John 9:1-7, The story is shared that Jesus found a man who had been blind since birth. To heal him, Jesus spit on the dirt, mixed it with his saliva to make mud (or clay), and smeared the paste onto the man’s eyes. He then instructed the man to go and wash his face in the Pool of Siloam. When the man washed, his sight was restored.
I seem to have built in my being stories about Jesus and the ones he told and how many ways they speak to the hearer.
Aloe Vera plantLavender plantLemon art on mailboxMy garden for thought
We all might see it differently and differently at different times. I see it today through the actions and eyes of a child. I recently watched a six year old little girl at play yet learning and teaching those around her. A few adults gathered outside around what I call my ‘Apothecary Shop’. Plants and oils for allergies, cuts, burns and maybe bug bites. I had two very large pots of Aloe Vera and Lavender plants, as well as fresh Lemons to share. We were talking about healing with essential oils. I watched the little girl take her little spray bottle of water and begin to mix aloe and lemon in her water to spray for her bug bite healing treatment. I noticed she walked away and put the big gel leaves in her mouth to break them open so gel would come out and then spit in the bottle of water. I started to stop her and explain my way like use scissors or a knife etc. I didn’t I just left if for the moment to observe and think about.
Why did Jesus tell stories? Why are we telling our stories?
The man he healed had to walk through the streets of Jerusalem with mud caked on his face to reach the Pool of Siloam. There he was healed. Then he had to walk back through the streets clean face and seeing eyes. Lot of explaining to do. Seems some didn’t quite believe him and some not pleased this man Jesus was working on the Sabbath. Sure caused a community reaction.
There is just something special about stories told by a master story teller, Jesus truly has a way to open our eyes to truths for our healing and lives in so many ways.
Revelation 4:18 reveals good advice; “I advise you to buy from Me…ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see.”
Could eye healing be the way we see things? Maybe about others? Or, ourselves? Think about an answer Jesus gave to the ones questioning his healing method!
“Jesus told him, “I came to judge the people of this world. I am here to give sight to the blind and to make blind everyone who can see.” When the Pharisees heard Jesus say this, they asked, “Are we blind?” Jesus answered, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty. But now that you claim to see, you will keep on being guilty.” (John 9:39-41 CEVDCI)
This thought keeps flowing through my thinking; Blind but now I see! Seeing but now I’m blind!
Maybe you would like to read the blind man’s story in full from the Bible -John 9 and share your thoughts from his story.
Maybe turn in your hymnal to “Amazing Grace”, Blind but now I see…🎶
11 thoughts on “In the garden-Blind but now I see! Seeing but now I’m blind?”
“I seem to have built in my being stories about Jesus and the ones he told and how many ways they speak to the hearer.” Yes, Sara, I would agree. And what a help and encouragement it is to us Lily readers to read these stories and look at your meaningful photos that help to explain them.
Sara, you write, “Maybe you would like to read the blind man’s story in full from the Bible -John 9 and share your thoughts from his story.”
Some of my thoughts after reading John 9:
“…he saw a man who had been blind from birth.” It is interesting that Jesus chose to seek and find this man and open his eyes. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.” (vs 3) Like the blind man, we are all born spiritually blind and in need of Jesus to give us His Life and Light. Jesus demonstrated on this blind man that only He can do this.
“Blind but now I see! Seeing but now I’m blind!” Even though we see physically, like the Pharisees, we are blind and the scripture below tells us who has blinded us. “Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.” 2 Cor 4:4
“Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared!” Luke 24:31 This is another example, I think, that we cannot see, know or understand anything about Jesus unless He opens the eyes of our understanding.
“They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” Luke 24:32 Jesus opened their eyes and understanding and revealed the Truth of who He was to them.
“In Him was life [and the power to bestow life], and the life was the Light of men.” John 1:4 . This may help explain why Jesus used His very own saliva to make the mud that healed the blind man. “Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man’s eyes.”
Amazing Grace…what a wonderful hymn…
“Amazing grace, how sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me I once was lost, but now am found Was blind, but now I see”
“As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth.” John 9:1. I do not see in John Ch 9 where the blind man sought Jesus. In fact, later (vs 36) the blind man admits he does not even know who the man (Jesus) is who healed him, “Who is he, sir? I want to believe in him.” Jesus never did anything randomly. He knew to walk by that man on that day, at that time…He “found” him.
My thoughts often need to go in action as often meeting others along my path be at my dinner table or local diner that may be looking for a glimmer of hope in life to take a sighted stroll through town.
Do I have a remendy to offer assist? Encouraging words that really work. Maybe a few dollars for a meal when a homeless soul waits for an act of kindness?
My thoughts in reading and rereading x times many has me thinking could I be applying spit mud to eyes as I stroll along with flippant words and useless Pennie’s that the receiver of my deed might take a pool dip and come up less sighted before they dived into the pool from the mud I offered harming their eyes rather than healing. I Believe when we find our gift given by God and use it correctly we will see many diving in the pool of life and coming up with Truth that will make their gift shine so others will see and glorify our Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:16
I read the blind man’s story in John 19. I think the footnotes from verses 14-16 is excellent. (NLT) “The Jewish Sabbath, Saturday, was the weekly holy day of rest. The Pharisees had made a long list of specific dos and don’ts regarding the Sabbath. Kneading the mud and healing, the man were considered work and therefore were forbidden. Jesus may have purposely made the clay in order to emphasize his teaching about the Sabbath— that it is right to care for others’ needs even if it involves working on a day of rest.” Help me remember…….🤔……… didn’t Jesus say that He came not to be served but to serve? 🙏
Yes, Tammy, seems you remembered correctly. Jesus said, “whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28)
And! It didn’t stop with saying the words. Vs 29 follows with more opening blind eyes.
Two Blind Men Receive Sight
29 As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. 30 Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
31 The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
32 Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.
33 “Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.”
34 Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.”
Yes, I read that too Sara. Do you think interesting that Jesus healed these in Matthew, by just touching them, but had placed mud on the eyes of the one in the book of John?
Tammy, I found very interesting…do you think it might have been the two knew who Jesus was and asked for healing. And, the one didn’t seem to have a clue who he was and did not ask but heard and responded?
Yes, that is a great point Sara! I was thinking interesting all the different ways Jesus healed people. I even thought about the woman in Matthew 9, (NIV) “20 Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. 21 She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.”
22 Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,”he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment.” She just had to touch the hem of His garment!
”Take Heart daughter” very heartwarming response from Jesus. They knew one another heart to heart. This healing being different again makes me think our healings may not come from a set of rules. Seems the answer is to focus on getting to know Jesus and He will know us as we form an abiding relationship together. Thanks Tammy for sharing and prompted us to think and focus on Jesus in ways that may open doors to new exciting ways of doing things
Adding to Sara and Tammy’s comments and Tammy’s thought, “I was thinking interesting all the different ways Jesus healed people.”… I thought about the centurion in Luke 7 and how Luke, being a physician, provided the information on how serious this case was. “Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant.” In this healing, Jesus neither touched him, made mud, visited him; nor did the servant or centurion touch or come into contact with Jesus.
Here is the account from Verses 4-10. “And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.” And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.”
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“I seem to have built in my being stories about Jesus and the ones he told and how many ways they speak to the hearer.” Yes, Sara, I would agree. And what a help and encouragement it is to us Lily readers to read these stories and look at your meaningful photos that help to explain them.
Sara, you write, “Maybe you would like to read the blind man’s story in full from the Bible -John 9 and share your thoughts from his story.”
Some of my thoughts after reading John 9:
“…he saw a man who had been blind from birth.” It is interesting that Jesus chose to seek and find this man and open his eyes. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.” (vs 3) Like the blind man, we are all born spiritually blind and in need of Jesus to give us His Life and Light. Jesus demonstrated on this blind man that only He can do this.
“Blind but now I see! Seeing but now I’m blind!” Even though we see physically, like the Pharisees, we are blind and the scripture below tells us who has blinded us. “Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.” 2 Cor 4:4
“Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared!” Luke 24:31 This is another example, I think, that we cannot see, know or understand anything about Jesus unless He opens the eyes of our understanding.
“They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” Luke 24:32 Jesus opened their eyes and understanding and revealed the Truth of who He was to them.
“In Him was life [and the power to bestow life], and the life was the Light of men.” John 1:4 . This may help explain why Jesus used His very own saliva to make the mud that healed the blind man. “Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man’s eyes.”
Amazing Grace…what a wonderful hymn…
“Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now am found
Was blind, but now I see”
“As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth.” John 9:1. I do not see in John Ch 9 where the blind man sought Jesus. In fact, later (vs 36) the blind man admits he does not even know who the man (Jesus) is who healed him, “Who is he, sir? I want to believe in him.” Jesus never did anything randomly. He knew to walk by that man on that day, at that time…He “found” him.
My thoughts often need to go in action as often meeting others along my path be at my dinner table or local diner that may be looking for a glimmer of hope in life to take a sighted stroll through town.
Do I have a remendy to offer assist? Encouraging words that really work. Maybe a few dollars for a meal when a homeless soul waits for an act of kindness?
My thoughts in reading and rereading x times many has me thinking could I be applying spit mud to eyes as I stroll along with flippant words and useless Pennie’s that the receiver of my deed might take a pool dip and come up less sighted before they dived into the pool from the mud I offered harming their eyes rather than healing.
I Believe when we find our gift given by God and use it correctly we will see many diving in the pool of life and coming up with Truth that will make their gift shine so others will see and glorify our Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:16
I read the blind man’s story in John 19. I think the footnotes from verses 14-16 is excellent. (NLT) “The Jewish Sabbath, Saturday, was the weekly holy day of rest. The Pharisees had made a long list of specific dos and don’ts regarding the Sabbath. Kneading the mud and healing, the man were considered work and therefore were forbidden. Jesus may have purposely made the clay in order to emphasize his teaching about the Sabbath— that it is right to care for others’ needs even if it involves working on a day of rest.”
Help me remember…….🤔……… didn’t Jesus say that He came not to be served but to serve? 🙏
correction, John 9, not 19
Yes, Tammy, seems you remembered correctly. Jesus said, “whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28)
And! It didn’t stop with saying the words. Vs 29 follows with more opening blind eyes.
Two Blind Men Receive Sight
29 As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. 30 Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
31 The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
32 Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.
33 “Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.”
34 Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.”
Yes, I read that too Sara. Do you think interesting that Jesus healed these in Matthew, by just touching them, but had placed mud on the eyes of the one in the book of John?
Tammy, I found very interesting…do you think it might have been the two knew who Jesus was and asked for healing. And, the one didn’t seem to have a clue who he was and did not ask but heard and responded?
How do you see it?
Yes, that is a great point Sara! I was thinking interesting all the different ways Jesus healed people. I even thought about the woman in Matthew 9, (NIV) “20 Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. 21 She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.”
22 Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,”he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment.” She just had to touch the hem of His garment!
”Take Heart daughter” very heartwarming response from Jesus. They knew one another heart to heart. This healing being different again makes me think our healings may not come from a set of rules. Seems the answer is to focus on getting to know Jesus and He will know us as we form an abiding relationship together.
Thanks Tammy for sharing and prompted us to think and focus on Jesus in ways that may open doors to new exciting ways of doing things
Adding to Sara and Tammy’s comments and Tammy’s thought, “I was thinking interesting all the different ways Jesus healed people.”… I thought about the centurion in Luke 7 and how Luke, being a physician, provided the information on how serious this case was. “Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant.” In this healing, Jesus neither touched him, made mud, visited him; nor did the servant or centurion touch or come into contact with Jesus.
Here is the account from Verses 4-10. “And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.” And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.”
Debi, that a wild story! Jesus praised the man’s faith loudly to others. And, the servant was healed! WOW!