What is the meaning of John 9:38? Lord • By addressing Jesus as “Lord,” the formerly blind man moves beyond calling Him merely “Sir” (John 9:36) to recognizing His supreme authority. • Scripture reserves the highest sense of “Lord” for God Himself—seen when Thomas later exclaims, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). • Confessing Jesus as Lord aligns with Romans 10:9, where salvation is tied to believing in the heart and confessing with the mouth that “Jesus is Lord.” • Other people who met Jesus drew the same conclusion and worshiped Him (Matthew 14:33; Philippians 2:11). I believe • Faith is personal: “I believe,” not “we believe” or “people believe.” This echoes John 1:12, where receiving Him is an individual act: “Yet to all who did receive Him…He gave the right to become children of God.” • Faith has content: Jesus had just revealed, “You have seen Him; He is the One speaking with you” (John 9:37). The man believes specific truth about who Jesus is—the Son of Man sent from heaven (John 3:13–18). • Faith results in life: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life” (John 3:36). The man’s belief is the decisive step from physical sight to spiritual sight. he said • Genuine faith speaks. “Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45). • Verbal confession confirms inward conviction (Romans 10:10). • The man’s words publicly separate him from the Pharisees who had expelled him (John 9:34). Jesus honors that open allegiance, just as He promises in Matthew 10:32: “Whoever acknowledges Me before others, I will also acknowledge before My Father in heaven.” And he worshiped Jesus • Worship seals the encounter. Only God is to be worshiped (Deuteronomy 6:13; Revelation 19:10), yet Jesus receives it without rebuke, affirming His deity. • Others do the same: the disciples in the boat (Matthew 14:33), the women at the empty tomb (Matthew 28:9), and the glorified throng in heaven (Revelation 5:12–13). • Worship expresses awe, gratitude, and surrender—an appropriate response when the Light of the world opens blind eyes (John 9:5; Psalm 95:6). • The man’s journey from begging in darkness to bowing in adoration illustrates John’s purpose: “These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” (John 20:31). summary John 9:38 shows the natural progression of a heart awakened by Christ: recognizing Jesus as Lord, placing personal faith in Him, confessing that faith aloud, and bowing in worship. The verse confirms both the full deity of Jesus—worthy of worship—and the simplicity of saving faith: “Lord, I believe.” |
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