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Go Wash – John 9
Go Wash – John 9
In John 9, Jesus encounters a man who has been blind since birth. After a brief conversation about the man's situation, Jesus "spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. He then anointed the man's eyes with the mud and said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam".
The man was blind, but not deaf. Did he hear Jesus spit? Did he think what was that 'wet goo' that Jesus put upon his eyes? We have no indication that he knew who Jesus was except what he heard from the conversation, in which three things stand out. First, his blindness was not a punishment or consequence of sin; neither on his parents part nor his part. Second, some kind of work of God was going to be displayed in him. Third, that Jesus is the light of the world. Did he believe these things?
Having had such mud applied to his eyes, he is told simply "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam". There was no explanation of why, no promise of results given, and no real indication of anything. There were just the commands: 'go' and 'wash in the pool of Siloam'. Would it make any difference? WHY the pool of Siloam? Would any other pool work? Could he just use water from any full pot?
There are other stories that come to mind when reading this. The story of the bronze serpent (cp. John 3:16, Num. 21), where a snake bitten person could simply come and look upon the raised metal serpent and be healed. My guess is many UN-bitten people argued that such was a crazy idea! I would also guess that many upon realizing their predicament after being bitten, gladly went and looked. Also, the story of Naaman (2 Kings 5, Luke 4:27), being told to dip seven times in the River Jordan to be healed of leprosy. Why the Jordan river? Why seven times? He, after some hesitation, did so and was healed of leprosy. Neither story makes medical or physical sense. When people did as instructed, God kept His promises to them.
The man, without any record of him arguing or nay saying, went, washed AND came back seeing. Such is how people should respond to Jesus. The more we know about Jesus, his power, authority, kindness, and compassion, the MORE such a quick and direct response should follow any command. Do we need to be convinced of its physical possibility? Do we need to be convinced that it is reasonable to our senses? Or do we simply trust Him?
Why call me Lord, Lord and do not the things that I say (Luke 6:46). Good question! Why indeed?
Hugh DeLong
