A Man Born Blind Receives Sight

by Anne in Providence

based on John 9:1-41

Readers Theater: 1= Narrator 2= Man Born Blind 3= Jesus 4= Pharisees 5= Neighbors, Others, Parents of Man Born Blind

1: As Jesus walked along, he saw a man who was born blind. His disciples asked him, ³Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?² Jesus answered:

3: Neither this man nor his parents sinned. He was born blind so that God¹s works might be revealed in him. We must work the works of God who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

1: When Jesus had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man¹s eyes and said to him:

3: Go, wash in the pool of Siloam.

1. The man went and washed and came back able to see. His neighbors were astonished.

5: Isn¹t this the man who used to sit and beg?

1. Some said: ³Yes.² But others disagreed.

5: No, but it is someone like him.

2: I am the man!

5: Then how were your eyes opened?

2: The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, ³Go to Siloam and wash.² Then I went and washed and received my sight.

5: Where is this Jesus?

2: I do not know.

1: So the Pharisees, proud religious leaders, came to investigate this mysterious healing.

4: How did you receive your sight?

2: Jesus put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see.

4: This man called Jesus is not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath.

5: How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?

1: So the Pharisees and others asked the man born blind.

4: What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.

2: He is a prophet.

1: The Pharisees could not believe that this man was born blind. So they called his parents.

4: Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?

1. But his parents had heard that the Pharisees were expelling people from the synagogue, and so they were afraid.

5: We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind. But we do not know how he got his sight, or who opened his eyes. Ask him; he¹s a grown man. He will speak for himself.

1. So they spoke to the man.

4: Just give the glory to God! As far as this Jesus is concerned, we know he is a sinner!

2: I don¹t know if he is a sinner. But I do know this. Once I was blind, and now I can see.

4: What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?

2: I¹ve already told you, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?

1: This infuriated the Pharisees, who accused the man.

4: You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this Jesus, we do not know where he comes from.

2: Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but God does listen to one who worships God and obeys God¹s will. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.

1: This made the Pharisees so angry that they drove the man out of the synagogue.

2: You were born entirely in sin, and you are trying to teach us?²

1: When Jesus heard that the man he had healed was driven out of the synagogue, he went searching for him and found him. He asked the man:

3: Do you believe in the Son of Man?

2: Sir, who is he? Tell me, so that I may believe in him.

3: You have seen him. I am he.

2: Lord, I believe!

3: I came into this world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind.

4: Surely we are not blind, are we?

3: If you were blind, you would not have sin. But because you say, ŒWe see,¹ your sin remains.