Exploring Works

Jesus answered, "...it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world." (John 9:3-5)

I asked the question that has been surfacing repeatedly, “What does it mean that no one can work when the night comes?” So I asked God to explain it to me and this is what is starting to emerge.

Looking carefully and thoughtfully at the context where all answers should be found, I begin to see what looks like a valid explanation. But first I must grasp what the words mean.

The key word here is works. Because of lifelong baggage associated with this word I have to be very careful to lay aside my preconceived beliefs and reactions and allow the passage to define its own terms as much as possible. So whatever Jesus intended to mean by using this word it is very likely to be discovered in the surrounding verses and story. It helps to analyze the parameters of this word from these immediate verses.

Jesus says that the works of God can be displayed in this man who was born blind.

Twice in these verses it says that they are works of the God.

The term 'we' is used regarding working these works. That implies Jesus and at least one other person. Who is that other one or more? It is not clear yet. It could be Jesus and God; it could be Jesus and the disciples; it could be Jesus and the blind man, or it could be all of the above.

These works evidently can only be accomplished during a certain period of time that Jesus calls 'the day'.

Conversely, these works apparently cannot occur when it is no longer day. That is the puzzling part and seems to form some very tight restrictions in defining what constitutes these 'works'. But then I have to be careful not to insert my own assumptions about what is day or night but rather allow the passage to define them as well.

These works also are relevant to the words 'displayed' as well as working. They are works that 'we' can do as well as being displayed in a person's life.

In this case the place the works are going to be displayed, a person in whose life they will be evidenced may also have strong bearing on defining the nature of these works and their definition. The one in whom the works will be displayed is a man who has never, ever seen light before. That is very significant in the context of the next few verses.

I am starting to see a tight link between whatever it is He intended to mean by works and the concept of light in relation to this blind man who has never seen light. I also suspect that it is very significant that it is noted here that the man was blind from birth, not just a blind man without that extra description. Jesus is clearly making spiritual applications through this miracle which very quickly come into the open as the story progresses. This is made quite clear at the end of this story when Jesus explains to this man what is really going on around him.

And Jesus said, "For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind." Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, "We are not blind too, are we?" Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, 'We see,' your sin remains." (John 9:39-41)