John 9 - CSB Study Bible for Women

9:1-41 Jesus once again healed on the Sabbath (v. 14). The one He healed had been blind all his life. Jesus healed in an unusual way (v. 6). Using this method, Jesus could be accused not only of breaking the OT law concerning Sabbath but also of breaking the Pharisaic law forbidding the use of spittle on the Sabbath. The man whose sight was restored confessed faith in Jesus, and even proceeded to worship Him. He clearly had seen the light. His sight (faith or belief) is now juxtaposed with the Pharisees’ “blindness” (unbelief).

Blindness was undoubtedly common in the ancient world. Jesus had healed others who were blind (Mt 9:27-31; 12:22; 15:30; 21:14; Mk 8:22-26; 10:46-52). In this healing, Jesus not only showed His power to restore physical sight, but He also revealed His power to give spiritual sight and light. He used another “I am” metaphor—I am the light of the world (v. 5).

The pool of Siloam (v. 7), located just inside the southeastern wall, was in itself an engineering masterpiece created in connection with the construction of Hezekiah’s tunnel, which had been designed to divert the waters from the Gihon Spring to the Pool of Siloam. The 583-yard tunnel had been dug through solid rock at the command of King Hezekiah to divert water into the city in the event of a siege by his enemies. The Siloam pool, measuring 20 by 30 feet, is used as a source of water even today. An adventure that can still be experienced in Jerusalem is to wade through the winding tunnel from Gihon to Siloam.

The fact of the man’s healing could not be disputed. Too many family members and friends who knew of his lifelong affliction now saw that condition completely reversed (v. 8) so that even Jesus’s enemies had to acknowledge what had happened; yet their unbelief was set (v. 16). The skepticism of the stubborn and hard-hearted religious leaders did not deter the man who had been healed, who now with physical sight restored had also received spiritual sight and responded with gratitude and praise (vv. 25,38). The Pharisees could see physically, but they chose to remain blind spiritually (vv. 40-41). They refused to act on the revelation of truth they had received.

God listens to anyone who is God-fearing (Gk theosebēs, “devout, religious, pious”) and obedient to Him (v. 31). Theosebēs combines theos (“God”) with the verb sebō (“revere, worship”) to convey the sense of reverencing God, describing one who is a sincere worshiper of God. One who is “God-fearing” does God’s will. The “fear of the Lord” is interwoven throughout Scripture as a mark of one who has set herself apart unto the Lord (see Word Study, p. 754). It is more than reverential awe, including a loving devotion on the part of one toward another who is so loved and respected that you cannot bear to disappoint that exalted one in your heart and mind.