OK, so the writing isn’t the best. Professor Enns said that the reason he didn’t make us write an exegetical paper for his OTI was that the papers we write in seminary aren’t really that good. I agree with him and when you read my this paper, you probably will as well. The B- I received for it was an act of mercy on the part of my Hermeneutics professor, Dr. Poythress. I thought about editing it but decided to post it as is (with some very minor changes).

Now, keep in mind that this was my first exegetical paper and I wrote it at the same time that I was taking a very intensive systematic theology class, so I was writing a lot of digests at the same time I was preparing to write this paper. I spent way too much time on research and not enough time on writing (which is usually what I do). It should have been edited about 5 or 6 more times but I wrote it the week it was due so it wasn’t edited enough. And I can’t believe I did not even give it a decent title. You’ll notice a lack of cohesion. I was still trying to figure out what the heck I was suppose to include while I was writing the paper. Oh if I only had another month, it would have been a lot better (but I probably would have wasted the month on more research and would have procrastinated writing it — which is also something I tend to do 🙂

OK, enough with the excuses 🙂 Here it is (if you can’t read the Greek, install the Bibleworks Greek font and hopefully it will work):

Introduction

The purpose of this paper is to analysisJohn 9:1-5, examine it in light of the rest of the Gospel of John and in thecontext of the Old and New Testament.

The Setting of the Text

            Thistext is set in the context of a series of miracles that Jesus performed; eachof the signs is followed by a reaction, either of belief or disbelief.  The disciples of Jesus have seen him performother types of healings up to this point (4:53-54; 5:1-9) and have heard himproclaim that he is the light of the world (8:12).  Jesus has told them that he has come to dothe work of God and what that work is (4:34, 6:28-29).  The setting of the text is some time afterthe Feast of Tabernacles. Jesus has just proclaimed himself the light of the worldand the Pharisees are trying to kill him. Jesus’ healing of this man is set in a context of conflict between lightand darkness; the illumination of the understanding of who Jesus is and thedarkness of ignorance and willful rejection of the clear voice of God revealinghimself in all that Jesus says and does. Every sign should bring an understanding that this is the One that Godpromised to send, this is his Servant.  Butup to this point there were many who rejected this message.

            Jesusheals the man born blind from birth and provokes another confrontation with thePharisees and they kick the man born blind out of the temple after he rebukedthem for rejecting the clear sign of a man born blind being healed, which is, ofcourse an act of God.  Why do they lackthe ability to see that this man was from God? Spiritual darkness is the underlying problem.  Jesus tells the man who he is and the manbelieves, Jesus heals him of both his physical and spiritual darkness but thePharisees sink further into spiritual darkness.

Analysis of the Text

The text, as withthe rest of John, is a narrative.  Thereis some speculation as to when this passage occurred, was it immediately afterthe Feast of Tabernacles or some period of time after.  Since the Jews were trying to kill him at theclose of the Feast of Tabernacles it may be safe to assume that it happenedafter some period of time.  Lendingweight to this interpretation is the fact that the Feast of Dedication ismentioned in chapter ten (10:22).

The passage beginswith Jesus noticing (“he saw”) a man who had been blind from birth.  Jesus “seeing” the man is a way to “introducewhat follows.”[i]  The disciples ask him who sinned, this man orhis parents.  The disciples may bestating a belief held at the time that disease was a product of sin.  Rabbi Ammi reflects this attitude, “There isno death without sin, and there is no suffering without iniquity.”[ii]  Since this man was born blind that meant hewould have had to sin in the womb or in a prior existence (Gen. 25:22[iii]).  And they may have been thinking of Exodus20:5, Numbers 14:18, and Deuteronomy 5:9, where God says that, he will visit “theiniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generationof those who hate” him.  Or the story ofNaaman, “‘Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to yourdescendants forever.’ So he went out from his presence a leper, like snow” (2Kings 5:27).

Jesus’ reply canbe looked at two ways depending on punctuation:[iv]“It was neither this man nor his parents who sinned, but that the works of Godmight be manifested in him.  It isnecessary for us to work the works of the one who sent me while it is day.  Night is coming when no one is able to work.”According to Talbert this punctuation leads to an interpretation that “theblindness is not due to human sin, but it exists to heighten the glory of God’sacts (e.g., Exod. 7:3-5; John 11:4). Given this purpose, Jesus needs to do the works of God.”[v]But if the punctuation is changed, then the interpretation changes as well. “Itwas neither this man nor his parents who sinned. But in order that the works ofGod might be made manifest in him, it is necessary for us to work the works ofthe one who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one is able to work.”  Talbert believes that this punctuation leadsto an interpretation that the blindness was not “due to human sin, but no otherexplanation for it is given.”[vi]

There is also theissue of how to translate the i[na fanerwqh/|.. There are those who would translate it as an imperative, “Let the worksof God be made manifest in him.”[vii] Butboth Beasley-Murray and Morris believe that such a rendering would not becorrect, they believe that the passage hints at a “divine purpose.”[viii]  “The chief reason for hesitating to adopt thisrendering is the comparable thought in 11:4.”[ix]

Jesus rejects both of these arguments in the caseof this blind man.[x]  He does so with a “strong adversative: ‘onthe contrary,’ ‘far from that.'”[xi]  Sin is not always the cause of suffering,Jobs friends made that mistake when they accused him of causing his ownsuffering by some hidden unrighteousness. Jesus states that the man was born blind that “the works of God[xii]might be displayed in him.”  Just as Jobsuffered so that God would be glorified in his response, this man suffered sothat God would be glorified in him.  “Hedoes not, say a single work, but uses the plural number, works; for, so long ashe was blind, there was exhibited in him a proof of the severity of God, fromwhich others might learn to fear and to humble themselves. It was afterwardsfollowed by the benefit of his cure and deliverance, in which the astonishinggoodness of God was strikingly displayed.”[xiii] Theemphasis is not on what caused the blindness but on God manifesting his gloryin the works of God that Christ came to accomplish.[xiv]“Jesus was asked about the cause of the man’s blindness, but he answers interms of its purpose.”[xv]

Jesus goes on to tell the disciples that “we must work the works of him who sent me.” There is a mixture of pronounshere.  Jesus’ was given these works bythe Father to accomplish while he was here (4:34; 5:39; 14:10-11; 17:4) and thedisciples are to join him in this work (14:12; 20:21).  Jesus’ work was to reveal the glory of God,to make him known to his people, through Jesus (1:18).  “Then they said to him, ‘What must we do, tobe doing the works of God?’  Jesusanswered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he hassent'” (6:28-29). The work of the Father is that the disciples believe in himand to share that revelation with others so that they believe in the One thatGod has sent.

Jesus must accomplish this work while it is stillday, because the night is approaching. Here, clearly, Christ has in view his death and resurrection.  When night falls, he will have revealedhimself in his death, resurrection and ascension and the world would see thathe was the Messiah and the Son of God. There is also a sense of urgency for the disciples, they must work theworks of God while it is day (John 4:35-38), night is approaching for them, aswell and for the world as it moves toward the final judgment.  There is only so much time to work the worksof God, here on this earth before time runs out and the final darkness falls.

As long as Jesus is in the world, he is the lightof the world.  Here we see a fulfillmentof the promise of God to be the light to his people (Isa. 60:19).  Jesus came to bring light and salvation tothe nations (Isa. 49:6).  But his timewas limited (11:9-10; 12:35-36).  “Jesus’mode of existence in the world is not that of God or of the ascended Son ofman, but that of a human being whose ‘day’ would end in (the darkness of )night in which no one can work.”[xvi]

The Interpretation in of the Text in the Context of the Gospel of John

Looking at thistext from the aspect of the rest of the Gospel of John, it is evident that thispassage is used by John in a series of seven signs that witness to the factthat Jesus is Messiah and the Son of God. John wrote his Gospel with a specific purpose in mind: “Now Jesus didmany other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written inthis book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is theChrist, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (20:30-31).  These signs were specifically chosen by Johnso that the reader would believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.  There are seven signs in the Gospel:  Jesus turns water into wine which is awitness of his glory (2:1-12), he heals the official’s son from a distance(4:53-54), he heals a man on the Sabbath who had been an invalid forthirty-eight years (5:1-9), he feeds the 5,000 (6:1-15), he walks on water tothe disciples (6:16-21), he heals a man on the Sabbath who had been blind frombirth (9:1-7) and he raised Lazarus from the dead (11:4-45).  In each passage these signs are immediatelyfollowed by expressions of belief or disbelief. People either gain a greater understanding of Jesus or they remain indarkness and ignorance.   Each is atestimony to the fact that Christ was doing the works of the Father and thatChrist was glorified in all these signs. They were a witness to his deity. According to Kruse, the words for witness are used forty-four times inthe Gospel of John to refer to a “testimony to Jesus or Jesus’ testimony.”[xvii]

This text is alsofurther evidence that Jesus is the Messiah and the Son of God, since he is the Servantof the Lord who brings light to the nations (Isa. 42:6; 49:6; 60:3).  John saysof him that in “him was life, and the life was the light of men. The lightshines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (1:4-5).  In the Old Testament God is called light (Ps.27:1) and in Isaiah, God says, “The sun shall be no more your light by day, norfor brightness shall the moon give you light; but the LORD will be youreverlasting light, and your God will be your glory.” (Isa. 60:19). 

John makes this association even more explicit in his Epistle, “Thisis the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, andin him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5) and in Revelation, “And night willbe no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will betheir light, and they will reign forever and ever” (Revelation 22:5).

            Andthis text fits in with the theme of the works of God that Jesus came toaccomplish. Jesus told the disciples that his meat was to do the will of Godand to accomplish his work (4:34).  Jesustold the crowd that the work of God was that they believe in God and in the Onethat he sent (6:28-29).  Jesusaccomplished the work that God sent him to do (17:4).

The Interpretation of the Passage in the Context of the Old Testament

When this passageis interpreted in the light of the Old Testament, it is clear that Christfulfills the promises of God made to his people to be their light and to send aServant of the Lord who would be a light to them and to the nations (Isaiah 42:6; Isaiah 49:6; Isaiah 60:3; Matt.4:16; Luke 2:32).  Just as God lead hispeople out of Egyptand into the Promised Land with a pillar ofcloud and fire (Ex. 13:21-22), Jesus leads his people out of the kingdom ofdarkness into the kingdom of God, by being the light that will guide them into eternallife (John 8:12).  “In that day thebranch of the LORD shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the landshall be the pride and honor of the survivors of Israel. And he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalemwill be called holy, everyone who has been recorded for life in Jerusalem, when the Lord shall have washed away the filthof the daughters of Zion and cleansed thebloodstains of Jerusalemfrom its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning.  Then the LORD will create over the whole siteof Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day, and smoke and the shiningof a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory there will be a canopy”(Isaiah 4:2-5).

            Jesus’ healing of the manborn blind is an indication that the kingdom of God has come, “I am theLORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keepyou; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations,  to open the eyes that are blind, to bring outthe prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.  I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory Igive to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.  Behold, the former things have come to pass,and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them”(Isa. 42:6-9).

In Job the worksof God are his works in creation (Job 37:14ff.; 40:19).  And in the Psalms the works are God’sdeliverance, “We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the cominggeneration the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders thathe has done. He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel,which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the nextgeneration might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them totheir children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget theworks of God, but keep his commandments” (Ps. 78:4-7).  “The LORD has brought about our vindication;come, let us declare in Zionthe work of the LORD our God.”  (Jeremiah51:10)

The theme ofhealing is also evident in the Old Testament, God declared himself the healerof Israel (Exodus 15:26) butIsraelmust obey him or he will wound them (Deut. 32:39).  He heals his people (Ps. 103:3) when they cryout to him in repentance (Ps. 30:2; 41:4). “Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered themfrom their distress. He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered themfrom their destruction.” (Ps. 107:19-20).  God’s people will be healed by the stripes ofthe Servant of the Lord (Isa. 53:5).

The Interpretation of the Passage in the Context of the New Testament

Jesus was sent byGod to accomplish his work.  Jesus cameto be the light of the world, “The land of Zebulun and the land ofNaphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles- thepeople dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling inthe region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned” (Matthew 4:15-16).  “Lord, now you are letting your servantdepart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvationthat you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelationto the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” (Luke 2:29-32) 

            Jesuscame to reveal the Father to the world through healing, being a light and doingthe work of the Father.   “For God, who said, “Let light shine outof darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledgeof the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. This is the message we haveheard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is nodarkness at all” (2 Corinthians 4:6).

Since Jesus is thelight of the world, his followers will not walk in darkness, but will have thelight of life (John 1:4; 8:12; 11:10), they have been recreated children of thelight and are called to walk as children of the light (Ephesians 5:8; 1 Thess.5:5).  They are to abide in the light (1John 2:10) and are to expose the works of darkness to light (Ephesians 5:11-13).  They are to let their light shine so thatothers see their good works and glorify the Lord (Matt. 5:16; Phil. 2:15).  And just as God separated the day from thenight in creation (Genesis 1:4), God’s new creation is separated from thedarkness.  They are not to havefellowship with it any longer (2 Cor. 6:14). Just as God brought Israel out of Egypt and lead them into the promisedland with his pillars of fire and cloud, God brings out his own from thekingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of his Son (Colossians 1:13), wherethey can walk in newness of life and fellowship with each other (1 John 1:7).  They put off the works of darkness and put onthe amour of light (Rom. 13:12).  

The children oflight will live in the light of God eternal glory (Rev. 21:23-24) and therewill be no need for the sun, since God will be their light (Zechariah 14:5b-8; Rev.22:5).  And the nations will draw nearand worship God (Rev. 21:24).  But thosewho remain in darkness and reject the light (John 3:19-21) will be cast intoouter darkness (Matt. 8:12; 22:13; 25:30) and will be part of the kingdom ofthe beast (Rev. 16:10) and will eventually be thrown into the lake of fire(Rev. 21:14-15).   

Conclusion

            Inlight of the Old Testament and the New Testament, John 9:1-5 is clearly theevidence that John was trying to supply to his reader.  Jesus is the Servant of the Lord promised bythe Father in the Old Testament.  He isthe One who has come to separate the light from the darkness and lead hispeople into eternal life.  He has come tobring them into the kingdom of God where they willdwell eternally and there will be no sickness or disease. God, will be thelight to his people and they will not dwell in darkness any longer.