TEXT: JOHN 9: 1- 41 1 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.

2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?

3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay.

7 And said unto him, Go wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

8 The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged?

9 Some said, This is he; others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he.

10 Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?

11 He answered and said, 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.

12 Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not.

13 They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind.

14 And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.

15 Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.

16 Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.

17 They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet.

18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight.

19 And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see?

20 His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind:

21 But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.

22 These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.

23 Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him.

24 Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner.

25 He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.

26 Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes?

27 He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples?

28 Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples.

29 We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.

30 The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvelous thing, that ye know not whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.

31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.

32 Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.

33 If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.

34 They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.

35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?

36 He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?

37 And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.

38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.

39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.

40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard those words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?

41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth. (KJV)

Today I would we like to deliver a message entitled “A BLIND MAN.”

When Lord Jesus said about a blind man, blind to see, on the above text, it is worth to pay attention that the Pharisees came out to the story. It should have some hidden meaning that at that time, there came not eye doctors or eye shop assistants, or carpenters or fishermen, but instead, the Pharisees who asked, “Are we also blind?” We would like to learn that.

It is a matter of course, that the Bible is not written by men but rather by God Himself to be the only Book in the world. And, there are some hidden meanings even in casual descriptions and characters. A man like me cannot certainly conclude there are, but as there is possibility of that I think we better read the Bible carefully with the help of the Holy Spirit.

When the Lord discussed with the rich young man, he said, “All these things have I kept from my youth up.” So, it is supposed the rich man said in the Bible may have relation to those who have no fault in doing the law. And, the Lord did not say to the publicans or harlots but to the scribes and Pharisees, “Ye serpents, generation of vipers.” Therefore, we can guess that the serpent, that serpent in the Garden of Eden, has relation to the scribes and Pharisees.

Well, why did the Pharisees appear in relation to the blind man at that time? It is because the blind in the Bible is not linked to the physical blind but rather the spiritual blind. Concretely speaking, the Bible intended to say that they, the Pharisees and professional people of the Bible, who asked, “Are we blind also?” (It should not be so,) are the very blind. The blind is linked to the metaphor of the unseen, and may be related to the following word to see on Isaiah as below.

MATTHEW 13: 14- 16 14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

16 But blesses are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. (KJV)

It is told that they, the Pharisees (excellent people in meaning), the professionals of the Bible and religion, are in fact the blind. And, this will happen in the church of the end time, too. The professionals of the church and the Bible are actually the blind, and the day will possibly come when they become heavily blind to not able to even know they are blind, as the Pharisees asked, “Are we blind also?” We would like to learn that.

Let’s look at the text.

1 “And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.

2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?”

The disciples talked about sins in relation to the blind. Surely sin is related to the blind. We should know that we will never be able to see the truth of the Bible and of faith if we continue to sin. The Bible is totally different from history, mathematics or medicine of the world and teaches that sinners do not see the truth.

3 “Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.”

Well, this man was blind until that time. But the Lord then opened his eyes, which was for that “the works of God should be made manifest in him.” Such people will appear in the end time, too. There will appear some, among people who are blind only to know to read the Bible according to the commentaries written by the blind, who are opened their eyes and can truly see. It is because “the works of God should be made manifest in him.” Yes, their eyes will be opened in order that the works of restoration of the Lord appear through these people.

If I say that to understand the Bible and the truth is that the blind can see, there may be some people who say, “That should be the private interpretation. Why can he make such an unusual interpretation?”

One of the principles of interpretation of the Bible is to think of the opposite to get a hint. As the Pharisees, excellent people who should have understood all of the Bible and God, are suggested as the blind, it will not be so far from truth if we understand the opposite, that is, that the blind see, actually means that he will see the truth that he has never seen after he becomes the blind. Of course, though there may not be such commentaries, I have never thought of such books from the beginning.

There may be some hidden meaning in the phrase (word) “the born blind” repeatedly mentioned. The church has really been blind for a long time. The days of blindness, that the church can not understand the word of the Bible or discern the Spirit working rightly, may have lasted long time. But, the time of blessing of the Lord will come in the end time. At that time those who are touched of the Lord will be delivered from the long lasted blindness and see the truth.

4 “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.”

The night will come in the end time when nobody can speak about the truth. We should proceed to work the works before the night coming.

5 “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

Light is related to seeing. As we cannot walk in the night way without the flashlight, we will not see if we do not have light. Those who ask the Lord will see.

6 “When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay.

7 And said unto him, Go wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.”

It should mean the Holy Spirit, the Person sent of the Lord, revealing, to “go wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) and washed, and came seeing.” Those who can see will appear through Him. To wash means to use water. They will be opened their eyes by the Holy Spirit.

8 “The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged?

9 Some said, This is he; others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he.

10 Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?

11 He answered and said, 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.

12 Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not.”

He was a man who sat and begged. He might be a man who sat and heard others speaking. He could not get even bread so that he had no other choice than to beg bread of life from others. And he could not walk and just sat. But he does not beg now or sit. He stands by himself and begins to walk in the way of the truth.

And as he becomes to see, he is changed. Therefore, “Some said, This is he; others said, He is like him.” It may suggest dramatic change in his faith. Yes, if we are opened our eyes by the Lord in the end time, such a change that the people around us are surprised at will happen.

And they here asked the man who was blind, “How were thine eyes opened?” This is the question repeatedly asked in this passage. The same question will be asked not to blind theologians or teachers but to those who are opened their eyes in the end time, such as, “Why do they understand such things like this? Why do they see suddenly?” The answer to it is only one both in the past and at present. It is that “a man that is called Jesus” opened my eyes.

13 “They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind.

14 And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.

15 Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.

16 Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day.”

As they could not understand that this man saw suddenly, they took to the Pharisees him who was blind but now saw. Those who see and understand the truth will be likewise taken to theologians, teachers and pastors in the end time, too. And these professional peoples of religion concluded, “This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day.” Likewise, those who are opened their eyes to the truth will be concluded by reason of the trifle difference to their teachings on the Bible, “They are not of God.”

“Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.”

But there will be a division in opinions among these religious professionals concerning those who are opened their eyes to truth in the end time. The reason for the division will be the miracles accompanied by their works.

17 “They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet.

18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight.”

At that time the Jews “did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight.” They did not believe that, though he was just before their eyes. Likewise, though there will surely arise in the end time those who are opened their eyes and restored to the truth and the Bible by God, the God’s people of the end time will not acknowledge the fact, that their eyes are opened. In stead, they will regard it as that some strange heretics of the end time appear.

19 “And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see?

20 His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind:

21 But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.”

They asked the parents this time. So, do understand that it was taken as the great subject that the born blind could see.

Yes, the day will come when the born blind, those who had never seen the hidden truth of the Bible from the beginning of the church until that time, see the truth. It said of that day.

The parents also answered, “by what means he now seeth, we know not.” Yes, even the parents, the pastors who are fathers of faith, do not know why those who never saw the truth suddenly see in the end time. They can only answer, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind: But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not.”

22 “These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.

23 Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him.”

In those days, “if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.” Likewise, if any man confesses that this is of God’s Spirit concerning Christ, that is, the anointing, he will be put out of the church in the end time. But, our eyes will certainly be opened by this anointing of the Holy Spirit.

24 Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner.

25 He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.”

The religious professionals at that time concluded that Jesus was a sinner. They had no other choice. And, the day will come when the Spirit is defined as devil in the end time. But, some people who are opened their eyes by the Spirit will certainly appear in the very end time.

26 “Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes?

27 He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples?”

They repeated here the same words, “What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes?” Therefore, many people who doubt, “Why then do they open their eyes suddenly to see the truth?” will appear. As it is written here about the disciples, their eyes will be opened clearly in the end time.

28 “Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples.

29 We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.”

They said they were the disciples of Moses and followed the orthodox noble teachings. They said, “We are not deceived by Jesus who is a stranger and a new comer whom we do not know.” But, they were actually blind and could not recognize the Person sent of God. The same will happen in the end time.

The day will come when those who are proud of being biblical will be in fact revealed as the blind.

30 “The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvelous thing, that ye know not whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.

31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.

32 Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.

33 If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.”

The day will come when the born blind, those who were blind to see the Bible or the will of God, are opened their eyes. This is not by sin or devils but by the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit.

34 “They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.”

The young man who had been blind but then saw was cast out because of being able to see and of his fine testimony for the Lord. There will appear also in the end time some people who are cast out of churches and called as heretics because of their seeing and testimony. But we should know that they are the very people who are truly opened their eyes to the truth before God.

35 “Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?

36 He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?

37 And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.

38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.”

What will happen to us in the end time, if we are cast out of the church or called as heretics? We may be in darkness with no hope. But, we do not have to worry. For, the Lord will find us. We should know the day will come in the end time when we have to make an ultimate decision to choose the Lord or the church.

39 “And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.”

Do remember this. The Lord of the first coming came for judgment. The word “judgment” has meaning to decide. That is to say, the Lord is as if an examination questionnaire. Those who value the Lord properly can see, and others who do not value properly and miss Him as a sinner fail the examination and are actually the blind. Every one is decided whether he is blind or not through Jesus. Though he is a professional of religion and the Bible before men, he is a blind before God. And, the completely same thing will happen in the end time. The day will come in the end time when many religious professionals make mistakes to see.

40 “And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard those words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?

41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.”

The Lord said here the Pharisees, the professionals of religion, of the church now, to be blind. This is the point of this parable. We should think of this parable through this point. If they, the religious professionals, are blind, we can understand what the people who are opposite of them, “the born blind who now sees,” are likened. This young man is the metaphor of “a man who is opened his eyes to God, the Bible, and the truth.”

Here the Lord said that the Pharisees said, “We see,” so that their eyes will not be opened and their “sin remaineth.” They were not opened their eyes to know the Bible or God, but they could not recognize that so that they remained blind to the end and at last killed the Son of God who came as King. Their blindness brought about to them judgment, eternal judgment.

And, even in the end time the story is the same.

From now on to the end time, some people who are opened their eyes to speak the restoration of the church will appear, but the religious professionals will never recognize that. Actually they are blind to see this work, but they will never recognize they are blind. And, at last, they will cast out of Christian church those who are opened their eyes, deliver them into martyr and decide their spirits as devils. And such actions will eventually bring about to the professionals and their followers eternal judgment.

Such time is about to come. Let’s ask the Lord to open our eyes.

Let’s do the will of the Lord in the end time.

End.