“Go to Siloam and wash.”

Sunday Week Four

Reading: John 9: 1-41

As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth.  His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?  Jesus answered, ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work.  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.’ When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, saying to him, ‘Go wash in the pool of Siloam’ (which means Sent) Then he went and washed and came back able to see.  The neighbours and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, ‘Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?’ Some were saying, ‘It is he.’ Others were saying, ‘No, but it is someone like him.’ He kept saying, ‘I am the man.’ But they kept asking him, ‘Then how were your eyes opened?’ He answered, the man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, “Go to Siloam and wash.” Then I went and washed and received my sight.’ They said to him, ‘Where is he?’ He said, I do not know.They brought to the Pharisees the man who formerly had been blind. Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened the eyes. Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight.  He said to them, ‘He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed and now I see.’  Some of the Pharisees said, ‘This man is not from God, for he does not observe the Sabbath.’ But others said, ‘How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?’ And they were divided.  So, they said again to the blind man, ‘What do you say about him?’ It was your eyes he opened.’ He said, ‘He is a prophet.’

 The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man, who had received his sight and asked them, ‘Is this your son, who you say was born blind?’ How then does he now see?  His parents answered, ‘We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.’ His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. Therefore, his parents said, ‘He is of age; ask him.’

So, for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, ‘Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.  He answered, ‘I do not know whether he is a sinner.  One thing I do know that though I was blind, now I see.’ They said to him, ‘What did he do to you?  How did he open your eyes?’ He answered them, ‘I have told you already and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again?  Do you also want to become his disciples?’ Then they reviled him saying, ‘You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from and yet he opened my eyes.  We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will.  Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of one born blind.  If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.  They answered him, ‘You were born entirely in sins, and are you now trying to teach us?’ And they drove him out.  Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him, he said, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ He answered, ‘And who is he, sir? Tell me so that I may believe in him.’  Jesus said to him, ‘You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.’  He said, ‘Lord, I believe.’ And he worshipped him. Jesus said, ‘I came into the world for judgement so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see, may become blind.’ Some of the Pharisees near him heard him and said to him, ‘Surely, we are not blind, are we? Jesus said to them, ‘If you were blind you would not have sin. But now that you say, ‘We see, your sin remains.’

 Reflection

Here we see where Jesus is observant and responsive to the needs of people as he walks along. He notices a blind man lying on the street and reaches out in compassion to him so that the man can be healed and the works of God revealed in Him.  The disciples show their ignorance of who Jesus is by calling him ‘Rabbi’ and equate the man’s blindness with a punishment for sin. In the Old Testament it had been revealed that Jesus would be the fulfilment of the promise ‘The sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings.’ (Malachi 4:2) and if the people obeyed him sickness would be taken away from them, ‘I will take sickness away from you.’ (Exodus 23:25) He would be the one who ‘has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases.’ (Isaiah 53:4) and now he reached out to show the disciples and all humankind that illness or disability is not a punishment for sin.  As the light of the world, Jesus was totally committed to carrying out the will of his father, in this instance the restoration of the sight and dignity of the man lying before him. Each new touch of his love was a revelation of the power of God and an opportunity to draw people closer to his heavenly father. He uses the most basic elements to begin the healing, earth from the ground and his own spittle. He requires the obedience and co-operation of the blind man so that his purpose can be fulfilled. He asked the man to go to the Pool of Siloam (Sent) and in obedience to the Lord, the man went and bathed in the pool and had his sight restored. This is reflective of the healing of Naaman (Kings 5:14) where only when Naaman obeyed what Elisha asked him to do that he had his leprosy healed. Christ’s act of compassion, a simple human touch and an act of obedience reveal Christ’s messianic mission.

The Pharisees are outraged because they feel that Jesus has not kept the Sabbath and call him a ‘sinner.’ They are blinded by their misunderstanding of the law and are divided between themselves about what they have witnessed. They challenge the man’s parents who do not respond out of fear of exclusion from the synagogue, however, the now seeing man declares openly that Jesus is a prophet and invite them to get to know Jesus, but he is driven out. Jesus finds him and a conversation ensues where when asked by the man who he is, Jesus reveals his messianic identity to him. The man now worships Jesus and challenges the listening pharisees with their sin and non-belief. 

 Later in the scriptures we read of how Saul of Tarsus persecuted the Christians but was confronted by Christ on his way to Damascus, (Acts 9:3-9) and had his spiritual blindness healed. He became a believer, received the name Paul the apostle and as an ardent missionary continued his faithful service in the face of persecution until his martyrdom for the gospel in Rome by the Emperor Nero in 69AD. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, like Saul, I too can have my spiritual blindness healed if I ask him. The choice is mine.

 Do you recognise Christ’ s healing, forgiving touch in your life and give God glory for his great love for you and all humanity?’

Stubborn of heart, the Pharisee failed to acknowledge the mission of Jesus and questioned the man’s parents who in their fear failed to acknowledge Jesus.  What fears block you from acknowledging Jesus as Lord of your life?   What help may you need to deal with these fears so that you too may know deep joy in your life.

The healed blind asked Jesus ‘who is the Son of Man’ Jesus revealed himself to him as Messiah. The man worshipped him. During this Lenten season through your prayer, fasting and almsgiving Jesus will reveal himself to you also. Do you believe this. 

What support can you or your local community offer to services that advocate for people with sight loss or visual impairments. Prayer

Lord, I unite my prayer with that of the blind beggar.

I place myself at your mercy.

May all my blindness be healed.

May the paste of your mercy cleanse my soul of all sin.

May my heart worship you.

May the words, ‘Lord, I believe draw others to you,

May You be glorified, forever, Amen.