Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind (John 9:1-12)

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John 9:1-12 narrates the story of Jesus healing a man who was blind from birth. The whole chapter 9 is divided into three main sections: the healing of the blind man (verses 1-12), the investigation by the Pharisees (verses 13-34), and the spiritual implications and the man's subsequent faith in Jesus (verses 35-41). The narrative begins with Jesus and his disciples encountering the blind man. The disciples ask Jesus if the man’s blindness is due to his own sin or his parent's sin. Jesus replies that neither is the cause; instead, the man’s blindness serves to display the works of god.

Jesus then performs a miracle by mixing his saliva with dirt to make mud, which he applies to the blind man’s eyes. He instructs the man to wash in the Pool of Siloam, a key location in the story. Upon doing so, the man gains his sight. The neighbors and those who had seen him begging are astonished and bring him to the Pharisees for further inquiry.

The healing miracle demonstrates Jesus' divine authority and his role as the bringer of spiritual light and salvation. In John 9:5, Jesus states, "While I am in the world, I am the light of the world" (ὅταν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ὦ, φῶς εἰμι τοῦ κόσμου [hotan en tōi kosmōi ō, fōs eimi tou kosmou]). The use of light in the narrative, representing spiritual enlightenment and the dispelling of darkness, is rooted in the Hebrew concept of "or" (אוֹר, see Isaiah 60:1, Psalm 27:1), a powerful symbol of God's presence and guidance. The Pool of Siloam, derived from the Hebrew term "shiloach" (שִׁלֹחַ, see Isaiah 8:6), meaning "sent," signifies the divine mission and the sending of Jesus to the world to heal and redeem humanity.

The disciples' question in John 9:2, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (ῥαββί, τίς ἥμαρτεν, οὗτος ἢ οἱ γονεῖς αὐτοῦ, ἵνα τυφλὸς γεννηθῇ; [rabbi, tis hēmarten, houtos ē hoi goneis autou, hina tyflos gennēthēi?]) reflects a prevalent belief in first-century Judaism that suffering, especially from birth, was a direct result of personal sin or the sin of one's parents. This belief is rooted in various Old Testament passages that suggest a link between sin and suffering or divine punishment (e.g., Exodus 20:5). However, Jesus' statement in John 9:3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him” (οὔτε οὗτος ἥμαρτεν οὔτε οἱ γονεῖς αὐτοῦ, ἀλλʼ ἵνα φανερωθῇ τὰ ἔργα τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ [oute houtos hemarten oute hoi goneis autou, all' hina phanerothe ta erga tou theou en autō]) reorients the understanding of suffering from one of retributive justice to one of divine purpose and revelation.

This passage, with its intricate interplay of actions, responses, and symbols, offers a multifaceted understanding of Jesus’ ministry and the transformative power of faith.

Vocabulary

Word Meaning
καί y, también
παράγω irse, llevar; traer, aportar
εἶδον vi (aor. de ὁράω)
ἄνθρωπος, ου, ὁ hombre
τυφλός, ή, όν ciego
ἐκ, ἐξ de (con G)
γενετή, ῆς, ἡ nacimiento
ἐρωτάω preguntar; pedir, solicitar
αὐτός, ή, ὁ mismo, por uno mismo
ὁ, ἡ, τό el, la, lo

Biblical text

9:1Καὶ παράγων εἶδεν ἄνθρωπον τυφλὸν ἐκ γενετῆς.2καὶ ἠρώτησαν αὐτὸν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ λέγοντες Ῥαββεί, τίς ἥμαρτεν, οὗτος οἱ γονεῖς αὐτοῦ, ἵνα τυφλὸς γεννηθῇ;3ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς Οὔτε οὗτος ἥμαρτεν οὔτε οἱ γονεῖς αὐτοῦ, ἀλλ’ ἵνα φανερωθῇ τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ.4ἡμᾶς δεῖ ἐργάζεσθαι τὰ ἔργα τοῦ πέμψαντός με ἕως ἡμέρα ἐστίν· ἔρχεται νὺξ ὅτε οὐδεὶς δύναται ἐργάζεσθαι.5ὅταν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ὦ, φῶς εἰμι τοῦ κόσμου.6ταῦτα εἰπὼν ἔπτυσεν χαμαὶ καὶ ἐποίησεν πηλὸν ἐκ τοῦ πτύσματος, καὶ ἐπέθηκεν αὐτοῦ τὸν πηλὸν ἐπὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς,7καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ὕπαγε νίψαι εἰς τὴν κολυμβήθραν τοῦ Σιλωάμ (ὃ ἑρμηνεύεται Ἀπεσταλμένος). ἀπῆλθεν οὖν καὶ ἐνίψατο, καὶ ἦλθεν βλέπων.8Οἱ οὖν γείτονες καὶ οἱ θεωροῦντες αὐτὸν τὸ πρότερον, ὅτι προσαίτης ἦν, ἔλεγον Οὐχ οὗτός ἐστιν καθήμενος καὶ προσαιτῶν;9ἄλλοι ἔλεγον ὅτι Οὗτός ἐστιν· ἄλλοι ἔλεγον Οὐχί, ἀλλὰ ὅμοιος αὐτῷ ἐστιν. ἐκεῖνος ἔλεγεν ὅτι Ἐγώ εἰμι.10ἔλεγον οὖν αὐτῷ Πῶς οὖν ἠνεῴχθησάν σου οἱ ὀφθαλμοί;11ἀπεκρίθη ἐκεῖνος ἄνθρωπος λεγόμενος Ἰησοῦς πηλὸν ἐποίησεν καὶ ἐπέχρισέν μου τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς καὶ εἶπέν μοι ὅτι Ὕπαγε εἰς τὸν Σιλωὰμ καὶ νίψαι· ἀπελθὼν οὖν καὶ νιψάμενος ἀνέβλεψα.12καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ Ποῦ ἐστιν ἐκεῖνος; λέγει Οὐκ οἶδα.