John 9

John 9 is the ninth chapter of the Gospel of John in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It recounts the story of Jesus healing a man who was blind from birth and the subsequent investigation and persecution the man and Jesus faced from the Pharisees.

The narrative begins with Jesus and his disciples encountering a man blind from birth. The disciples question Jesus about the cause of the man's blindness, asking whether it was due to his own sin or the sin of his parents. Jesus rejects this prevailing notion of direct cause-and-effect between sin and suffering, stating that the man was born blind so that the works of God might be displayed in him.

Jesus then spits on the ground, makes mud with the saliva, and applies it to the blind man's eyes. He instructs the man to wash in the Pool of Siloam. The man obeys, washes, and returns seeing.

The man's neighbors and others who knew him as a blind beggar are astonished and question his identity. The man affirms that he is the one who was blind and explains how Jesus healed him. They bring him to the Pharisees, who initiate an investigation.

The Pharisees question both the healed man and his parents. They are skeptical of the miracle, particularly because Jesus performed it on the Sabbath, which they consider a violation of religious law. The man's parents, fearing excommunication from the synagogue, avoid taking a firm stance on whether Jesus is a sinner or not, stating that their son is of age and can speak for himself.

The Pharisees continue to interrogate the healed man, attempting to discredit Jesus. The man, growing increasingly frustrated with their disbelief, defends Jesus and argues that someone who could perform such a miracle must be from God. Angered by his audacity, the Pharisees cast him out of the synagogue.

Jesus finds the man and asks him if he believes in the Son of God. The man asks who the Son of God is, and Jesus reveals himself. The man then professes his belief and worships Jesus.

The chapter concludes with Jesus making a statement about judgment, saying that he came into the world so that the blind might see and those who see might become blind. This statement highlights the spiritual blindness of the Pharisees, who, despite their knowledge of the law, refuse to recognize Jesus as the Messiah. The chapter illustrates themes of faith, sight (both physical and spiritual), and the conflict between Jesus and the religious authorities.