He affirmed His power to make free the bondslaves of sin (8:32): but His auditors (the leaders whose responsibility is to evaluate Jesus so as to advise the people) denied that they were in bondage.  He spoke the words of the Father (8:38): but they neither understood nor believed Him.  He told them that their characters were formed under the influence of the Devil and that they desired it to be so (8:44): in reply they blasphemously charged Him with having a demon.  He declared that He was the Object who had rejoiced the heart of Abraham (8:56): and they scoffed at Him.  He told them He was the great and eternal “I am” (8:58): and they picked up stones to cast at Him.

You might think that things were not going well for Jesus and His plans.  But, of course, things are actually going according to the plan.  Don’t forget that Jesus knows His death is a major part of the Father’s plan.  Jesus had referred to His death by crucifixion in John 8:28: When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things.  The “lifting up” refers to crucifixion (cf. John 3:14; 12:32-33; 19:18).  As John pointed out, while there was a plot in the making to put Jesus to death, no one laid hands on Him, for His hour had not yet come (8:20). 

And while we are speaking of God’s plan, don’t you just love how our story begins?  As Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth.  It sounds like an accidental encounter.  Don’t you believe it!  This was a perfect situation to show Jesus as “The Light of the World.”