BIBLE STUDIES
What Have They Done?
Read John 9:1-41
In this chapter of John, the disciples are questioning Jesus, their Rabbi or teacher. They ask him a question that alludes to a cause-and-effect understanding of divine providence—a pattern of thought prevalent in ancient times. Now, in the 21st century, many ask a similar question in response to personal calamity. A contemporary paraphrase might be: Why did this happen to me?
1. Read Jesus’ response in verse 3. Do you believe he provided a cause and effect type of answer? How might someone born with a birth defect(s) react to the answer Jesus provides?
2. Could verse 3 be interpreted to imply that God causes birth defects? What are the implications about God’s relationship to creation given this type of interpretation?
3. Could verse 3 be interpreted to imply that God allows birth defects to occur? What are the implications about God’s relationship to creation given this type of interpretation?
4.Jesus describes himself as the “light of the world.” How is each person able to serve as light in the world? Share personal stories of how another person’s life served as light for you.
5. Sometimes healings occurred when someone touched Jesus’ clothing (see Luke 8:43-48) or when Jesus touched or spoke to someone (see Matthew 20:29-34 and Mark 10:46-52). The healing in John 9 occurs after Jesus spits, creates mud and then tells the man to wash in the pool of Siloam (Siloam means Sent). Why do you think different methods of healing are used?
6. Verse 13 seems to indicate that some felt it necessary to inform the Pharisees, or teachers of Jewish law, about what had happened. They did so by providing the formerly blind man as evidence for his own healing. What does their reaction in verse 16 indicate about their spiritual priorities? Was their focus on the blind man or on Jesus?
7. A theme of spiritual identity seems prevalent in this chapter. List all the instances when someone’s identity is questioned. Whose identity is being questioned? And who is involved in the questioning?
8. Read verses 8-12. Why don’t the neighbors know who the man is? Why can’t the man answer the questions about Jesus in verse 12?
9. Read Leviticus 21:17-23. How might this passage—known as part of the Jewish Talmud—have shaped the identity or self-esteem of the man born blind? How might this passage have shaped how his parents and neighbors regarded him?
10. Read verses 18-23. Why do you think the parents are eager to defer the responsibility for answering the Pharisees’ questions to their son?
11. Read verses 24-34. Had you been primary a witness to this conversation, how would you describe the verbal exchange to someone who had not been there? How would you describe the tone and intent of the Pharisees’ questions and the man’s responses?
12. What factors or experiences in your life might shape how you interpret the tone and intent of the questions and responses?
13. Re-read verses 30-34. What do you believe motivated the response of the Pharisees described in verse 34?
14. Verse 35 tells us that Jesus went looking for the man after learning that the Pharisees had thrown him out and engaged the man in conversation. Verse 40 indicates that some Pharisees heard this conversation. How would you describe the tone and intent of Jesus’ questions and the man’s responses?
15. What factors or experiences in your life might shape how you interpret the tone and intent of the questions and responses? Compare your reaction to the Pharisees’ reactions.
16. The man’s blindness was healed. In verses 35-41, Jesus also speaks of spiritual blindness. Is physical restoration necessary for spiritual restoration to occur? How does physical restoration aid spiritual restoration?
17. Describe the relationship between sin and spiritual blindness that Jesus’ seems to be defining in verse 41.
18. How might persons who live without the benefit of physical health regard spiritual blindness?
19. What do you think causes sin? What do you think causes spiritual blindness?
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