Notes

9:35 The cost of following Jesus Christ The willingness of the formerly blind man to stick with the truth and stand with Jesus showed how serious the man was about Jesus Christ. So, after such a significant event as being cast out, Jesus sought the man to reveal more of Himself. This seemed to be a pattern in the Gospel of John. Chapter 1 recorded a series of events of people who were serious about truth and willing to count the cost of following the promised Messiah. Jesus revealed himself in a special way to those people. Jesus Christ had given all. Those who followed submitted and surrendered all to Him. Paul was stoned twice and imprisoned for Christ's sake. Jesus was rejected by the majority of the elite. So was the formerly blind man when he refused to accept the false narrative of the elite. The formerly blind man aligned with Christ's words and actions which led him to participate in the same rejection that the Lord experienced. Immediately, Jesus drew near! He found him! The Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ is never far from those who obey and identify with Him, especially when they share in His sufferings. 9:36 "Who is He": The single most important question for all humanity. "that I may believe in Him": The formerly blind man was ready for action. 9:37 Jesus revealed Himself to this formerly blind man as the Son of God by speaking and miraculously showing himself to him. 9:38 Now that the formerly blind man had seen and heard him he said "Lord, I believe!" "And he worshiped Him." : I believe this to be the main point of the passage. What joy for that man and all who know the joy of worshiping the Lord for the first time. Jesus discussed the act and location of worship with the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4. He taught her the worship of God the Father in spirit and truth. Now here, this man worshiped the Lord Jesus Christ with the simple words: "Lord, I believe!" . 9:39 John's record of Jesus' words on Judgment thus far "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him." (John 3:17 ESV) Also: "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my [Jesus'] word and believes him who sent me [God] has eternal life. He [who believes] does not come into judgment but has passed from death to life." (John 5:24 ESV) Then John recorded: "And this is the judgment: the light [Jesus] has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil." (John 3:19 ESV) Since people chose to reject Jesus Christ, the following was true: "For judgment I have come into this world" 9:39. The Jewish leaders discredited Jesus' authority despite the fulfillment of prophecy and the witness of supernatural signs. Jesus explained in response the arrangement on which His authority rested: "The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son," (John 5:22 ESV) "And he [the Father] has given him [Jesus] authority to execute judgment because he [Jesus] is the Son of Man [the fullness of deity living in bodily form]." (John 5:27 ESV) His judgement was in agreement with God the Father as John recorded: "Yet even if I [Jesus] do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me." (John 8:16 ESV) and “I [Jesus] can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me [God the Father]." (John 5:30 ESV) Here was one instance of God's standard of judgement: "Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” (John 7:24 ESV) 9:40 "Are we blind also?": This question by the Pharisees showed the extent of their knowledge in this discussion. They knew that Jesus was speaking about spiritual sight and believed to already possess the sight because of their heritage. They felt insulted and threatened by Jesus' claim. 9:41 "your sin remains" : John pointed out that the sin of the Pharisees was present before their encounter with Jesus. Jesus was their greatest opportunity to come out of hypocritical hiding and became true to God and themselves. It would come at a high cost as most of them were wealthy and had political power. If Jesus had disregarded your traditions and good works, would you still have trusted and followed Him? All the good works and traditions of the world cannot substitute for the spiritual life and relationship that is born when a sinner puts his confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ. The formerly blind man counted the cost and believed Jesus.

notes

Main point summary

The formerly blind man worships when Jesus reveals Himself. Jesus states the purpose of His presence. The Pharisees locate on the disadvantaged alternative of His presence.

Discourse

editing

NT

John 9:35-41

nkjv

Jesus heard that they had cast him out;

and when He had found him,

He said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God ?”

He answered and said, “ Who is He , Lord,

that I may believe in Him ?”

actionpurpose

questionanswer

And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you .”

Then he said, “Lord, I believe !”

And he worshiped Him .

actionmanner

actionresult

temporal

And Jesus said, “For judgment

I have come into this world,

that those who do not see may see ,

and that those who see may be made blind .”

alternative

Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?”

Jesus said to them, “If you were blind ,

you would have no sin ;

conditional

but now you say, ‘We see .’

concessive

Therefore your sin remains.

inference

progression

And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. (John 3:19 ESV) The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, (John 5:22 ESV) Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. (John 5:24 ESV) And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. (John 5:27 ESV) and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. (John 5:29 ESV) “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me. (John 5:30 ESV) Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” (John 7:24 ESV) Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. (John 8:16 ESV)

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? (Romans 10:14 ESV)

Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.” (John 4:26 ESV)

Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” ( John 4:20 ESV) Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. (John 4:21 ESV) You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. (John 4:22 ESV) But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. (John 4:23 ESV) God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24 ESV) We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. (John 9:31 ESV)

discourse

Phrase

John 9:35-41

Formerly Blind Man Believes in the Lord Jesus

The man heard, saw and responded accordingly base on divine evidence

Jesus heard

that they had cast him out;

Content

and when He had found him,

Temporal

He said to him,

“Do you believe

in the Son

Reference

of God?”

Relationship

He answered

Answer

and said,

“Who is He, Lord,

that I may believe

Purpose

in Him?”

And Jesus said

to him,

Destination

“You have both seen Him

and it is He

who is talking with you.”

Then he said,

Manner

“Lord, I believe!”

And he worshiped Him.

Result

A purpose of Jesus presence: Insight for the Humble and Judgment for the Arrogant

The highly priviledged Pharisees, blinded by pride, refused their Messiah and reap the consequences - No spiritual sight

And Jesus said,

“For judgment

Ground

I have come

into this world,

Locative

that those ... may see,

Advantage

who do not see

and that those ... may be made blind.”

Disadvantage

who see

who were

with Him

Then some of the Pharisees ... heard these words,

and said

to Him,

“Are we blind also?”

Jesus said

to them,

“If you were blind,

Condition

you would have no sin;

Concessive

but now you say,

‘We see.’

Therefore your sin remains.

phrasing