1 AND as Jesus passed by, he saw a man [ While we never learn the exact age of the man, we understand from his parents’ later statement that he is “of age” ( verse 21) and that the man was an adult member of the community who had lived without sight for many years. Here was a man who had spent his entire life in physical darkness. Though he had never known physical light, he could still be brought into the light through Jesus Christ. ] which was blind from his birth.

2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? [ These two verses are the best proof-text for the pre-mortal existence of spirits in the Bible. Where many other passages the LDS use to support the doctrine can be argued with differing views of predestination and foreordination, this passage cannot. The disciples plainly believe that spirits pre-existed the birth as how else could the man sin before he was born such that he was born blind? The doctrine that people were born handicapped as a result of either their sin or their parent's was apparently a widely held belief, and passages such as 2 Sam. 12:14 and 1 Ki. 14:12 seem to suggest such a thing. The disciples are asking him whether or not the doctrine was true. ]

3 Jesus answered, Neither [ Our trails are no more impossed upon us as a result of sin than a life without trails for one who has never committed sin. They are two distinct principles - trails and sin. If sin was not the cause of trails - why do we always feel that our life should be easy if we try to live a good life? However, Jesus does not completely contradict the doctrine. The position he forwards is that this case was not a result of sin, however that leaves room for there being times is may be a result of sin. We can all think of cases where the baby suffers physically as a result of a parent's sin: fetal alcohol syndrome and the like, physical abuse, malnutrition, venereal disease passed on from mother to baby [e.g. blindness in the baby as a result of the mother having syphilis], and so on. However, there are obviously cases where the physical condition has no relation whatsoever to the relative righteousness of the parents. ] hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

4  I must work the works of him that sent me, [ On at least four previous occasions, Jesus had restored sight to the blind (see Matthew 9:27–31; 12:22–37; 15:29–31; Mark 8:22–26). The miracle was not unique, but the manner in which it was accomplished was. The Savior’s deliberate actions were meant to convey yet another proof of his divinity to those who witnessed them. Closer examination of one piece of the textual context can help us begin to unlock the instructive nature of this miracle for modern students. When Jesus says, “I must work the works of him that sent me” (here), it is the tenth time we have read the word sent since the beginning of John 7. The Savior has been emphasizing his role as the one “sent” by the Father for several chapters. This has been prelude for why the Savior now sends the blind man to the Pool of Siloam to be healed. John interprets Siloam to mean simply “Sent” (John 9:7) to correspond with his repeated usage of the term to refer to the divine commission of the Savior. Thus, the Pool of Siloam becomes a symbol for the Savior himself, an especially critical association given the daily processions to the Pool of Siloam during the Feast of Tabernacles. However, before sending the man to the Pool of Siloam, the Master Healer and Teacher “anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay” ( vs 6). Similar to Enoch’s preparation to receiving spiritual sight in Moses 6:35, washing the clay from blind eyes may signify cleansing ourselves of the natural, earthly man (see 1 Corinthians 15:47–50). Like the man born blind, the natural man is blind and has no knowledge of the way to salvation— he is enveloped in spiritual darkness. Only by coming to Jesus Christ can we receive spiritual sight and know the way to salvation. This miracle administered is here not only about God’s compassionate work for one blind man, but about his healing, redemptive power for all mankind. ] while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. [ There is a time appointed for performance of every righteous work. Time lost cannot be recaptured; it is gone forever. see Alma 34:33. ]

5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay [ "clay", the symbolism of Jesus' actions here is that he is the Creator. The Lord fashioned man from the dust in Genesis, so He may exercise His will over His creations. Jesus is that Lord, and so he may repair with the dust of the earth as easily as he formerly created man from the dust of the earth. ] of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,

7 And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, ["Siloam...Sent", the pool of Siloam is the same as that water of Shiloah which is used in the Feast of Tabernacles to be poured out on the altar. The use of this pool in particular has messianic implications because of its connection to the Feast, but also because of the use of the name in Gen. 49:10 and Isa. 8:6.. By choosing the Pool of Siloam as the place for the miracle to occur, the Savior was superimposing himself on the most important event of the Feast of Tabernacles. It was as if he were saying, “You come to the Pool of Siloam to ‘draw water out of the wells of salvation’—I am the well of salvation.” ] (which is by interpretation, Sent.) [ "Sent" since it is capitalized is a name - it is another name for Christ - as being sent from the Father ] He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

8 ¶ The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged?

9 some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he.

10 Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?

11 He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.

12 Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not. [ The people, his neighbors, have got to understand the gravity of the situation. Everyone knew who Jesus was per 7:12, and they knew the Pharisees were out to get him per 7:25, so they want nothing to do with it and pass the matter off to the Pharisees. Did he really not know where jesus was or was he ashamed to be linked with Jesus? ]

13 ¶ They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind.

14 And it was the sabbath day [ It was a Sabbath because it was Simchat Torah, the last day of the Feast per 7:37. The Festivals were Sabbaths as well as Saturdays according to the Law. ] when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.

15 Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.

16 Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, [the accusation here is more serious than what is superficially conveyed. The accusation is that Jesus is a false prophet and therefore must be disposed of, cf. Deut. 13:1-5.] because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.

17 They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet.

18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight.

19 And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see?

20 His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind:

21 But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.

22 These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.

23 Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him.

24 Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: [This verse is ironic on two counts. First, Jesus is the God of the OT, and so when they say he should give God the praise they know not that Jesus is God. Second, here the Pharisees acknowledge the miracle is genuine and tell the man to attribute it to God, but when the man fails to comply they turn on him and accuse him of colluding with Jesus as his disciple. ] we know that this man is a sinner.

25 He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.

26 Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes?

27 He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples?

28 Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples.

29 We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.

30 The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.

31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.

32 Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. [IV: "except he be of God"]

33 If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.

34 They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.

35 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?

36 He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?

37 And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.

38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.

39 ¶ And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.

40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?

41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.