The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1908-03-12
Jesus Heals a
Man Born Blind
Sunday School Lesson for March Is, 1908
Specially Prepared for This Paper


verses, 10, II.
GOLDEN TEXT am the light Of
the world."-John 9:5.
TIME.-About six months after our
Feast of Tabernacles, which began that
year October II. Toward the close of
the third year of Jesus ministry.
PLACE.-The pool OF Sloan, at Jeru-
salem.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
v. 1. "As Jesus passed by" Walking
to Jerusalem on Sabbath day ". 1D,
probably near the temple where he
may have been worshiping, and
around the gates of which we're usu-
ally crowds Of the poor and unfortu-
nate begging for help from the wor-
shippers, whose hearts we're softened
by the religious influences Of the
place. Saw a man which was blind
from his birth" OF the SIX miracles
connected with blindness which are
recorded in the Gospels, this is the
only case described as blindness from
birth. In this lies its special charac-
teristic ". S2)
V. 2. who did sin, this man, or his
parents, that Gas the result of his
SIM he was born blind?" The r. v.
THAT he should be-" expresses the
meaning. Sin, as Jesus himself rec
ognized in more than one instance,
was the cause of suffering MARK q:
5; Luke 10: 10; John 5:14) Hence
the disciples wrongly inferred that
special suffering was always caused
by some special sin.
" 3. Jesus answered, Neither hath
this man sinned, nor his parents"
Not that they we're perfect. and had
never done wrong, but the affiction
had not come as the result or pun
ishment OF any particular ain, beyond
that OF others who did not suffer an
affiiction, az In the case OF those up
on whom, the tower OF Sloan fell
duke 10: 1-5) Sufferings do come
upon children from the sins OF par.
ents, as stated In the second com
mandment; but It Is not punishment
of the sufferer. Everybody in the
world to-day is suffering more or less
from the sins OF others. but the suffer
ing is not punishment for those
sins But (the blindness camel that
expressing not the purpose OF the
blindness but the result, the outcome)
the works of God should be made
self, and through him to the world
J all down the ages. Who would not
be willing to be blind for a few years
II thereby he could reveal and pro
claim Jesus as the light of the world
and reflect the goodness, the power
the comfort of God to millions of his
. fellow-men? The blindness was no
wrong to the man, for 1t gave him a
knowledge of Jesus, a hope of heaven
new virtues, and experiences which
could not have been his in any other
way.
V. z. 60, wash in the pool OF
Siloam," to wash off the clay from his
eyes. The pool of Sloan is in the
valley OF the Kidron, south Of the
Temple Area, and 1000 feet a little
southwest OF the Virgins fountain (the
probable pool of Bethesda) from which
living fountain a stream flows through
rock.cut aqueduct to the pool Of
Sloan. II must have been a large
pool 20 feet square. surrounded by
an arcade. 1t was from this pool thai
the water was taken in a golden pitch
er in the celebration of the Feast o
Tabernacles "Siloam (Hebrew)
by Interpretation, Sent" Greek
The pool may have been called sent
because the waters were "sent" forth
from the aqueduct from the Virgins
Spring. The word sent" is so fire
quently used by Jesus of himself tina
we naturally apply 1t here also to him
: self as II the noiseless stream which
a their fathers had despised lisa. $500
source, was fit type of him whom
the Jews rejected because they knew
his origin, and because he had no ex
] ternal force. Exp. Greek Test.
He obeyed He washed, and cam'
9 seeing" either to his home or to thu
/, temple region where Jesus had me
h him.
a Jesus the Light Of the WorId.-
1. Jesus is the Light of the World be
cause he brings Light from heaven
the light we need In our darkness
2 The light Of the knowledge of God, o
, his fatherhood, his love, his forgivini
!, mercy, his truth, his law, OF heavel
and the way there. Jesus himself
. . with his character, his teachings, hi
u deeds, was himself Light In the world
revealing these things.
2. He is the Light of the world be
cause he opens our eyes to see tn
light OF heaven, and ourselves, an
life, and the world in the light o
heaven New Life In the soul, tn
! life given by the Holy Spirit, is tn
means OF our seeing the light.
8. Jesus is the Light because h
sheds light on all our sicknesses, an
troubles, and burdens. He cures dii
eases, he makes all things work tC
gether for good to those that Low
: him, he gives new motives and hope
) that tighten our burdens.
An Example.-Very much OF ou