Oil on Masonite 150cmx100cm, 2016
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A MAN BORN BLIND(John 9, selected verses)
Jesus and his disciples saw a man blind from birth. Jesus mentioned that this man was born blind so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. Jesus spat on the ground, made some mud with the saliva and put it on the man’s eyes. After the man washed in the Pool of Saloam, his eyes were opened. Some time later Jesus revealed to the man that he was the Son of Man (used as a Messianic title). The man replied, “Lord, I believe.” Spiritually, we all were born blind. Only Jesus can give us spiritual eyesight. |
The Story behind the Painting
As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.”
Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the pool of Siloam”. So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” Some claimed that he was. Others said, “No, he only looks like him. But he himself insisted, “I am the man.” “How then were your eyes opened?” they demanded. He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed and then I could see.” They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.”
They turned to the blind man, “What have you to say about him?....The man replied, “He is a prophet.” Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out. Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “ Do you believe in the Son of Man?” “Who is he sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him,” Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.” Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. Jesus said, “For judgement I have come into the world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”
As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.”
Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the pool of Siloam”. So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” Some claimed that he was. Others said, “No, he only looks like him. But he himself insisted, “I am the man.” “How then were your eyes opened?” they demanded. He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed and then I could see.” They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.”
They turned to the blind man, “What have you to say about him?....The man replied, “He is a prophet.” Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out. Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “ Do you believe in the Son of Man?” “Who is he sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him,” Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.” Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. Jesus said, “For judgement I have come into the world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”