Perrydox.com is devoted to the pursuit of truth, whether plain or paradoxical, whether simple or sublime, or simply absurd yet absolute.
John 9 – Why did Jesus use Spit?
Why Did Jesus Use Spit?
Jesus spat on the ground, made mud, and covered a blind man’s eyes? First, that is disgusting! Second, the blind man is hearing everyone talk about him, but not to him which I imagine happened often. This makes the marginalized feel invisible. Third, I wonder upon hearing Jesus spit, how often the blind man had heard the same sound in derision towards him. Spitting at people is an insult.
But I really want to focus on why Jesus healed the man in the way He chose.
First, notice the hint, “I am the light of the world” (John 9:5). Is Jesus using a creation motif? “Then God said, let there be light and there was light” (Genesis 1:3).
Second, notice another creation hint: night and day (John 9:4). “God called the light day, and the darkness night. Evening came then morning” (Genesis 1:5).
Third, the miracle is performed on a man using the ground. Out of what was man originally made? Dirt and dust (Genesis 2:7).
Fourth, all this helps explain a possible answer as to Jesus spitting to make mud. What prominent element in the creation story, besides, light, day, night, and dirt, is there in John 9? Water. Jesus tells the blind man to go wash the mud of his face (John 9:7), thus separating the water from the mud. Again, this goes back to creation. So why use spit? Maybe it was to cover the ground with “water” which is how creation began.
John 9 is not just about the darkness in a man’s eyes and light being given by God’s works (John 9:3). It is about Jesus saying, “You remember the creation story? Me too, I was there! New creation is coming!” Why? “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).
Comments