What does John 9:35 reveal about Jesus' identity as the Son of Man? Text “Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when He found him, He asked, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ ” (John 9:35). Immediate Narrative Setting Jesus has just opened the eyes of a man born blind—an act no prophet in Israel ever accomplished (John 9:32). Religious leaders react by expelling the healed man from synagogue fellowship. Jesus deliberately seeks the outcast, revealing His identity in a private, grace-filled encounter. The question He asks is not “Do you believe that I healed you?” but “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” The focus shifts from miracle to Messiah. The Title “Son of Man” in John John employs “Son of Man” a dozen times (1:51; 3:13–14; 5:27; 6:27, 53; 8:28; 9:35; 12:23, 34; 13:31). Each usage clusters around four themes: heavenly origin, revelatory authority, redemptive suffering, and eschatological exaltation. In 9:35 the term gathers all four threads—Jesus is the One who came down from heaven, reveals God, offers salvation, and will judge. Old Testament Backbone: Daniel 7:13-14 “I continued watching in the night visions, and I saw One like a Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven. … He was given dominion, glory, and kingship, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him” . First-century Jews understood this figure to be both human and more-than-human, sharing God’s throne (cf. 1 Enoch 62-69; 4Q246 from the Dead Sea Scrolls). By asking about “the Son of Man,” Jesus is not hinting at mere humanity but claiming the Danielic throne. Christological Weight 1. Divine prerogative—Only Yahweh seeks the lost (Ezekiel 34:11-16). Jesus does exactly that. 2. Judicial authority—John 5:27: “He has given Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man.” The expulsion pronounces earthly judgment; Jesus overturns it with heavenly authority. 3. Salvific exclusivity—Belief in the Son of Man equals eternal life (John 3:14-15; 6:40). The healed man’s confession, “Lord, I believe,” (9:38) models saving faith. Archaeological Corroboration The Pool of Siloam mentioned in John 9:7 was uncovered in 2004 during sewage-line repairs in Jerusalem. The stepped pool matches the Second-Temple chronology, reinforcing the Gospel’s topographical accuracy and the historical framework for the miracle narrative. Patristic Echoes Irenaeus (Against Heresies 4.36.7) links John 9 to Isaiah 35:5 (“Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened”) and asserts that the one who performs such deeds is “the Word, made Son of Man.” Augustine (Tract. 44 on John) teaches that Jesus “opens inward eyes” as the “true Son of Man who is also Son of God.” Miracle as Signpost, Not Destination John calls miracles “signs” (σημεῖα). A sign is valuable because it points beyond itself. The opening of physical eyes anticipates the opening of spiritual eyes to recognize the Son of Man. Modern medically documented recoveries (e.g., peer-reviewed case reports of instantaneous vision restoration following prayer in Oceania, 1997; Africa, 2016) continue to function as signs, though Scripture remains the final authority for faith. Integration with Salvation History 1. Incarnation—“The Word became flesh” (1:14); thus the Son of Man is truly human. 2. Crucifixion—John 3:14 links the lifting up of the Son of Man to Moses’ bronze serpent, forecasting the cross. 3. Resurrection—John 12:23 connects “the hour” of glorification to the death-resurrection event. Post-Easter appearances (John 20–21) seal the Son-of-Man identity with victory over death, corroborated by minimal-facts research on the resurrection. Eschatological Horizon John 9 ends with a miniature judgment scene: those who think they see are declared blind; the formerly blind sees. This previews the final judgment where the Son of Man separates belief from unbelief (Daniel 7:22; John 5:28-29). Answer to the Question John 9:35 reveals that: • Jesus self-identifies with the exalted, divine-human figure of Daniel 7. • Saving faith is directed specifically toward Him under that title. • He possesses authority to seek, to save, and ultimately to judge. • The miracle validates His claim but forces a decision about His person. Belief in Jesus as the Son of Man thus becomes the pivot on which spiritual sight or blindness turns, confirming His unique place as incarnate Yahweh and sole Savior. |
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