John 9:35

My Notes

What Does John 9:35 Mean?

"Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?" The blind man Jesus healed (verse 6-7) has been EXCOMMUNICATED by the Pharisees for defending Jesus (verse 34). And Jesus HEARS about it. And Jesus FINDS him. The rejected man is SOUGHT by Jesus. The one the religious establishment expelled is the one the Son of God pursues. The casting-out by the Pharisees leads to the finding by Christ.

The phrase "Jesus heard that they had cast him out" (ēkousen Iēsous hoti exebalon auton exō — Jesus heard that they threw him outside) means Jesus was INFORMED and RESPONDED: the excommunication wasn't invisible to Jesus. He HEARD — someone reported it, or Jesus perceived it supernaturally. The hearing triggered the FINDING. The knowledge of the rejection produced the pursuit of the rejected.

The "when he had found him" (kai heurōn auton — and having found him) means Jesus SEARCHED: the finding implies seeking. Jesus didn't wait for the man to come to Him. He went and FOUND the man. The excommunicated man — alone, cast out, separated from his religious community — is the object of Jesus' active PURSUIT. The one the synagogue rejected, the Messiah tracked down.

Reflection Questions

• 1.Who has been cast out by religious systems that Jesus might be actively pursuing?
• 2.What does Jesus HEARING about the rejection and FINDING the rejected teach about divine response to institutional cruelty?
• 3.How does the excommunication from religion leading to encounter with God describe grace after rejection?
• 4.What 'casting out' in your life was actually the setup for Jesus finding you?

Devotional

They cast him out. Jesus heard. Jesus FOUND him. The man the religious establishment expelled is the man the Son of God pursued. The rejection by the Pharisees triggered the seeking by Christ. The excommunication led to the encounter. Being thrown out of the synagogue led to being found by Jesus.

The 'Jesus heard' means the rejection didn't go unnoticed: the Pharisees thought the excommunication settled the matter — the man was OUT. Finished. Dealt with. But Jesus HEARD. The casting-out that was supposed to be the end of the story was actually the beginning of the NEXT story. The religious rejection triggered the divine response. The Pharisees expelled. Jesus pursued.

The 'when he had found him' makes Jesus the ACTIVE seeker: Jesus doesn't wait for the excommunicated man to show up at the Temple. He goes and FINDS him. The finding implies searching — looking, going to, tracking down. The man who was thrown outside is the man Jesus goes OUTSIDE to find. The pursuit is intentional, personal, and directed at the specific person the institution rejected.

The 'dost thou believe on the Son of God' is the QUESTION that redefines the man's reality: the Pharisees asked questions to condemn (verse 24-34). Jesus asks a question to INVITE. The Pharisees' questions were traps. Jesus' question is an invitation to FAITH. The man who was expelled from the synagogue is invited into relationship with the Son of God. The excommunication from religion leads to the encounter with God.

Who has been 'cast out' that Jesus might be pursuing — and could the rejection be the setup for the encounter?

Commentary

Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.

Cross References

Related passages throughout Scripture