Jesus had made a man see who was blind from birth (v. 1-12). Having heard of this phenomenon, the Pharisees inquired as to how it was so, and what the man thought about the one who opened his eyes (v. 13-34). After the man indicated his conviction that the miracle worker was from God, the Pharisees “cast him out” of the synagogue (v. 34).

Jesus heard the man had been cast out, and surely heard the reason why. He then sought the man in order to fully draw out his faith in the Messiah. This was the first time the man had seen Jesus with his newfound physical sight, but not the first time he had heard Him. The voice was the one that told him to wash in Siloam (v. 11), thus he knew Jesus spoke truth. Whomever Jesus pointed out as the “Son of God,” i.e. the Messiah, the man would believe in Him. Jesus answer is interesting. He told the man he had already “seen Him.” This was not a reference to Jesus’ presence at the time, but to what the man had “seen” spiritually in the implication of the miracle Jesus had performed. The Man who gave him sight was from God. Jesus intimates by this that that Man was the Messiah. He then indicates that it is He that is the Messiah by saying, “and it is He who is talking with you.” The evidence was overwhelming, and the man’s faith was strong. Without hesitation he fell down at his Lord’s feet and worshiped.

Jesus used this moment as a teaching opportunity. His purpose for leaving heaven to assume His incarnate form was to bring a division between believers and nonbelievers. Between the humble, who confess spiritual blindness and look to Jesus for sight, and the presumptuous, who refuse to accept their spiritual insufficiency and deny Jesus. The Pharisees were of the latter. They thought they knew, when in fact they did not know. They thought they saw, when they were actually blind. Jesus indicated that their arrogant estimation of themselves kept them from seeing the One who could take away their sins. Thus, if they humbly accepted the undeniable proof that Jesus was the Messiah they would be given to know the way of salvation. However, since they wanted to keep their place, they rejected Jesus, and as such, rejected the One who could forgive them of their sins.