The Tupelo journal., 1905-03-17
Healing of the
Man Born Blind
Sunday School Lesson for Mar. I9, 1905
Specially Prepared for This Paper.

LESSON TEXT.-John Sill; Memory
verses 10. II. Read all the Chapter.
GOLDEN TENT AM THE Light of
the world John 9:5.
TIME.-The same as that of last lesson.
The Feast of Tabernacles. October, A. ID. 20.
: PLACE.-Jerusalem, at the pool of ST.
loan.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES. - Other
cases of the healing of the blind by Jesus
are as follows: Matt. 9:27-31; Matt. 0:29-34.
with parallel accounts in Nix. 10:46-52, and
Luke ~1S:35-43; Mark S:22-26; Matt. 1922, %.
Instances of healing where means were
used: Mark 1924; S:23-25; Matt. S:14, 10;
1859; 2O:34; Luke 1|3:11-13; 22:51; Jas. 5:14.
References to Jesus as the Light Of the
World: John 1:9; SIP; 3:19; 1926, SO; Luke
AIS, q; lisa. 29:1S; 35:5; 42:7; Eph. 5:14; Rev.
21:23.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
Pool of Siloam.-One of the few spots
about Jerusalem that can be quite posi-
lively located. Called in early times, ST.
loah, Shiloah, or Sloan (Neh. 3:15;
lisa. $3.50; it is still called by the neigh
boring Arabs Birket Silwan. 1t is found
to the south of the temple mount, and re-
ceives much of it's water from an inter
mittent spring in the Kidron valley,
known as the Fountain of the Virgin. 1t
is connected with this fountain by a
rock-hewn tunnel, which it is believed
was dug by King Hezekiah, just before
the time of the Assyrian invasion. to-
bring its waters into the city e Chron.
32:4, 30). This tunnel is circuitous, be-
ing some LOO feet in length. while the
distance to be traversed is only 1,20O
feet. A rude inscription cut in the stone
records that men began working at both
ends and met in the middle. After the
Jews return from captivity, a stone ar
cade was built around it, rooted with
large slabs of stone This probably was
still standing in Jesus day. Healing
properties, especially for cases of eye
diseases, are attributed to its waters.
V. /. Passed by" Passed along the
street in Jerusalem. He saw" Not the
careless look of a curious observer, but
the compassionate look of one eager to
help, was fixed upon the man.
V. 2. Who did sin?" The disciples
touch on a common Jewish belief that
blindness or other affection of the body
was sent as punishment for sin.
V. 3. Neither nor parents"
They had been guilty of no greater sins
than others who were not thus afflicted.
Works of God in him" His
blindness was the occasion for showing
forth Gods glory by the miraculous
healing.
V. 4. a." Rev. Yer, We" Christ
calls us to be coworkers with him.
While it is day" We must do at once
the duty that lies before us; we know
not how quickly the opportunity for it
will have passed. The healing of the blind
man as one of the works of God, show
! ing forth His compassion and His divine
power. Giving sight to the blind was
one of those miracles which the Jews
were led by prophecy to expect of the
Messiah lisa. 29:1S; $3.50. Might COM
eth" The night of death, which ends
mans opportunity for labor on earth,
soon m to all. Never throughout
eternity shall we have another oppor-
tunity than the present of suffering with
Christ and enduring for Him GAS. 1:l2;
l Pet. 4:13, 14).
V. 5. "As long as | am in the world"
That day was not yet closed; Jesus did
not leave this world when his body as
cended to heaven (Matt. 2S:20).
V. 6. "Spat on the ground" Jesus used
spittle in working other miracles. Spit
tie, and also clay. were reputed remedies
for diseased eyes. Though Jesus could
have wrought the cure by a word, he
found it wise in this case to use simple
means. 4
v. Wash in the pool" Wash off the
clay into the pool. Jesus always gave
those whom He healed something to do
perhaps it was only to express their
need and ask His help, but it was some
thing to deepen their confidence in Him.
v. s. Sat and begged" He was a we'll
known blind beggar, often seen in public
places. Il am he" Many a fragrant sin
ner has been so transformed by meeting
whether he could possibly be the ssme
man. Every renewed soul feels himself
"a new creature"
". 1O. They" The neighbors and 9TH
ers who had collected. The first ques-
tioning was from natural curiosity.
". IL. "a man called Jesus"
Better, ''the man." This one already had
some knowledge of Jesus, and took it for
granted that his questioners also had
such knowledge. Made clay" etc.
Here, as throughout the record, the re-
stored man proves himself an intelligent
witness. When the man named Jesus as
his Healer, and people recollected that
this was the Sabbath day, some FASTENED
to bring him to the Pharisees, who so
jealousy watched the movements of Je-
sus. These questioned the man, then ques-
toned his parents. To their inquiries.
he could only reply, zone thing | know.
that whereas l was blind, now | see"
and he reiterated his assurance that one
who could work so divine a miracle could
not be a sinner. This was regarded as
equivalent to confessing that Jesus was
the Christ, and they had passed resolu-
lions to cast out of the synagogue any
who made this confession. Accordingly
the restored man was cast out