Yes, the healed “blind beggar” soon learned that even his parents were not excited about his “miracle!” They turned their backs on their own son, for fear of the Pharisees!

The exact verse Reference I forgot to include in our Class today is Matthew 19:29. “And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold.” Wow, no wonder this man is presented so positively in John’s Gospel!

Someone defined a Pharisee as “a good man gone bad!” Once defenders of the purity of the Word of God, they had drifted into genuine legalism. Here is the Lord describing such a haughty attitude, quoting Isaiah 65:5. First a description of them … “Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou.” Then God’s evaluation of them … “These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.” Irritating to God Almighty!

Here’s the attitude of those self-centered parents … “Near is my friend. Near is my child. NEARER IS MYSELF!”

Now, note the attitude God blesses … “Thus saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.” Isaiah 66:2, humble and meek!

The Pharisees in our chapter REFUSED to believe in Jesus! I’m going to say they violently refused our Lord. But (praise be to His dear Name) there are many through the ages who have believed, EAGERLY BELIEVED, VIOLENTLY (the King James Version’s word) BELIEVED IN HIM!

Believers who wanted Jesus so bad that their very conversion created a commotion! That’s part of what Matthew 11:12 means, I think … “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.” One Greek scholar renders the verse something like this … “From the days of John the Baptist until now the Kingdom of Heaven has been taken by storm, and violent men seize it by force (that eagerly) as a precious prize.”

Yet, wicked as these men had become, Jesus still had a burden for them and their city … “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” Matthew 23:37, clearly amazing Grace!

By the way, God is not though with Israel yet! He has (ultimately) bright plans for her future! Here’s a hint … “And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.” Paul writing in Romans 11:26! He’s alluding to Isaiah 59:20 when he says “as it is written.”

Now do this, watch the whole Lesson …

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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The Pharisees (as leaders of the Jews) seem to have a dominant role in much of John chapter 9. The once blind man’s neighbors brought him to these Pharisees … likely for their “approval.” These religious (but hypocritical) leaders asked questions of the healed man. As if they were a governing board over Israel. Oh, how they loved their power!

What I did not get to say in this lesson was how these men compared to a character in the little Book of III John (that’s 3rd John). Read with me: “I (John, the author of this Gospel as well) wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.” 3rd John 9-10, where “preeminence” means “first place!”

Church bosses, I call them!

The Pharisees!

Diotrephes!

And some of their descendants still exist in today’s Churches! “Wolves in sheep’s clothing!” (Matthew 7:15)

God, deliver us!

On another note … I forgot to give you the Reference for Jesus being the Lord of the Sabbath.

You will find this amazing verse at Mark 2:28 … “Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.”

One more thought … The Pharisees to the blind man to whom Jesus gave sight … “What sayest thou of him.” (Verse 17)

This new Believer sure answered well! “He is a Prophet!”

This reminds me of something Peter wrote long ago. “Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.”(1 Peter 3:15)

Well, our Mr. Truth-telling, healed blind man sure had the right answer!

By the way, reader here today … “WHAT THINK YE OF HIM?”

Eternity hinges on your answer, Heaven or Hell!

Now, if you’re interested, watch the whole class …

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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This Lesson discussed fewer verses in John’s Gospel that normal. I actually worried that I might deplete my study material before the 30-minute class time had been filled! But not so, and several things fall into the category of … “I forgot to say!”

I did mention that one of my favorite writers call this blind man Jesus healed … “The man who always told the truth.”

Later in the chapter he even is honest, forthright (truthful) at great personal sacrifice! (He gets himself excommunicated from the synagogue because he is so outspoken for Jesus.)

Have you ever noticed that “truth” and Jesus go Hand-in-hand? This Line from John 3:21 will explain what I mean, to some degree anyway … “He that doeth truth cometh to the light.” And do remember that Jesus is “The Light of the world.” (John 8:12)

Revelation chapter 19 says Jesus’ very name is “Faithful and True!” And in John 14:6 Jesus says … “I am the Truth.” (The devil is a liar, we learned back in John 8:44. While Jesus cannot lie, Titus 1:2.)

This blind man (ex-blind man) confessed Jesus to his neighbors, unashamedly so! Verse 11 of our Text … “A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.” He later in the chapter will even more boldly confess Jesus as Lord and Saviour!

His fledgling confession reminds me of others in the Bible, teaching us the Identity of our dear Saviour. Here are three …

Matthew 16:16 … “And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

John 20:28 … “And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.”

Old Testament too … Job 19:25 … “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.”

Wow!

Yes, the man confessed Jesus, best he could …

“Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God.” Luke 12:9, words Jesus promised!

The man certainly was “ready” to testify for his Benefactor, his Healer!

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.” 1 Peter 3:15

Hey, watch the whole class now!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Jesus performed more miracles on the blind than any other human malady! More than the deaf or mute or lame or paralyzed!

There’s something in Jesus that loves the Light! In fact, He IS The Light! Jesus said, in John 8:12 … “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

In verse 4 of the Text Jesus mentions the “works of God.” The Bible says much about this grand Subject …

Psalm 104:24 … “O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all.”

Psalm 111:2 … “The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.”

Psalm 143:5 … “I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.”

Jesus also talked about His working “while it is day.” After all, night is coming!

Hebrews 4:7, quoting Psalm 95:7 … “To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.”

2 Corinthians 6:2 … “I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

The noun “eyes” is used 10 times in this chapter, in John 9. I think I wrongly said 9 times in the video lesson. Oops!

A rather neat comparison between this healing of the blind man in John 9 can be made with Jesus healing the impotent (paralyzed) man in John 5.

Both miracles occurred near the Temple!

Both involved water!

Both happened on the Sabbath!

Both miracles started extended arguments!

Both the healed men got involved with Jesus after their healings!

Both miracles pictue salvation!

Wow!

There is an etymological connection between the Pool of SILOAM and the waters of SHILOAH in Isaiah 8:6-7.

“Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah’s son; now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria, and all his glory: and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks.”

“Softly,” actually reminds me of Jesus’ Words in Matthew 11:28-30 … “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Jesus has been teaching IN the Temple from John 7:12 through John 8:59. What gracious words flowed from His Mouth!

Jesus used His “spit” in two other miracles of which we are aware … Mark 7:32-25 (a deaf man with a speech impediment) and Mark 8:22-25 (another blind man)!

Stay with us as we continue to study John chapter 9. There’s lots more to come!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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The precise verse I cited in reference to Jesus’ Modesty, His lack of Self-Aggrandizement was Proverbs 27:2. I forgot to include the reference … “Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.” And a good parallel verse is 2 Corinthians 10:18 … “For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.”

In verse 50 where Jesus is convinced that the Father “seeketh” the Son’s Glory (rather than Christ seeking His Own Glory) … I failed to include Romans 1:3-4 as a Proof Text. Read it with me: “Concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord … declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.” God validated, approved, glorified Jesus by raising Him from the dead! The Resurrection is God’s “Report Card” on Jesus’ Death on Calvary! The Father declared (“determined”) His Son, via the Resurrection, to be an “A+” Student! Jesus graduated with honors!

One Bible Professor believes the Gospel of John’s “lowest” and “highest” Points are in this chapter, chapter 8. Let me show you …

Lowest … “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” Jesus speaking to the rebellious, unbelieving Pharisees in verse 44.

Highest … “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” Verse 58, perhaps Jesus’ Greatest “I AM” Statement of all!

Wow!

Jesus is greater than Moses! Jesus is greater than Abraham! Jesus is God the Son! God come in human flesh!

“For had ye believed MOSES, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.” John 5:46, to which add Hebrews 3:3 … “For this man (Jesus) was counted worthy of more glory than Moses.”

“Your father ABRAHAM rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it and was glad.” John 8:56, augmented by John 4:12 where the Samaritan woman asked Jesus: “Art thou greater than our father Jacob.” John 4:12, Jacob the son of Abraham!

The “judgment” (from the Father) Jesus mentioned in verse 50 might have included the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 AD, not many years after Jesus preached these words!

I heard a Preacher use this Truth yesterday and I just must share it with you Class Members!

At Bethlehem we have Jesus WITH us! (Emmanuel, meaning “God with us!”)

At Calvary we have Jesus FOR us! (Christ died for our sins!)

And at Pentecost we have Jesus, thorough the Holy Spirit, IN us! (We are indwelt by Him, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20!)

WITH, FOR, and IN! Hallelujah!

Now, watch the whole Class. You have a personal invitation to do so …

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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