The healing of this man born blind, on the Sabbath day no less, caused quite a stir in Jerusalem. His neighbors and others on the scene debated his healing.
Instead of celebrating with this man, they seize him and take Him directly to the Pharisees because they knew this healing violated the Sabbath laws.
They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.” John 9:13-15 NIV
The Pharisees were far more concerned about carefully observing the laws of the Sabbath than celebrating the healing of this man who had suffered his entire life. They begin to debate the intentions and motives of Jesus (which is exactly what Jesus intended).
Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided. John 9:16 NIV
Since these Pharisees can’t come to an agreement, they decide to try to intimidate this man and his parents into discrediting Jesus. They bully the man and then his parents who are too afraid of the Pharisees to get involved. Getting nowhere with their questioning, they bring this man in a second time to force him to denounce Jesus.
A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this Man is a sinner.” He replied, “Whether He is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” Then they asked him, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?” He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become His disciples too?” John 9:24-27 NIV
At this chastisement from the man, Pharisees lose their cool and begin hurl insults at the Him. How dare he challenge them, true disciples of Moses who are faithful to God, unlike this charlatan Jesus whose identity is unknown? The man gives them a royal smackdown.
The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where He comes from, yet He opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does His will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.” John 9:30-33 NIV
With this, these arrogant Pharisees completely lose their minds and throw the man out of the synagogue.
To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out. John 9:34 NIV
Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when He found him… John 9:35 NIV
