Question about John 9:41

edited December 1969 in Faith Issues
We had our church's bible study last night and the topic was about the man born blind. It was a great talk but the last verse of John 9 was unclear. I think I kind of understand what its saying but the wording is hard. Can someone please help with this verse? Describing or explaining it as detailed as possible. Thanks and God Bless

Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, 'We see.' Therefore your sin remains." (John 9:41)

Comments

  • My dear and beloved brother, I would like to take the honor to reply to you. If you would please, look first at the statement Jesus made,"For judgement I have come into this world, SO THAT THE BLIND WILL SEE AND THOSE WHO SEE MAY COME BLIND". Now, also look at the response of the man who was healed,"Lord I believe....,'"
    Now, what happned is that after the miracle the man believed in God, which means that he is now become a believer. Ok, when Jesus stated that he came for judegment and to open the eyes of the blind and blind the eyes of those who see is actually sympolic to the state of men and women spirtually. If you are spirtually sound then means that you can see and you Know where you going; however, if you are unbeilever spirtually dead then it is said that you are blind. Ok, see that when the blind man received his physical sight, he believed(spitually sound) he now can see clearly spirtually. Now as to blind those who see is actually a referance to Isia's prophecy. Jesus was condeming them because spirtualy they are high(they can see) but they don't obey. So God made a judgement agianst them saying that they will here but not understand, they will see but not preceive, in the spirtual aspect. By Jesus' miracle the blind man was also spirtually restored, but the priests denied Jesus, which means they become spirtaully blind. I hope thise helps
  • I think slave's answer is really good. Have you checked in the Orthodox Study Bible also?
  • [quote author=Slave link=topic=7549.msg99255#msg99255 date=1231877664]
    My dear and beloved brother, I would like to take the honor to reply to you. If you would please, look first at the statement Jesus made,"For judgement I have come into this world, SO THAT THE BLIND WILL SEE AND THOSE WHO SEE MAY COME BLIND". Now, also look at the response of the man who was healed,"Lord I believe....,'"
    Now, what happned is that after the miracle the man believed in God, which means that he is now become a believer. Ok, when Jesus stated that he came for judegment and to open the eyes of the blind and blind the eyes of those who see is actually sympolic to the state of men and women spirtually. If you are spirtually sound then means that you can see and you Know where you going; however, if you are unbeilever spirtually dead then it is said that you are blind. Ok, see that when the blind man received his physical sight, he believed(spitually sound) he now can see clearly spirtually. Now as to blind those who see is actually a referance to Isia's prophecy. Jesus was condeming them because spirtualy they are high(they can see) but they don't obey. So God made a judgement agianst them saying that they will here but not understand, they will see but not preceive, in the spirtual aspect. By Jesus' miracle the blind man was also spirtually restored, but the priests denied Jesus, which means they become spirtaully blind. I hope thise helps


    But thats not what the verse says... your saying that sin remains with the blind and we grow spiritually once we see... the verse says "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, 'We see.' Therefore your sin remains."
    Maybe I'm understanding this wrong.. please forgive me.

    Personally I think this verse refers to this one: "Verily Verily I say to you that unless you have the faith of a child, you will not enter the Kingdom of God."
    If you tell yourself you know everything in christianity then you really don't. Maybe it's teaching us to be humble about ourselves.. don't feel like you know all the answers when it comes to God. Have faith as a child.. b/c really the children are blind!! Once they grow up and they think they understand.. they lose it! So don't tell yourself "Now I see".
  • May I quote the words of our father among the saints, St Cyril. I am sure that his interpretation is not the only one, and we could turn to St John Chrysostom as well, and many others. But it will shed some light I am sure, even though it is translated into a rather formal English.

    The Saviour once more confounds them, tempering His reproof with skill. For He holds aloof from all reviling and puts them out of countenance by setting before them the force of the truth: He shows them that they derive no advantage from possessing sight, or rather that they fell into a worse condition than one who could not see at all. For the blind man, saith He, by not beholding any of the deeds miraculously wrought, escaped without sin, and is so far blameless; but they who have been watchers and beholders of the marvellous deed, and through great folly and evilness of disposition have not accepted the faith in consequence of them, make their sin difficult of removal, and it is really hard to escape from the condemnation which such conduct incurs. Therefore it is not hard to understand the meaning of this as regards bodily blindness and restoration to sight: and when we pass to that which is to be understood by analogy, receiving our impressions from the argument itself, we shall again repeat the same signification: that the man who does not understand may claim his pardon with excellent reason from the judge, but he who is keen of intellect and understands his duty, and then, having indulged his debasing inclination in the baser principles of his mind, and given himself to the sway of pleasures and not of duty, shall shamelessly claim compassion,----the request for which he ought to be punished shall in no wise be granted, and he will very justly perish for having kept in himself a sin without excuse. For instance Our Lord Jesus Christ signifies exactly the same thing in the Gospels, saying: He that knew his lord's will, and did it not, shall be beaten with many stripes. For the charge against him that knew not is merely that of ignorance; but against him that understood and yet inconsiderately refused to act, the charge is that of overweening presumption. Observe again how guardedly accurate was the language of the Saviour on this occasion also; for He does not say plainly, "Ye see," but He says: Ye say, We see. For it would of course have been very much beside the mark, to ascribe understanding to those who possessed a mind so blind and emptied of light as to dare to say concerning Him: We know that this Man is a sinner. Self-condemned therefore are the Jews, who affirm of themselves that they see, but do not act at all as they ought; aye, most emphatically self-condemned, for they know the will of the Lord, but are so self-conceited that they thus resist even His mightiest miracles.
  • "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, 'We see.' Therefore your sin remains." (John 9:41)

    I think it means that if you did not know the truth and never saw "The Light" you would be innocent of you sin and claim ignorance. But as it is you can see and know the truth, so therefore you are guilty because you have knowledge.

    I am not sure if this is the right interpretation. Read the quote in context and pray that the Holy Spirit guide you to understanding and you will get the answer to your question.

    God Bless.
  • [quote author=wade826 link=topic=7549.msg99253#msg99253 date=1231875003]
    We had our church's bible study last night and the topic was about the man born blind. It was a great talk but the last verse of John 9 was unclear. I think I kind of understand what its saying but the wording is hard. Can someone please help with this verse? Describing or explaining it as detailed as possible. Thanks and God Bless

    Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, 'We see.' Therefore your sin remains." (John 9:41)


    Jesus said to them. The them here were some Pharisees. We read in the Scriptures that some of the Pharisees were arrogant and sarcastic to Jesus. They would not humble themselves to learn from Christ because they felt they were learned and knew it all. That's why when they asked the question "Are we blind also?" Christ answered......Yes you are blind. Because their salvation was right in front of them, but because they lacked faith and humility they could not see it: Standing there as Christ Jesus the Lord.
    Pray we will never be like the Saducees and Pharisees who got so caught up in intellect, prestige and vain-glory they became blind to the truth. They couldn't see the very truth that gave them their great honor among men.

    Almighty God be with us.
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