‘One on one with Jesus’ series: Jesus and the blind man who could see.
As we continue our ‘One on one with Jesus’ series for Lent, today’s theme is ‘Jesus and the blind man who sees.’
As Jesus went along, he saw a blind man. The man hadn’t recently lost his sight from illness or an accident. He had always been blind. His disability had impacted the whole of his life—trapping him in physical, emotional, and spiritual darkness. He wasn’t independent and had a lifelong reliance on his parents. His only source of income was through begging. He was treated dishonorably by others—stripped of his dignity under the darkness of social stigma, judgment and condemnation, regarded as beyond the mercy of God, and consequently an outsider to the religious community.
It was the prevailing thought of the day that someone born with disability or illness had been punished by God, for their sin or the sins of their parents. Even Jesus’ disciples thought this. But as Jesus goes along with his disciples, he looks upon the man with divine compassion. We might imagine him sitting by the roadside, perhaps with a cloth square for people to drop their loose change on. Jesus spat on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. There’s profound significance about this, recalling how God formed Adam from the dust of the earth. In using his saliva, Jesus is showing that he is greater than the gods of ancient mythology whose saliva was thought to have healing and life-giving properties. Jesus tells the man to go and wash in the Pool of Siloam. So he did what Jesus told him to do and came home seeing.
When the man returned, people saw the complete change in his life. There’s great astonishment and bewilderment as to how his eyes have been opened. The man testifies what has happened. Then he is brought to the Pharisees. An account must be given to them. This shows the status and imposing power and control the Pharisees had in the community. Some of them said this wasn’t legit: Jesus made mud, and according to their legal framework that constitutes work—and this work was done on the Sabbath, the day God commanded no work be done. They conclude Jesus couldn’t possibly be from God, for he doesn’t keep the Sabbath.
The Pharisees’ desire to lead a holy life is a right one, even as we ourselves affirm in the traditional verses before confession: “Do you intend to strive daily to lead a holy life…” A love for God’s law is a good thing—isn’t it? Who doesn’t want their life preserved? Who doesn’t want their spouse to remain faithful? Who doesn’t want their income and property protected from scammers and thieves? Who doesn’t want to have their reputation defended by people speaking with truth, honesty and integrity about them rather than gossip and slander? Who doesn’t want to be treated with respect, and have loyalty from neighbours and colleagues? The law isn’t bad. The law is holy and righteous and good (Romans 7:12)—for ourselves, our families, our community.
The issue was that the Pharisees didn’t see striving to follow God’s law as a right response to their salvation—they saw it as the means for their salvation. There’s often a misunderstanding that in the Old Testament, people were right with God by keeping the law. But no one has ever been able to keep God’s law perfectly. The Old Testament people were chosen by grace and had to keep relying on God’s grace and mercy, which he showed them by providing a sacrificial system. At its core was a promise—that the sacrifices would make payment for the people’s sins, so that they didn’t perish but could come into the presence of a holy God and receive his blessing. Therefore, to live by this sacrificial system was to live by faith in this promise it pointed to—that God is gracious and they would receive his favour as a gift.
the same for God’s people today. The righteous requirements of God’s law haven’t changed. He still calls us to be holy. Jesus didn’t come to relax God’s laws…but bring them to an even higher benchmark—even words of hurt to our brother or sister, even lustful thoughts are evil. God’s righteous demands are still 100%…but Jesus came to measure up for us. He came to be the once for all perfect sacrifice for sins. The people in the Old Testament were righteous through faith in the promise of a gracious God behind the sacrificial system. The people in New Testament times are righteous through faith in the promise of a gracious God in the ultimate sacrifice, Jesus.
The Pharisees didn’t live by faith in the promise, but faith in their own performance. They had forgotten they needed God’s grace themselves. They cruelly judge the man born blind: “You who were steeped in sin at birth—how dare you lecture us!” Hear the moral superiority in that outburst! They were the ones who were really blind: they couldn’t see that they too were steeped in sin at birth, for we are all born in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves. There could be no grace in their worldview, because righteousness comes through perfection, therefore people need to live perfectly. They established 610 man-made rules, which they thought helped them keep God’s own commandments perfectly in every situation—but they ended up living by these rules rather than God’s own. They deceived themselves into thinking God was pleased with them because of their standards, which they imposed as the benchmark for preserving the moral purity of the religious community. Anyone who didn’t match up to their standards were unholy and should be purged from among them.
In last week’s Gospel reading, with only Jesus and Satan in view, it is Satan who opposes Jesus. He wants Jesus done away with. This week, it is the Pharisees—the Pharisees were so loyal to their own rules and traditions that they opposed Jesus himself. Like Satan, they wanted Jesus done away with. They didn’t like how Jesus came to undo all their good work. They condemned themselves by their own words—“We are disciples of Moses”. As to Jesus, they don’t even know where he comes from. There’s only two options by which to attain righteousness—placing one’s trust in Christ or placing trust in oneself, and they chose themselves. This Jesus-movement had to stop. They decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. This came with grave danger. Under Roman occupation, being recognized as a part of the Jewish community provided protection. Being expelled from the recognised Jewish religion made individuals vulnerable to accusations of participating in a secret sect with suspicions of uprising against Rome, consequently bringing penalties of punishment and death.
I think that underneath the hard exterior of self-righteous, legalism and judgment of the Pharisees hearts, sat something deeper. I think they were afraid—afraid of losing their position of control in the community. Afraid of losing the praise of others, which is why they practiced their righteousness so publicly (Matthew 6:1 ff). They judged and condemned others because they were afraid of their own failings being exposed. Jesus got too close to exposing them…and that’s why they felt so threatened by him. That’s what law does. Law brings fear. And there is fear right throughout the community:
- The Pharisees are afraid of losing control of the community.
- The man’s neighbours are afraid of the Pharisees, so they bring him to them.
- The man’s parents are afraid of the Pharisees, more concerned about protecting themselves rather than standing by their own son.
And so, on the Sabbath day, Jesus shows the end of the law’s purpose and ability—the law cannot bring wholeness or salvation. Only he can.
Jesus looked upon the blind man even before the blind man was able to see Jesus. The man was born blind—so he has never been able to see Jesus. He doesn’t even call out “Lord have mercy” like the blind beggars in other gospel accounts. Jesus is the one who initiates the action in our text. In contrast to all the works of the Pharisees, this man is unable to do anything. So Jesus goes to work, that the work of God—not human works—might be displayed in the man’s life. Jesus does not restore the blind man’s sight—he never had any. Instead, he is given sight—true sight, to see Jesus for who he is. Jesus not only gives him physical sight but opens the eyes of the man’s heart to know the hope to which he has been called and the incomprehensible riches of God’s grace in Christ (Cf Ephesians 1:18-20).
In contrast to the religious leaders, the man born blind is humble and trusting. Pride is not an issue for him, because life has taught him to rely on the generosity of others and beg for it. He is not afraid to hand his life over into Jesus’ hands. He is willing to trust Jesus’ command for him to go and wash. This is the beginning of a faith that gradually unfolds as the man comes to see that his only hope is Jesus alone. He shows reservation to the Pharisees’ claims that Jesus is a sinner. Despite the Pharisees’ continual, intimidating questioning, the man courageously stands firm, and in the face of great cost makes stronger assertions about what Jesus has done for him. And ater he was thrown out and Jesus searched for and found him, the man confessed his faith in Jesus and worshiped him. Even though sinful men cast him out, Jesus had given him a place in the Kingdom of God. The man has seen with his eyes and sees with his heart.
Through the characters in today’s Gospel reading, John leads us to reflect on our thinking about God. People commonly think everyone is either essentially good, and perform pretty well which causes God to be pleased with us, and avert his punishment upon us. Or shame and guilt from past failures leads us to think we are unworthy and unlovable, and God punishes us for our wrongdoing.
Both extremes are untrue. We have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God, but we all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:23-24). Like the man born blind was brought before the religious leaders without any advocate, Jesus was brought before Pilate with no advocate, and suffered the full force of unjust suffering and death at the hands of the Romans. He obeyed his Father all the way to death, even death on a Cross for you. That is where your value, your worth to God, your place in his kingdom is secured. That is where we see all people matter to God. You matter to God. And even when we were all born spiritually blind and unable to see Jesus, Jesus compassionately looked upon you with favour from heaven. He searched for and found you, and washed you, not in the pool of Siloam, but at the font in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and you were born again so that you can see God and his grace in the Person of Christ for life each day.
Christian faith is not just believing we go to heaven after we die, it is faith in Christ for today, and every day. Jesus has come to give you faith to see, with your eyes and your heart. Faith that frees us from the fear of relinquishing control of our lives, to see that it is good to be in the position of beggars, open handed before him, hands to receive mercy from heaven, to share with others. It is faith to see that Jesus has saved us from the daily struggle of seeking to justify ourselves and protect our self-image. It’s faith that frees us from the fear that our value as people is through what we do, or can’t do, and instead rejoices in the promise of God’s word—that our identity and worth as people is in God’s deliberate and intricate creation of us in his image and redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus. It is faith to know that the condemnation of the devil, others and even ourselves are lies. It is faith for each day, to continually seek God’s will for our lives being shaped by God’s word, not the values of the world. Faith that not only knows things about Jesus, but knows Jesus, personally. Faith to know that even though the world would cast us away, Jesus has won for you a place to belong, given to you by your Heavenly Father’s good pleasure, where the angels rejoice over you. A place that can never be yours by striving, good works and righteousness, but only by the good works, striving and righteousness of Christ. A place in God’s Kingdom, to live with him and serve him in righteousness, innocence, and blessedness forever. Amen.
Pastor Tim Ebbs
St Paul’s Lutheran Church, Glenelg
Second Sunday in Lent, 2026
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION
“Jesus has come to give you faith to see—to see with your eyes and with your heart.”
- The man’s blindness from birth was not punishment for his sin but so that the work of God
might be displayed in his life. Can you think of times in life where things looked like problems, but God worked through them to show his perfect power in weakness?
- What things in your life do you most want an answer for…yet God may be inviting you to watch what he will do?
- Where are you confident that you already see clearly, so that you stop listening to God’s word? In what aspects of life does God invite you to reach out to him for his grace to change?
- The blind man’s simple trust in Jesus’ word resulted in a lifechanging experience. What areas in your life do you find it important to have control? What do you find in your heart that is difficult to hand over to God? What freedom might this be blocking you from?
- How might seeing ourselves as beggars be a picture of spiritual health for us? Is it hard for you to think of yourself as a ‘beggar’? Why this might be?
- The man’s courage increased over time. Where has your courage and confidence in the life of faith grown? When is it faltering?
- What might the blind man’s gradual growth in faith teach us about the life of faith? How is true Christian faith less about believing an end outcome, and more about daily trust in God?
- What would it mean for you to obey Jesus without having the whole plan in view? Where is the compassion of God revealed in this passage? How is it the same compassion for you?
- How is Jesus’ gracious work in the blind man’s life mirrored in our own? Where has Jesus washed you and given you sight, so that your life is changed?
