Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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John
Book: John
Chapter: 9
Overview:
Christ give sight to one born
Blind.
(1-7) The account given
By the
Blind Man.
(8-12) The
Pharisees question the
Man that had
been
Blind.
(13-17) They ask concerning him.
(18-23) They cast
him out.
(24-34) Christ's words to the
Man that had been
Blind.
(35-38) He reproves the
Pharisees.
(39-41)
1-7 Christ cured many who were
Blind By disease or accident;
here he cured one born
Blind. Thus he showed his power to help
in the most desperate cases, and the work of his
Grace upon the
souls of sinners, which gives sight to those
Blind By nature.
This
Poor Man could not see
Christ, but
Christ saw him. And if
we know or apprehend anything of
Christ, it is because we were
first known of him.
Christ says of uncommon calamities, that
they are not always to be looked
On as special punishments of
Sin; sometimes they are for the
Glory of
God, and to manifest
his
Works. Our
Life is our
Day, in which it concerns us to do
the work of the
Day. We must be busy, and not waste
Day-time; it
will be time to
Rest when our
Day is done, for it is but a
Day.
The approach of
Death should quicken us to improve all our
opportunities of doing and getting good. What good we have an
opportunity to do, we should do quickly. And he that will never
do a good work till there is nothing to be objected against,
will leave many a good work for ever undone, Ec 11:4.
Christ
magnified his power, in making a
Blind Man to see, doing that
which one would think more likely to make a seeing
Man Blind.
Human reason cannot
Judge of the
Lord's methods; he uses means
and instruments that men despise. Those that would be healed
By
Christ must be ruled
By him. He came back from the
Pool
wondering and wondered at; he came seeing. This represents the
benefits in attending
On ordinances of
Christ's appointment;
souls go weak, and come away strengthened; go doubting, and come
away satisfied; go mourning, and come away rejoicing; go
Blind,
and come away seeing.
8-12 Those whose eyes are opened, and whose hearts are cleansed
By Grace, being known to be the same person, but widely
different in character, live as monuments to the
Redeemer's
Glory, and recommend his
Grace to all who desire the same
precious
Salvation. It is good to observe the way and method of
God's
Works, and they will appear the more wonderful. Apply this
spiritually. In the work of
Grace wrought upon the soul we see
the change, but we see not the
Hand that makes it: the way of
the
Spirit is like that of the wind, which thou hearest the
sound of, but canst not tell whence it comes, nor whither it
goes.
13-17 Christ not only worked miracles
On the
Sabbath, but in
such a manner as would give
Offence to the Jews, for he would
not seem to yield to the
Scribes and
Pharisees. Their zeal for
mere rites consumed the substantial matters of religion;
therefore
Christ would not give place to them. Also,
Works of
necessity and
Mercy are allowed, and the
Sabbath Rest is to be
kept, in order to the
Sabbath work. How many
Blind eyes have
been opened
By the preaching of the
Gospel On the
Lord's Day!
how many impotent souls cured
On that
Day! Much unrighteous and
uncharitable judging comes from men's adding their own fancies
to
God's appointments. How perfect in
Wisdom and
Holiness was
our
Redeemer, when his enemies could find nothing against him,
but the oft-refuted charge of breaking the
Sabbath! May we be
enabled,
By Well-doing, to silence the ignorance of foolish men.
18-23 The
Pharisees vainly hoped to disprove this notable
Miracle. They expected a
Messiah, but could not
Bear to think
that this
Jesus should be he, because his precepts were all
contrary to their traditions, and because they expected a
Messiah in outward pomp and splendour. The fear of
Man brings a
Snare, Pr 29:25, and often makes people deny and disown
Christ
and his truths and ways, and act against their consciences. The
unlearned and
Poor, who are simple-hearted, readily draw proper
inferences from the evidences of the
Light of the
Gospel; but
those whose desires are another way, though ever learning, never
come to the knowledge of the
Truth.
24-34 As
Christ's mercies are most valued
By those who have
felt the want of them, that have been
Blind, and now see;
So the
most powerful and lasting affections to
Christ, arise from
actual knowledge of him. In the work of
Grace in the soul,
though we cannot tell when, and how, and
By what steps the
blessed change was wrought, yet we may take the comfort, if we
can say, through
Grace, Whereas I was
Blind, now I see. I did
live a worldly, sensual
Life, but, thanks be to
God, it is now
otherwise with me, Eph 5:8. The unbelief of those who enjoy
the means of knowledge and conviction, is indeed marvellous. All
who have felt the power and
Grace of the
Lord Jesus, wonder at
the wilfulness of others who reject him. He argues strongly
against them, not only that
Jesus was not a sinner, but that he
was of
God. We may each of us know
By this, whether we are of
God or not. What do we? What do we for
God? What do we for our
souls? What do we more than others?
35-38 Christ owns those who own him and his
Truth and ways.
There is particular notice taken of such as suffer in the cause
of
Christ, and for the
Testimony of a good
Conscience. Our
Lord
Jesus graciously reveals himself to the
Man. Now he was made
sensible what an unspeakable
Mercy it was, to be cured of his
blindness, that he might see the
Son of God. None but
God is to
be worshipped;
So that in worshipping
Jesus, he owned him to be
God. All who believe in him, will
Worship him.
39-41 Christ came into the world to give sight to those who
were spiritually
Blind. Also, that those who see might be made
Blind; that those who have a high conceit of their own
Wisdom,
might be sealed up in ignorance. The preaching of the
Cross was
thought to be folly
By such as
By Carnal Wisdom knew not
God.
Nothing fortifies men's corrupt hearts against the convictions
of the
Word, more than the high opinion which others have of
them; as if all that gained applause with men, must obtain
acceptance with
God.
Christ silenced them. But the
Sin of the
self-conceited and self-confident remains; they reject the
Gospel of
Grace, therefore the guilt of their
Sin remains
unpardoned, and the power of their
Sin remains unbroken.