Glory Revealed
Excerpt of “Glory Revealed” preached on March 15, 2026
John 9:1-41
Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to be the man born blind? He essentially becomes the object lesson of people he had never met or interacted with before. The disciples see him as they are passing by and ask the question, “Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” It’s a stunning question that begins the trajectory of instances that change everything.
This is a narrative that many people hear and learn from a young age. I was struck by what Augustine of Hippo wrote in his sermon he delivered on this passage from the 4th century. Augustine was a champion of theology that surrounded original sin and the need for grace, so of course when sin is introduced in a passage such as John 9, he would certainly be interested. Augustine makes the claim that Jesus essentially annoints the man as he spit on the ground to make mud and put it on the man’s eyes. The same breath that breathed life into Adam, breathed life into this man. Yet, this anointing did not allow the man to see. Augustin goes further to explain that the man was told to go to the water at that pool of Siloam (which means Sent). And it was there that the man was essentially baptized and was able to see for the first time.
Anointing and baptism are something I had never thought much about when it comes to the man born blind. Yet, the man had to trust enough to go and wash in a place he may have never been before, which is not an easy task for someone who cannot see. His faith began to be formed from that experience, although it is not fully formed.
Most healing stories in scripture involve being cured from an impairment and being healed or restored back to the community. I’ve preached in the past that I read and interpret Zacchaeus as a healing story that did not need to be cured. I also read and interpret the man born blind as a curing story that did not need to be healed. The man begins in isolation. Although he was in proximity with his community and had neighbors, and even parents – he was not restored back into community with them. The neighbors doubted and even his parents didn’t want much to do with the situation at hand and just let him deal with it on his own when the pharisees questioned it all. Typically healing allows relationships to be restored. What do we do with someone who was blind, but now sees, yet lacks the restoration of relationships?
Sometimes we forget that John 9 connects to John 10 – it is easy to think that 41 verses is enough to read and study when a new chapter begins. However, understanding that the theological gospel writer intentionally has Jesus addressing the Pharisees, which allows this to be a continuation of the narrative. We often forget that when the scriptures were written, there weren’t chapters or verses. Jesus used the imagery of the Good Shepherd for them to understand that the sheep who are in his flock hear his voice and follow him. John 10:16 enhances this, “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.” It’s encouraging to know that Jesus brings not only the man born blind into the fold, but us too.
We may feel isolated in the world, in our community, perhaps in our own family. Yet, we hear Jesus’ voice and follow and he brings us in also. For there shall be one flock and one shepherd. This man understood this as he trusted Jesus not only to go to the pool of Siloam and wash, but to trust Jesus and call him Lord. Yet, the Pharisees did not understand it well. And the community was really divided on what happened. Apparently they remained divided even as Jesus shares the imagery of the Good Shepherd with them as they debated whether Jesus was demon-possessed and raving mad. John 10:21 explains, “But others said, ‘These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?’” Thus coming full circle and reflecting one last time on the narrative of the man born blind.
The tragedy of this narrative for us is not blindness. The tragedy for us is believing that we already see. We claim we understand, yet fail to trust enough to go and wash in order that we may see that the kingdom of God is so vast and wide to include us all. May we follow the Shepherd’s voice, wherever he leads. Amen.
