John 9 6

John 9:6 kjv

When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,

John 9:6 nkjv

When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay.

John 9:6 niv

After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes.

John 9:6 esv

Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud

John 9:6 nlt

Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man's eyes.

John 9 verses

John 9 6 Meaning

In John 9:6, Jesus initiates the healing of a man born blind through a distinct, tangible, and symbolic act. He intentionally spits on the ground and creates a mixture of earth and His own saliva, which He then applies directly to the blind man's eyes. This action signifies a direct, personal, and divinely creative intervention, preparing the man for his miraculous restoration of sight, challenging conventional understanding of healing, and displaying Jesus' authority over both physical ailments and natural elements.

John 9 6 Context

John chapter 9 begins with Jesus and His disciples encountering a man born blind. The disciples immediately pose a theological question, reflecting the common Jewish belief that physical affliction was a direct consequence of either the afflicted person's sin or their parents' sin (John 9:2). Jesus directly refutes this notion (John 9:3), stating that the man's blindness was permitted "that the works of God should be revealed in him." This sets the stage for a profound demonstration of God's power through Jesus, specifically to manifest Him as "the light of the world" (John 9:5). Verse 6 describes the precise, unusual, and deliberate action Jesus takes following this theological discourse, initiating a healing that will reveal His divine identity and challenge the religious establishment's spiritual blindness. In the historical and cultural context, mud and saliva were sometimes used in folk remedies, but usually in combination with magical incantations or as superstitious practices. Jesus, however, performs this act without incantations, clearly imbuing it with His divine authority and personal touch, making it unique and demonstrative of God's direct intervention.

John 9 6 Word analysis

• When He had said this: Refers back to Jesus' declaration in John 9:3-5, specifically His pronouncement about the man's blindness being for God's glory and His own identity as "the light of the world." This phrase connects the theological groundwork with the immediate physical action.
• He spat: (ἔπτυσεν - eptysen) A highly personal and tangible action. In ancient times, saliva was sometimes believed to have medicinal properties, yet this act goes beyond a mere folk remedy; it is Jesus' own divine essence physically manifest. It symbolizes a direct, intimate involvement in the man's life.
• on the ground: (χαμαὶ - chamai) Refers to the earth or dust. This element directly links to the creation narrative where man was formed from the dust of the ground (Gen 2:7). It emphasizes the materiality and humanness that Jesus uses and restores.
• and made clay: (ἐποίησεν πηλὸν - epoiēsen pēlon) Literally "He made mud" or "formed clay." This is a creative act, echoing God's creative work with dust and breath. It signifies Jesus' power to create anew and to use common elements as instruments of divine grace.
• with the saliva: (ἐκ τοῦ πτύσματος - ek tou ptysmatos) This explicitly states the ingredient that combined with the ground. It is Jesus' own bodily fluid, imbuing the clay with a unique, personal, and life-giving substance from the Divine Healer.
• and He anointed: (καὶ ἐπέχρισεν - kai epechrisen) The act of smearing or rubbing on. "Anoint" has rich biblical associations, often with consecration or commissioning (e.g., priests, prophets, kings being anointed). Here, it signifies a sacred, purposeful application rather than a random act.
• the eyes: The specific target of the healing. This directs attention to the organ that is impaired and the precise nature of the miracle.
• of the blind man: Identifies the recipient of Jesus' mercy and power, emphasizing his prior state of helplessness and dependency.
• with the clay: The physical agent, made of common earth and divine saliva, used as the instrument of the healing, illustrating that God can work through humble, unexpected means.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "When He had said this, He spat on the ground": This phrase shows an immediate transition from teaching to action, grounding the abstract truth of Jesus' messiahship and divine light in a very physical, earthly demonstration. The "spat on the ground" is a direct, earthy, and personal engagement.
• "and made clay with the saliva": This combination highlights Jesus' creative power. By mixing His saliva with the ground, Jesus symbolically reconnects man (made from dust) with the life-giving divine essence. It's a re-creation act using humble elements.
• "and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay": This denotes a direct, purposeful, and priestly-like application of the divinely charged "clay" to the specific point of affliction. It signifies that the healing comes through a personal touch and specific instrument orchestrated by Jesus.

John 9 6 Bonus section

The choice of mud as the instrument of healing for a blind man holds particular theological resonance, aligning with the "new creation" theme pervasive in John's Gospel. Just as Adam, the first man, was formed from the dust of the ground (Gen 2:7), this man, a recipient of Jesus' creative power, is given a "new creation" of sight through material formed by Jesus Himself. This mud represents a material touched and consecrated by the divine. While saliva had perceived medicinal properties in the ancient world and was used in other of Jesus' healings (Mark 7:33; 8:23), in John 9, its combination with earth creates a powerful echo of God's original act of creation. This is not simply a miracle of healing but a deeper statement about Jesus' co-eternal status with the Father as the Creator, and His power to bring light where there was darkness, physically and spiritually.

John 9 6 Commentary

John 9:6 marks the critical beginning of the unique healing of the man born blind. Rather than a spoken command, Jesus chooses an act both deeply symbolic and surprisingly physical, engaging the earthly element of dust and the personal element of His own saliva. This deliberate choice of action communicates several layers of meaning. First, it harks back to creation, underscoring Jesus' identity as the Creator (Col 1:16), capable of re-creating and forming sight where none existed (Gen 2:7; Job 10:9). The humble elements chosen — earth and spittle — serve as a subtle polemic against the grandeur expected from divine acts, and a stark reminder that God often uses "foolish" or "weak" means (1 Cor 1:27). The "anointing" implies a sacred consecration of the eyes, setting them apart for a divine work. It also prepares the blind man for a necessary act of obedience – going to wash in the pool – making him an active, though passive initially, participant in his own healing. This act, while utilizing mundane elements that might have been part of ancient remedies, transcends them completely because of Who is performing the act and His intrinsic power, which contrasts with mere human efforts or superstitious practices. This physical demonstration solidifies Jesus' earlier claim as "the light of the world," bringing literal and spiritual illumination.