John 9:35

When they had cast him out from the Temple, Jesus found him. The Evangelist shows, that He came for the purpose of meeting him. And observe how He recompenseth him, by that which is the chiefest of blessings. For He made Himself known to him who before knew Him not, and enrolled him into the company of His own disciples. Observe also how the Evangelist describes the exact circumstances; for when Christ had said, "Dost thou believe on the Son of God?" the man replied, "Lord, who is He?" For as yet he knew Him not, although he had been healed; because he was blind before he came to his Benefactor, and after the cure, he was being worried by those dogs. Therefore, like some judge at the games, He receiveth the champion who had toiled much and gained the crown. And what saith He? "Dost thou believe on the Son of God?" What is this, after so much arguing against the Jews, after so many words, He asketh him, "Dost thou believe?" He spake it not from ignorance, but desiring to make Himself known, and showing that He gently valued the man's faith. "This great multitude," He saith, "hath insulted Me, but of them I make no account; for one thing I care, that thou shouldest believe. For better is one who doeth the will of God, than ten thousand transgressors." "Dost thou believe on the Son of God?" As having both been present, and as approving what had been said by him, He asketh this question; and first, He brought him to a state of longing for Himself. For He said not directly, "Believe," but in the way of an enquiry. What then said the man? "Lord, who is He, that I might believe on Him?" The expression is that of a longing and enquiring soul. He knoweth not Him in whose defense he had spoken so much, that thou mayest learn his love of truth. For he had not yet seen Him.

Jesus heard that they had cast him out: He knew of Himself, but nonetheless it was reported to Him. And when Jesus had found him, not by chance, but with the purpose of receiving him: Luke 15: "She lights a lamp and searches diligently until …

It is commonly the way with great persons to disdain learning any thing from their inferiors.

1354 After the Evangelist showed how the Jews cast out the man born blind because he persisted in the truth, he here shows how Jesus received him and taught him. First, we see Christ teaching him; secondly, the devotion of the man born blind (v …

"Jesus," it says, "found him, like a judge of contests who receives a wrestler who is greatly exhausted and crowned." And what does He say? Do you believe in the Son of God? Why does He ask about this, when the man had argued so …

Jesus heard that they had cast him out,.... this being perhaps the first instance, of putting in execution the act they had made, Joh 9:22, and was a stretching of that act; which only threatened with an ejection, in case any should confess Jesus to be the Messiah; which this man had not done as yet, only had said he was a prophet, and that he was of God; it made a very great noise in the city, and the report of it was soon spread over it; and it became the talk of everyone, and so Jesus, as man, came to hear of it; though he, as God, knew it the very instant it was done, and needed not any to make report of it to him: and when he had found him: not by chance, meeting him at an unawares, but seeking him; and knowing where he was, went to the very place, and found him in this piteous condition, abandoned by all mankind: this is an emblem of Christ's seeking after his chosen ones, both in redemption, and in the effectual calling, who are like sheep going astray, and never come to, and lay hold on Christ, till he comes first, seeks after, and apprehends them: he sends his ministers and his Gospel after them, where they are, and his Spirit into their hearts; yea, he comes himself, and enters there, and dwells in them by faith: he knows where they are, as he did Matthew the publican, Zacchaeus, and the woman of Samaria; and even though they are at the ends of the earth; and he goes and looks them up, and finds them; and he finds them in a deplorable condition, in a desert, in a waste howling wilderness, hopeless and helpless, poor and miserable, and blind and naked; in a pit wherein is no water; in the mire and clay of sin; in the paw of Satan, and under the power of darkness. He said unto him, dost thou believe on the Son of God? […]

Dost thou believe on the Son of God? - Hitherto he had understood little of the true character of Jesus. He believed that he had power to heal him, and he inferred that he must be a prophet, Joh 9:17. He believed according to the light he had, and he now showed that he was prepared to believe all that Jesus said. This is the nature of true faith. It believes all that God has made known, and it is premiered to receive all that he will teach. The phrase Son of God here is equivalent to the Messiah.

We see in these verses how much wiser the poor sometimes are than the rich. The man whom our Lord healed of his blindness was evidently a person of very humble condition. It is written that he was one who "sat and begged." (See v. 8.) Yet he saw things which the proud rulers of the Jews could not see, and would not receive. He saw in our Lord's miracle an unanswerable proof of our Lord's divine commission. "If this Man were not of God," he cries, "He could do nothing."

THE eyes of the Lord Jesus are always on His chosen and He knows every circumstance which occurs to them. "Jesus heard that they had cast him out." Our Lord had done too much for this man to forget him. Where Divine Grace has worked a great work its memory lingers. As it is written, "You will have a desire to the work of your hands." In this let us take comfort—if anything has happened to grieve us—Jesus has heard of it and will act accordingly. Our Lord sought for the outcast one. Unasked, He had opened his eyes.

We see in these verses how much wiser the poor sometimes are than the rich. The man whom our Lord healed of his blindness was evidently a person of very humble condition. It is written that he was one who "sat and begged." (See v. 8.) Yet he saw things which the proud rulers of the Jews could not see, and would not receive. He saw in our Lord's miracle an unanswerable proof of our Lord's divine commission. "If this Man were not of God," he cries, "He could do nothing." In fact, from the day of his cure his position was completely altered. He had eyes, and the Pharisees were blind. The same thing may be seen in other places of Scripture. The servants of Pharaoh saw "the finger of God" in the plagues of Egypt, when their master's heart was hardened. The servants of Naaman saw the wisdom of Elisha's advice, when their master was turning away in a rage. The high, the great, and the noble are often the last to learn spiritual lessons. Their possessions and their position often blind the eyes of their understanding, and keep them back from the kingdom of God. It is written that "not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called." (1 Cor. 1:26.) The Christian poor man never need be ashamed of his poverty. It is a sin to be proud, and worldly-minded, and unbelieving; but it is no sin to be poor. The very riches which many long to possess are often veils over the eyes of men's souls, and prevent their seeing Christ. The teaching of the Holy Spirit is more frequently to be seen among men of low degree than among men of rank and education. The words of our Lord are continually proved most true, "How hard it is for rich people to get into the Kingdom of God!" "You have hid these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them unto babes." (Mark 10:23; Matt. 11:25.)

THIS text is from the story of the blind man to whom Jesus had given sight. His narrative of the cure provoked the anger of the Jews and their rulers. And, as the man could not be convinced by them that one who had opened his eyes could also be a bad man, they cast him out of their assembly—and by that act signified to him that he would be, or already was, cast out of the Jewish Church—set aside from the Synagogue and made the victim of the greater excommunication.

THIS text is from the story of the blind man to whom Jesus had given sight. His narrative of the cure provoked the anger of the Jews and their rulers. And, as the man could not be convinced by them that one who had opened his eyes could also be a bad man, they cast him out of their assembly—and by that act signified to him that he would be, or already was, cast out of the Jewish Church—set aside from the Synagogue and made the victim of the greater excommunication. This was one of the most fearful calamities that could befall a Jew and I do not doubt but what the man considered it to be so. Now, it is not at all likely that any person here is feeling the same trouble, but many may be suffering from something similar. It may be that you have excommunicated yourselves. Within the court of your own bosom, conscience has held a solemn court and pronounced upon you a sentence which continually rings in your ears. You scarcely dare mingle with those who assemble in the house of God for you feel yourselves unworthy to be among them. Up till lately you were upon the best of terms with yourselves and reckoned that all was right with God. You hoped that you stood on as good a footing, at any rate, as other men and perhaps were somewhat better than many around you. But now a process of enlightenment has come over your mind—practices have been seen to be seriously evil which before were regarded as trifles and sin itself has worn another aspect than any which it bore in former times. Does such a person stand here this morning? Then let me assure him that his state of mind is well known to me, for I knew its horrors by the space of many months together. I, too, felt that I was cut off from the congregation of the hopeful and must not hope for mercy from God.

THE eyes of the Lord Jesus are always on His chosen and He knows every circumstance which occurs to them. "Jesus heard that they had cast him out." Our Lord had done too much for this man to forget him. Where Divine Grace has worked a great work its memory lingers. As it is written, "You will have a desire to the work of your hands." In this let us take comfort—if anything has happened to grieve us—Jesus has heard of it and will act accordingly. Our Lord sought for the outcast one. Unasked, He had opened his eyes. Unsought, He looks after him in his hour of trouble. He was not easy to find but our Lord is great at searching out His lost sheep and He persevered until He found him. If we, at any time, should seem cast off from Christ as well as cast out by proud religionists, He will find us when we cannot find Him. Blessed be His name! Our Lord's objective was to do this man real service—he had been cast out of the synagogue and he, therefore, needed comfort—and it would be a grand thing so to comfort him as to lead him onward and upward in the Divine life! Our Lord's way of comforting was to ask a question which would lead to heart-searching and suggest spiritual advance. It is not the way that you and I might take, but His ways are not our ways, neither are His thoughts our thoughts. Wisdom is justified of her methods. It is the best thing, when a man is in soul trouble, to make him look to his own condition before God and specially to his faith—for when he finds that he is right on the main point—this assurance will be to him a wellspring of comfort.

LAST Sabbath morning [Sermon #1683, Volume 28—The Great Cross-Bearer and His Followers] I spoke to you concerning one who was forced into the King's service. That was Simon, the Cyre-nian, who was compelled to bear Christ's Cross. He was not a volunteer, but a pressed man, yet, I think that after he had been forced to bear the Cross, he willingly carried it and I hope that he, afterwards, became a faithful follower of the Lord Jesus Christ.

LAST Sabbath morning [Sermon #1683, Volume 28—The Great Cross-Bearer and His Followers] I spoke to you concerning one who was forced into the King's service. That was Simon, the Cyre-nian, who was compelled to bear Christ's Cross. He was not a volunteer, but a pressed man, yet, I think that after he had been forced to bear the Cross, he willingly carried it and I hope that he, afterwards, became a faithful follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, strange to say, here is another pressed man, for I do not think that this man, whose eyes had been opened by Christ, had thought of becoming a Believer in the Son of God until the Lord Jesus found him. Before he had reached that point—indeed, before he knew that the Prophet who had opened his eyes was the Son of God—the Pharisees had cast him out of the synagogue so that he was compelled to bear the cross for Christ although he did not, then, fully know Christ and certainly had not believed upon the Son of God. Yet, in his case, also, it appears that he cheerfully took up the cross which had been, at the first, forcibly laid upon him. It may happen that there are some persons here who are in a similar position—some who have been ridiculed for being Christians even before they are Christians! Some who have been mocked merely because they go to a place of worship, though as yet they have not yielded themselves to Christ. Well, if that is the case with any, seeing that the cross is laid upon their shoulders, I trust that they will not throw it off, but that they will bravely bear it for Christ and freely suffer what, up till now, has seemed to them to be a piece of injustice, for they have been treated as if they were believers in Christ, when really they are not yet on the Lord's side. This man, then, bearing Christ's Cross in a certain way, was cast out of the synagogue. And then Christ found him and blessed him.

[Other Sermons by Mr. Spurgeon upon this question are as follows—Sermons #1088, Volume 18—THE ESSENCE OF SIMPLICITY; #2141, Volume 36— THE QUESTION OF QUESTIONS; #2667, Volume 46—A PRESSED MAN YIELDING TO CHRIST and #3008, Volume 52— AN ALL-IMPORTANT QUESTION] THIS blind man, whose eyes Christ had opened, was a very shrewd fellow and wonderfully straightforward and determined. What he did know could not be beaten out of him, neither could he be led to draw unfair inferences from what he knew. He would hold to what he clearly saw to be the fact.

[Other Sermons by Mr. Spurgeon upon this question are as follows—Sermons #1088, Volume 18—THE ESSENCE OF SIMPLICITY; #2141, Volume 36— THE QUESTION OF QUESTIONS; #2667, Volume 46—A PRESSED MAN YIELDING TO CHRIST and #3008, Volume 52— AN ALL-IMPORTANT QUESTION] THIS blind man, whose eyes Christ had opened, was a very shrewd fellow and wonderfully straightforward and determined. What he did know could not be beaten out of him, neither could he be led to draw unfair inferences from what he knew. He would hold to what he clearly saw to be the fact. He believed Jesus to be a Prophet sent of God and he stuck to his belief whatever the Pharisees might say. Now I believe that is the kind of man to learn more of. The man who knows something and yet trifles with it, is not likely to be further instructed of God. Nothing is more displeasing to Him than trifling with what you have already learned, tampering with your conscience, not following the guidance of the Light of God which you have already received. But to him that has, and that uses aright what he has, more shall be given—and he shall have abundance. The honest and good ground was the sort of soil in which Jesus loved to sow the Good Seed of the Kingdom, so He thought it was worth His while to search for this man whom the Pharisees had excommunicated, that He might still further instruct him in Divine Truth. O dear Hearers, as far as ever you have received the Light, act up to it and praise God for the Light that He has given you! If you value the moonlight, He will give you sunlight before long. But be upright, straight, honest and sincere before the Lord, for He looks with hopefulness to the true and the upright, for these are the people whom He is most likely to bless. I.

Dost thou believe on the Son of God? - This was the same with, Dost thou believe on the Messiah? for these two characters were inseparable; see Joh 1:34, Joh 1:49; Joh 10:36; Mat 16:16; Mar 1:1.