The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1905-03-16
on the Day7> Z

I. A man born As
Jesus passed by" Jesus still fingered az
Jerusalem, and in one or His walks, per-
haps to Oh from synagogue, He came to
this blind man. He saw" Jesus took
notice of his atflction; looked upon him
with concern. He anticipated his need.
That look meant sight to the blind man.
"A man." He was a beggar; it was his
trade, but among all his petitions he did
not ask for sight. Yet Jesus gave it. An
illustration OF free grace. This man was
birth" OF the six miracles connected with
blindness which are recorded in the gos-
peis this is the only case described as
blindness from birth. In this lies its spe-
cial characteristic, for since the world be-
gan it was not heard that any man opened
the eyes OF one that was born blind ". 32).
Blindness is very common in Palestine.
II. Jesus explains the mystery OF prov.
dence Tvs. 2-5). 2. Disciples asked" The
first question that arose in their minds
was why this blindness existed. Who did
sin" Scripture teaches that all disease,
and even death, is the fruit OF sin: The
special Affections were divine visitatlons
TO: special sins. This error Jesus cor
rected. Mark the contrast between their
thoughts and those of Jesus in reply. Re-
pentance calls our own Affections punish
ments. but love calls the Affections OF 9th.
ers trials. "This man." But how could
the man sin before his birth? The doctrine
OF thcc ..-"crsrc;gratio1 o.. souls. by which
the same soul is supposed to inhabit differ
ert bodies. was quite general among the
Greeks and Asiatics, but there IS no clear
proof that this doctrine was prevalent
among these Jews. On the popular suppo-
sition that special calamities are punish
ment for special sins, the disciples desire
to know whose sin caused this mans suf.
fering. Was it his parents sin or his own;
If Jesus had replied his own they would
have asked. How!
8. Neither" That is, so as to be the
cause OF The blindness. Our Lord does not
deny the existence OF sin, either in this
man or in his parents. The disciples
looked to the origin OF the suffering; our
Lord looked to its removal. They asked,
"Whs is to blame?" Jesus asked, "Who
is to save" Instead OF looking to the
dark abyss, out OF which sin and misery
originated. the Lords heart looks to the
glory of God, who by redemption e1alts
that of creature innocence. Works OF
God-manifest" Not that this man was
born blind for the sole purpose thai, a
miracle might be wrought, but that his
blindness furnished the occasion for Jesus
to perform the divine work Of healing him
thus to show Himself to be God. God is
not responsible for sin and its conse-
quences, but both afford Him an opportu-
nifty to show His power and grace. =,
4. eve must work" r. W BY the
plural Eve" as given in the X: w.. Jesus
associates His apostles. with Him in the
work: It is encouraging TO- think that
stya workers
together with Christ" To rid the world
of evil. of wretchedness, lonely sorrow,
destitution and disease is the work OF God.
"While it ia day." The day represents op.
portunity; the night. opportunity past.
5. "In the world" He would not be
long in the flesh, but he has never ceased
to be the light OF the world. Sir Is dark
ness. He is in bod contrast to sin: .! am
the light" Like the sun, it is Ny business
neglect no opportunity to enlighten and
save the bodies and souls OF men. The case
before them was altogether beyond human
means, but Jesus reminded His disciples
that in Him were light and life.
III. The blind man Was heaied (ys. o,
y. 9. Made ciay-anointed." Jesus
shows His power by proceeding, in His
own way, to heal the man. Notice. !.
There is no connection between the means
used and the effect produced. 2. Christ
came into physical contact to attract at.
tention and to stimulate faith; where faith M
was in lively exercise, He healed BY bis
word. and at distance. 3. Christ appeals
to two of the mans senses, his hearing and
feeling, thereby arousing faitn.. Christ
gave His PERSONAL attention to this case,
even though His patient was beggar: ..
GO" Would He now prove His faith in
a stranger? Would He hesitate because OF
Hi. Lifelong teaching that He must not
wash the eyes incidentally on the Sabbath;
much less at a pool Of water! Would He
now do what He could? Here came the
dience. "Siloam." A fountain under the
walls of Jerusalem toward the east, be.
tween the city and the brook Kidron. 1t
is still to be seen, one Of the few undls-
puted sites in Jerusalem. "By interpleta-
tion, sent" That is, "outlet of waters"
either Because it was looked upon as q gift
sent from God for the use of the city. or
because its waters were directed or sent
by canals or pipes into different quarters,
for the same purpose. Some think there Is
an allusion to Gen. 1910; that this foun-
tain was type Of Shiloh, the Christ, the
sent OF God. and that it wa. to direct the
prophecy. he might And encouragement of
faith in this. The pool by its very name
was tvpe OF Christ. "He went" He. be-
.ievea and obeyed. We frequentiy lose
Gods best gifts because we fail to act in
time. Game seeing" The euro was in.
Simultaneous.
". Various discussions Tvs. s-ll). 8.
"Is not this he" There was an immediate
stir among the neishbors; they noticed the
great change in the man. The same is true
when Christ gives spiritual eyesighr.
Begged" This is the first mention OF the
fact that he was beggar. He must have
besn well known. Q. 81 am he." jesus
had met and healed the man on Friday
night. at the beginning of the. Sabbath,
and the ncighbors had not seen him go TO
the pool, 40 that on the next morning they
were hardly able to believe their senses.
But the man himself gave a positive testi.
mony. 10. "How-opencd." His neigh.
bo-s gathered around him and asked for
al explanation. Many are anxious to know
how things arc done. even though they
have no faith. II. "He answered" He
had never seen his neighbors before. but
now, looking right at them. he delivers
this wonderful testimony to the power OF
Christ. 1t is short, clear, positive. "A
man" First he knew Him only as "the
Man" (R. W called Jesus. then as pro
phct ". I7), then as Man with whor
God was tvs 3l-33), then He was the Sor
OF God Tvs. $3.50.