Chapter III: A Man Who Believed in Jesus

JOHN 9.37

ONE day, as the Lord Jesus passed by, He saw a man who had been blind ever since he had been born.

And His disciples asked Him whether this was the poor man's fault, or that of his parents.

And Jesus told them that it was no one's fault, and that He was going to work a great miracle; and He reminded them that He Himself, while He was in the world, was the Light of the world.

Then the Lord Jesus made clay, and put it on the eyes of the blind man; and told him to go and wash in the Pool of Siloam.

So the blind man did what Jesus had told him, and he went to the Pool of Siloam, and washed, and came back quite cured.

You can imagine how the people who knew him gathered round him, with endless questions.

"How was it that he could see?" "And was he the very blind man who had sat all his life, and begged?"

And he answered very simply, "A man named Jesus made clay, and anointed my eyes, and told me to go and wash in Siloam; and I washed, and came back able to see!"

Then the Pharisees, hearing of all this, came and questioned him again, even calling his father and mother to answer them, as to whether this was their son, and if so, had he been born blind?

So the parents answered that this was quite true.

And then the Pharisees argued that the man who cured him must be a sinner, for he had healed him on the Sabbath day!

At last the blind man lost all patience, and exclaimed indignantly: "Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence He is, and yet He hath opened mine eyes! Since the world began, it has never been heard that any man opened the eyes of one that had been born blind! If this man were not of God He could do nothing!"

Then the Jews were so angry that they cast him out of the Synagogue, and would have nothing more to do with him.

When Jesus heard that they had cast him out, He found him in the Temple, and in His great tenderness He cheered him with most glorious assurances.

The blind man had believingly obeyed the Lord Jesus when He told him to wash in the Siloam Pool; and he had defended his belief that this Man must be a Prophet if He could do these wonderful things.

And now our Lord revealed to him something which was above all other beliefs—and He said to him, "Dost thou believe on the Son of God?"

And the healed man answered, "Who is He, Lord, that I might believe on Him?"

And Jesus answered him, "Thou hast both seen Him, and it is He that talketh with thee!"

Then the man who had been blind, and now could see, said adoringly:

"Lord, I believe!" and he worshipped Him.