“Blindness,” like thirst and hunger, can have metaphorical senses. How might we interpret “blindness” metaphorically? What is lost if we make a metaphor out of a healing miracle?
How does the story progress? What does the man born blind know at the end of the story that he doesn’t get during the story?
How does this healing miracle compare to that outlined in Mark 8-22-25? What is the emphasis of John’s version?
Applying the Text:
Do the references to tensions between the healed man and his community reflect elements in the history of the Johannine community? How might they still be present in our own religious communities?
What does Jesus tell about the nature of sin and suffering in his response to the disciples question about “who sinned?” (John 9: 2-3) How does that relate to the opponents claim about Jesus that he is not from God and the blind man’s defense that Jesus is no sinner (John. 9:16-17)?. Where do you imagine yourself in this story?
Discussion about the healing miracles from the bible in our modern day can sometimes be anachronistic and insensitive to differing abilities. How can we use this story in a way that avoids ableist trappings while still seeing Jesus’ work as good news?