Dake Bible Discussion Board ⇒ John 9 - The Man Born Blind

[titus213]

This is a passage which is often used to show that God has a purpose behind such things as birth defects. As one very popular preacher puts it, "God planned [this man's] blindness in order to show His work" http://www.desiringgod.org/sermons/why- ... born-blind. This preacher, and many like him, believe that is what Jesus means in verses 3-4 when He says: "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him".
And it's a fact that many of our Bible translations even add words that are not there in Greek, which make that point even plainer. For example the Amplified Bible: "Jesus answered, It was not that this man or his parents sinned, but he was born blind in order that the workings of God should be manifested (displayed and illustrated) in him"; and the Modern English Version: "Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned. But it happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him".

Yet if a person didn't come to the text with the idea already in mind that God plans disease in order to show His work, I don't think they would find that idea here from the verse as correctly rendered in the KJV and (not quite as correctly) the NKJV. " Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him". That is exactly what the Greek says. In effect Jesus is pointing out that it's not about blame, but about the work of God about to be done by Jesus to heal the man!

This becomes even clearer when you recall that our punctuation marks were added and are not part of the Greek text. In this case, I believe the colon (:) should be a period (.) and the phrase which then begins "but that the works of God..." is a new statement connected to the next verse, so that it looks like this:

"Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents. But that the works of God should be made manifest in him, I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work".

For those of you who know Greek, the Greek word 'but' in this verse is 'alla' which is a strong adversative, and is often used to introduce a new sentence with emphasis.

So our view of God and what He is like will color how we read the very same words in the Bible as someone with a different view of God. We will tend to skew things toward what we WANT them to teach; it's important for all of us to recognize that and seek to keep ALL of the Bible's teaching on any given subject in mind.

[Ironman]

I personally do not believe God causes anyone to be born so He can display His power. God is not the author of sin, sickness, disease or disabilities. If we believed in faith we could do what Jesus did, and even greater things.

John 14:12, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father."

We could show the power and greatness of God by believing in absolute faith, as Jesus said, that we can do what Jesus did and heal a blind child, a crippled child, a sick child, and child with a disability.

Satan is the author of sin, sickness, disease or\\and all disabilities. He is the destroyer, not God.

[branham1965]

i believe that as the kjv says the devil was the one who blinded this man.and he was healed by "a man that is called Jesus" v11

and God was glorified in this miracle.

[branham1965]

i finally caught that Pastor Titus.thank you for the exposition.

thats awesome you know Greek.

This is a passage which is often used to show that God has a purpose behind such things as birth defects. As one very popular preacher puts it, "God planned [this man's] blindness in order to show His work" http://www.desiringgod.org/sermons/why- ... born-blind. This preacher, and many like him, believe that is what Jesus means in verses 3-4 when He says: "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him".
And it's a fact that many of our Bible translations even add words that are not there in Greek, which make that point even plainer. For example the Amplified Bible: "Jesus answered, It was not that this man or his parents sinned, but he was born blind in order that the workings of God should be manifested (displayed and illustrated) in him"; and the Modern English Version: "Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned. But it happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him".

Yet if a person didn't come to the text with the idea already in mind that God plans disease in order to show His work, I don't think they would find that idea here from the verse as correctly rendered in the KJV and (not quite as correctly) the NKJV. " Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him". That is exactly what the Greek says. In effect Jesus is pointing out that it's not about blame, but about the work of God about to be done by Jesus to heal the man!

This becomes even clearer when you recall that our punctuation marks were added and are not part of the Greek text. In this case, I believe the colon (:) should be a period (.) and the phrase which then begins "but that the works of God..." is a new statement connected to the next verse, so that it looks like this:

"Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents. But that the works of God should be made manifest in him, I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work".

For those of you who know Greek, the Greek word 'but' in this verse is 'alla' which is a strong adversative, and is often used to introduce a new sentence with emphasis.

So our view of God and what He is like will color how we read the very same words in the Bible as someone with a different view of God. We will tend to skew things toward what we WANT them to teach; it's important for all of us to recognize that and seek to keep ALL of the Bible's teaching on any given subject in mind.

[branham1965]

spot on mate.

JESUS SAVES HEALS DELIVERS AND BAPTIZES IN THE HOLY GHOST.

I personally do not believe God causes anyone to be born so He can display His power. God is not the author of sin, sickness, disease or disabilities. If we believed in faith we could do what Jesus did, and even greater things.

John 14:12, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father."

We could show the power and greatness of God by believing in absolute faith, as Jesus said, that we can do what Jesus did and heal a blind child, a crippled child, a sick child, and child with a disability.

Satan is the author of sin, sickness, disease or\\and all disabilities. He is the destroyer, not God.

[branham1965]

PASTOR TITUS

may i ask you please what English versions do you feel are the most accurate???



thank you .

[Ironman]

Billy, Personally I have every version of the Bible in my library, I love the KJV most. I use it all the time. The others gather dust, unless I want to compare what they say against the KJV?

[branham1965]

i agree mate.nothing reads like the king james version.

i have some others.and they are ok.but they dont have the same power and authority.

Billy, Personally I have every version of the Bible in my library, I love the KJV most. I use it all the time. The others gather dust, unless I want to compare what they say against the KJV?

[titus213]

I personally do not believe God causes anyone to be born so He can display His power. God is not the author of sin, sickness, disease or disabilities. If we believed in faith we could do what Jesus did, and even greater things.

John 14:12, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father."

We could show the power and greatness of God by believing in absolute faith, as Jesus said, that we can do what Jesus did and heal a blind child, a crippled child, a sick child, and child with a disability.

Satan is the author of sin, sickness, disease or\\and all disabilities. He is the destroyer, not God.

[titus213]

i believe that as the kjv says the devil was the one who blinded this man.and he was healed by "a man that is called Jesus" v11

and God was glorified in this miracle.