12 Awesome Lessons We Learn from the Healing of the Man Blind from Birth (John 9:1-41)

The healing of the man blind from birth is among the most powerful miracles of Jesus Christ, not just because of how his sight was restored, but also how it affected the lives of the blind man and the people around him. Here are 12 lessons you shouldn’t miss from the life of the blind man!

meaning of life banner bca

Jesus Christ, or properly known as Yahshua the Messiah, performed a lot of miracles. Among the many incredible miracles, He performed was the healing of the man who was blind from birth. The healing, as well as the things that had happened afterward, were recorded in John 9:1-41. The whole story teaches us vital lessons that we can apply in our Christian life today.

What are they? Read on to learn more!

Watch John 9:1-41 video about healing of the blind man

in this video, you will learn the powerful lessons we can learn from John 9:1-41, how we should respond to life’s difficulties, and understand the reasons for suffering in this world.

John 9:1-41 | The Miraculous Healin...
John 9:1-41 | The Miraculous Healing of the Man Blind from Birth

A summary of the story

The whole ninth chapter of John talks about the man who receives sight through the miraculous healing of Yahshua or Jesus Christ.

As Jesus was passing by, he saw the blind man who was blind from birth. The disciples of Christ are quick to ask what caused the pitiable condition of the blind man. Is it because of his sin or the sin of his parents?

Jesus Christ answered that it was not the fault of the blind man nor of his parents, but it happened so that the work of God should be revealed in him. Shortly, Christ healed the blind man and he received his sight.

Because of the miraculous event that surrounded the blind man, this has caught the attention of the Pharisees. They brought the healed blind man and interrogated him. Because of the testimony of the healed man, he was excommunicated by the Pharisees.

Later, Jesus found the healed man again and there, he became a follower of the Messiah. He recognized Christ as the true Son of God and worshipped Him.

12 Awesome Lessons We Learn from the Healing of the Man Blind from Birth (John 9:1-41)
12 Awesome Lessons We Learn from the Healing of the Man Blind from Birth (John 9:1-41)

Lesson no. 1: Jesus notices even the least among us

During the time of Christ, the blind men and those people with physical infirmities are considered a burden to the society. Most of them are left by their family and end up begging food and money in the streets. They are looked down upon as among lowest class in the society. They have no wealth nor power for other people to respect them.

However, Jesus was an exception. Surely, if Christ would notice anyone, it should be the rich. But no. Christ is different. He sees even the least among us and this includes the blind man. We read in John 9:1:

Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth.

If you look into the previous chapter of John, we read that Christ was fleeing from a mob who wanted to kill him. Yet, Jesus still took the time to notice the blind man!

As Christians, we have the assurance that no matter who we are, God would still take notice of us. The Bible tells us that not even a sparrow falls down to the ground without God knowing it. He even knows how many strands of hair we have!

With this in mind, we can have the comfort that God sees us. He cares for us and He wants to develop a close relationship with us. He is calling us and it is up to us to answer that call.

What is the meaning of life free masterclass gif

Lesson no. 2: Our weakness should lead us to God

The man was blind from his birth. He has every reason to shake his fist in the face of God and question his goodness and love. However, what most people think as a curse has turned into a blessing in this man’s life.

When asked by His disciples the reason why the man became blind, Jesus answered, so “that the works of God should be revealed in him.”

If it hadn’t been because of his blindness, he wouldn’t have encountered the Messiah!

In many cases, those who are well and healthy are the ones who don’t see the need for God. They have a good life already, so why would they need God? However, those who are weak, sick, and in need are the ones who are more likely to encounter God and seek Help greater than themselves!

God has the power to turn lemons into lemonades and trials into blessings. The man was born blind and he obtained the honor to be healed by no other than the Word, the very Son of God. Through the blind man, Christ showed that He is truly the Light of this darkened world. He is the source of the Great Light and thus, anyone who follows Him must obtain their light as well from Him.

The man could be blind, a curse for many, but it was the same ailment that led Him to Christ. What a way to turn your trials into blessings!

So, how can we apply this to our lives? It shows that even in the midst of trials, we can still find joy. God didn’t promise us a life free of problems, but He ensures us that He will always be with us. Though we might be feeling defeated because of the many challenges that may come our way, we can still have the confidence that God will see us through.

The ULTIMATE LIST of 50 Best_ Christian Books of All Time (leaderboard)

Lesson 3: We must endure hardships in life

The Jews in Christ’s day lived in the illusion that every suffering is caused directly by a sin they commit. While it is true that sin does lead to suffering, illness, and a lot of problems, in some cases, we suffer not because of our own doing.

Jesus Christ made it very clear that it is not the man who sinned nor his parents. There’s a purpose why it happened. The fact is, as long as we are living in this world ruled by Satan, we will experience hardships and face difficulties.

It is sad to know that it has been a great while that the blind man didn’t know the real reason why he was born blind. He could have blamed himself and his parents. His society definitely blamed them for their situation.

However, now the time comes that the Light of the world approaches the man who sits in darkness. All of his sufferings was culminating to this great day when the blind man will have his sight restored and meet the Messiah. Oh, what a great honor it is!

All the pain and suffering would instantly be gone for this blind man and all that matters for him now is to know how to follow His Lord and Master, Jesus Christ.

However, the Apostle Peter instructed us:

“For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God” (I Peter 2:20).

When we endure sufferings that are not caused by us, God commends us for that. Sometimes, God puts more importance on how we develop our godly character rather than our comfort.

James, or properly known as Jacob, mentioned this:

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing (James 1:2-4).

That’s the main reason why we are facing trial, so that we would be perfected and complete. God is preparing us to rule in His kingdom and through tests and lessons in life, we are accomplishing the main purpose of our existence.

So, if your life as a Christian is smooth sailing, be prepared because time will come that you will be tested. When that time comes, it is my sincerest hope that you have enough faith and courage to endure.

How to build godly habits free masterclass banner

Lesson no. 4: We must follow God’s commandments rather than man’s traditions

You might be wondering why Jesus Christ has to spit on the ground and make clay to anoint the man’s eye. From our perspective, it sounds weird and superstitious.

Obviously, Christ won’t do anything without any cause or purpose. After all, Christ could have easily said a word or simply touch the man’s eye, but he didn’t. Instead, he used clay and his saliva. Thus, it is important to see the reason behind such action.

While I admit I don’t have all the answers, but there are a few things we can speculate. One reason I could see is that Jesus wants other people to see that He isn’t limited to one method of healing. He can do anything and still accomplish what he wants.

Moreover, I believe Christ was making a point here. The Jewish authorities created their own do’s and don’ts in the Sabbath – things that are beyond what God intended it to be. Instead of calling the Sabbath a delight, because of the many man-made traditions the religious leaders added, the Sabbath became a burden.

It was a Sabbath when Christ healed the blind man. The Jewish leaders taught that healing is prohibited in the Sabbath. Not only that but making clay is also deemed to be a Sabbath violation.

Now, it is important to note that this isn’t a commandment God has made, but only an addition made by the Jewish leaders. Jesus Christ seized this as an opportunity to show the religious leaders and the people around Him how they made the Sabbath a burden rather than a delight.

For the record, Yahshua or Jesus Christ didn’t break the Sabbath command, but what He broke instead is the tradition of men that is contrary to what God actually commands!

When it comes to choosing between God’s commandments and traditions, Christ quoted the Prophet Isaiah and says:

‘This people honors Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

Therefore, choose to keep God’s commandments rather than the traditions of men!

The 10 Best Books that Prove Christianity is True

Lesson no. 5: We must work the work of God

Christ is a Man with a mission. He clearly knows His purpose right from the start. He got is priority straight and He will accomplish His goal without any doubt.

Before healing the blind man, Christ mentioned in verse 4 and 5:

“I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

Christ has consistently been doing the work He was sent to do. In fact, Christ’s special diet is doing the work of God. Yahshua made it clear that He needs to do what He must do while it is day. It means that while He still has the time, he should be about His Father’s business.

In our case, as Christians, the life given to us is our only day. When we die or when this world falls completely to darkness such as in the time of the great tribulation, it would be difficult for us to do God’s work. In fact, the Bible prophesied that there will be a famine of the Word in the end time.

Christ has such a great sense of urgency. He understands that time is limited and we are not always given the opportunity to do the work of God. If we are to work, it should be today and we must not delay any further. Jesus knew that the coming of the night is not a matter of if, but a matter of when.

For those who have been called by God, this is our day – our only chance to perform the work God has called us to do. There’s no second chance. If we are called by God, we are called to do a work.

We are not sent to be idle, but to be busy doing the work of God. We are not just to simply warm our seats during Sabbath services, but rather we are to make seeking God’s kingdom to be our top priority.

How to Pray free masterclass banner

Lesson no. 6: Obedience and faith comes together

So many people today assumed that all they need to obtain salvation is to accept Christ and believe in Him. They thought that since grace abounds, they can now do whatever they wish as long as they “love” one another.

If we are to have faith in God and His Son, we must couple it with obedience. Christ didn’t simply heal the blind man when he could just immediately do that. It could have been so simple and yet, it is also a teaching moment for all around Him and for this blind man.

For the man to get healed, he needs to wash in the Pool of Siloam. The man initially believed Jesus Christ, but he didn’t stop there. He also obeyed Christ command. Yes, it was difficult for the blind man to find his way, but that is part of the healing process.

Christ is not just seeking to heal the man physically, but also spiritually. Believing in God is only the first step. It must be accompanied by faith. James made this very clear:

You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only (James 2:24).

The man would have not been healed if he didn’t follow Christ’s instruction. Christ did His part and it is now the man’s turn to do his.

As Christians today, many of us would like to receive God’s blessings, but only a few would really like to do God’s commandments. We can’t expect God to grant us good health or heal our infirmities when all the while we have a sedentary lifestyle. We can’t expect God to grant us financial blessings if we are lazy. Finally, we can’t expect God to grant us eternal life if we can’t even follow His commandments today.

Top 10 Christian Movies You Should Watch Tonight (yellow banner)

Lesson no. 7: God will one day take away the spiritual blindness of this world

The Bible reveals how Satan deceives the whole world (Revelation 12:9). The Apostle Paul further explained:

“In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (II Corinthians 4:4).

There’s a more dangerous type of blindness that has infected this world. The sight of the man Christ healed can easily be restored. However, spiritual blindness is more deeply rooted and difficult to get rid of.

The healing of the blind man typifies the healing of this world from its spiritual blindness. The Prophet Isaiah prophesied about this time when he wrote in Isaiah 25:7-8:

“And He will destroy on this mountain
The surface of the covering cast over all people,
And the veil that is spread over all nations.
He will swallow up death forever,
And the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces;
The rebuke of His people
He will take away from all the earth;
For the Lord has spoken.”

There will come a time when the veil of deception and darkness would be destroyed. The Prophet Habakkuk even spoke of the time when the global deception would be cast away and will be replaced with the knowledge of Yahweh.

“For the earth will be filled
With the knowledge of the glory of the Lord,
As the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:14).

This will be the glorious time when the world won’t be deceived anymore and they will know the only living and true God who loves us to the point that He gave us His son to die for us and save us from our sin.

What are the most inspiring stories in the Bible? banner promo free ebook written for our learning

Lesson no. 8: we must be the light of the world

Before healing the blind man, Christ explained:

“As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (John 9:5).

Today, we, the followers of Christ, are also called to be a light of the world. We read:

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).

Christ is the true Source of Light and we must get our light from Him. As lights, we are not to direct people to us, but to God. It is through our good works that we become lights to this darkened world.

To learn more about how to be a light of the world, please read: “What does it mean to be a light of the world? A Deeper Look at Matthew 5:14-16.”

In John 9, we have the story of the blind man who later became a living testimony of God’s grace, love, and mercy. Because of the miracle done in him, a lot of people were astonished. They wondered and marveled.

We read in verses 8 to 12:

Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?”

Some said, “This is he.” Others said, “He is like him.”

He said, “I am he.”

Therefore they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?”

He answered and said, “A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received sight.”

Then they said to him, “Where is He?”

He said, “I do not know.”

The man has now become a light to his neighbors and a light to his society. If you read further down John 9, the man has served as a witness to the Pharisees and consecutively, the audience of this trial.

Because of the miracle, many people are now looking for Christ. Because of his testimony, many people are now seeking the Light of the world!

As Christians, we must be like the healed blind man. We must become a light to the world as well.

When other people see us, do they see the light emanating from Christ or do they see darkness in our lives? When the situation becomes difficult, do we dim our light and compromise our beliefs or do we keep our lights glowing brightly in spite of persecution?

May we all strive to become lights in this dark world.

The 20 Best Christian Books on Marriage You Should Read Next (1)

Lesson no. 9: God will heal us according to His purpose

It was God’s will that the blind man would be healed. After washing in the pool of Siloam, he “came back seeing” (John 9:7). These three words are packed with so much meaning and profound significance!

The man went to the pool groping in the dark and came back walking in the light. The man came to the pool hopeless and he came back filled with blessed joy. The man came to the pool with earnest desire to get healed and he came back with the full assurance of having what he prayed for. The man came to the pool blind and he came back seeing.

What a great joy for this man, who has eaten his meal in the dark all through his life, to have his sight restored. It was God who healed Him and it is beautiful how a few moments can change one’s entire life.

While the man was healed, it is no secret that not all have been given this gift. A lot of Christians have prayed day and night for their thorn in the flesh to be pulled out.

But why? Why would God heal others while some are not?

The Apostle Paul once pleaded to God for Him to remove his thorn in the flesh. If there’s one person who deserves God’s healing, it should be Paul who has risked his life for the Gospel. But we notice God’s response to His request:

“My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (II Corinthians 12:9).

Sometimes, God does not calm the storm in our lives, but rather He calms His child while in the storm.

God did not promise us a life free of worries and troubles. But He did promise us that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6).

Yes, not all have been healed. Not all have received what they requested from God. Not all have been delivered from their tribulation. But one thing is for sure, everyone will receive the great reward God has prepared for them, which is far more excellent than anything we could hope for!

Lesson no. 10: We must stop being self-righteousness

The Pharisees are the epitome of self-righteousness.

They are so self-righteous that they couldn’t see how blind they are to the truth. They resent people who try to teach them. They believe that they know everything and they don’t accept corrections.

All their life, they have been waiting for the Messiah to come and yet, when they have found Him, they could not accept His righteousness!

One would expect that after such a great miracle to happen, everyone should be joyful. Imagine, a man who never have seen the beauty of the flowers, the rising and setting of the sun, the face of his mother and father, the different color all around him, has now received his sight.

Yet, instead of rejoicing, the religious leaders of Christ’s day were filled will jealousy, resentment, and anger.

They immediately interrogated the blind man not to confirm the miracle, but to find a fault to his story. Based on their self-righteous judgment, they deemed Christ as a Sabbath breaker and a sinner. What a bunch of hypocrite!

Obviously, they are not trying to protect the people from deception, but rather, they are protecting their job and high status in society!

What a pity it is that a lot of Christians today are filled with the same self-righteous attitude. I, for one, would be the first to admit that I have become a self-righteous person every once in a while. It is part of our human nature. But instead of nurturing it, we must strive hard to overcome self-righteousness.

The problem with self-righteousness is that it BLINDS you.

It makes you ignorant of being self-righteous. In most cases, it takes another person to point out to you that you have been self-righteous. Therefore, I would highly recommend you read “10 DEADLIEST Signs of Self-Righteousness You Probably Don’t Know.”

Lesson no. 11: We must fear God rather men

The miracle Christ has wrought is so marvelous and magnificent that it was too good to be true. A lot of people doubted whether the miracle is real or not. So, the Jews called the parents of the blind man and asked, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”

Of all the people, it could have been the parents of the blind man who could testify to the truth. Yes, the parents didn’t lie or anything. They only say what they knew since they themselves could have not witnessed the miracle itself. However, they are fully assured that their son, who was blind, could now see!

They are bound to give glory to Jesus Christ and out of gratitude for the healing of their son should have given a stronger testimony. But no, instead, they play it safe. They provide a neutral answer to not appear favoring their son.

(Be sure to read, “5 Vital Steps on How to Give an Effective Christian Testimony.”)

The Apostle John gave us the reason why they acted this way in verse 22:

His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue.

Sad to say, the parents of the blind man feared men more than they fear God. They don’t have the courage to stand up against the religious leaders and serve as a witness to this great miracle. They passed the golden opportunity to be on God’s side rather than man’s side.

As Christians today, sometimes, doing the right thing could bring us in trouble. Sometimes, the paths of righteousness lead us to the valley of the shadow of death. However, our fear should lead us to trust God rather than trust in ourselves.

In whatever trouble we might find ourselves in, God will take us out of that trouble or better yet, He would be with us throughout our trouble.

Man can ultimately do nothing. Perhaps, the best they could is to take our life, but that is all that they can do.

God is more powerful than any of us. In the final analysis, there’s really nothing for us to fear because God is with us.

Every opportunity to fear is also an opportunity to trust God.

Fear is among the strongest enemies of faith. If you are fearful, you will benefit from reading this blog entitled, “7 Biblical Keys to Overcoming Fear.”

Lesson no. 12: God has called the foolish of this world

The Apostle Paul wrote in I Corinthians 1:26:

For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.

Christ did not call the Pharisees or the religious leaders of His day. He didn’t call the emperors of the great kingdoms. He didn’t call the rulers of the land. He didn’t call the learned and educated lawyers. But he called the foolish – by this world’s standard.

In this case, God called the blind man. In the society, he is considered to be among the lowliest. He is a beggar who could not even support himself but has to depend on other people for sustenance.

People like him recognize the need for God and thus, are humbled. The wise and mighty feel they are sufficient by themselves. They feel they don’t need God anymore. Their good life made their conscience dull and complacent in search for God.

Paul further explains that God chose “the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise” and that’s exactly what the blind man has done to the learned and “wise” Pharisees. He put them to shame by showing them the truth!

Because of the hardness and self-righteousness of the Jews, they couldn’t see their real Messiah.

Paul explains why God has called the foolish of this world, “that no flesh should glory in His presence” (verse 29).

To answer God’s calling, you need to be humble first. If we are going to glory, we must glory in God and not in ourselves.

If God has called you now, be humble and answer His call. Strip yourself of self-righteousness and seek God’s righteousness instead.

Yes, we might be foolish in this world, but God has given us the privilege to be part of His Kingdom. In His eyes we are precious and that’s where our true value really lies. We might be last in this world, but we will be first in God’s kingdom.

Final words

These are the most important lessons we can learn from the blind man whom Christ healed mentioned in John 9. I hope you learned a lot from this blog and most importantly, apply them in your life.

If this blog has benefited you, share it with your friends and families. If I have missed an important point, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below. I’d love to hear from you. 🙂


Want to learn more? Join Our Best Becoming Christians Academy Online Courses:

Teach Us to Pray

Learn how to pray like Jesus Christ (Yahshua).

Read Your Bible in 365 Days

Go through the whole Scripture with daily life-changing reflections.

7 Powerful Habits of Highly Effective Christians

Discover how to develop life-changing habits.

Heroes of faith course composite 3D image

Heroes of Faith

Know how you can become a warrior of faith by studying Hebrews 11.

how to live a victorious life composite 3D

Inspiring Stories

Learn how to live a victorious life.


16 thoughts on “12 Awesome Lessons We Learn from the Healing of the Man Blind from Birth (John 9:1-41)

  1. Thank you for this article Mr. Infantado. I noticed some points about ruling in the Kingdom and keeping God’s law that led me to believe we might have some things in common. I looked at your list of 50 books and saw that you had two from Herbert W. Armstrong that you personally recommended. I was taught by Mr. Armstrong as a member of the Worldwide Church of God and received my copy of Mystery of the Ages at the Feast of Tabernacles the year it was published. We recently had a sermon about the man born blind. Christ instructed him to wash in the pool of Siloam, which means “sent” indicating that we need to be taught by an apostle God sends to remove spiritual blindness. Mr. Armstrong was that apostle in the 20th century and I’m glad to see that you have been taught by him. I was feeling the need for more understanding about why Christ stressed that neither the man or his parent’s had sinned, did a search for the subject and found your article which I did find helpful.

    • Hi Andrea!

      Thanks for dropping by 🙂

      It’s nice to hear the common things we share. I’m part of the Church of God. Sadly, I haven’t seen Mr. Armstrong in person as he already passed away before I was born. However, I heard a lot of good things about him and is excited to meet him in Yah’s Kingdom. 🙂

      I’m glad your search led you to this blog. I hope to hear more from you. Feel free to subscribe to my blog and send me an email. I’d love to chat with you more. 🙂

      Regards,
      Joshua

  2. Glory in the name of God. How full of your interpretation of God’s Word is the Holy Spirit … Every part of the Bible is meticulously revealed before God. God bless you more.

  3. may God bless the work of your hands and bless the ones who are tirelesly teaching us the word of God and making sure we get the right content.

  4. Thank you so much for deep study in John 9. With permission i’d like to share to our church.
    Thank you so much & God bless the ministry entrusted to you.

    Regards,

    Rhode Coronia
    From Grace & Truth Baptist Church – Anabu Imus Cavite Philippines…

Leave a Reply to Sarah olemboCancel reply