A dramatisation of the Sign Healing of the Man born Blind.
(
John 9:1-41)
R H Johnston 6.4.2004

Characters in order of appearance
Narrator
Blind Man
Jesus
Group of at least 3 Disciples - disciple1 speaks
Group of at least 3 neighbours - neighbour1, 2 and 3 speak
Group of at least 3 Jews and Pharisees - pharisee 1 2 and 3 speak
Synagogue official
Parents - male parent speaks

(Total of at least 15 characters, 10 of which are speaking parts. Most are on stage together at some time or other.)
(Open stage, no props required, except for material on floor for Jesus to use as clay, and a chair for the judge at the trial. Characters should wear clothes suitable to indicate their characters)

--------------------------

(A blind man sits begging centre stage. Jesus and his disciples enter stage left, and stop in front of him. )

Narrator: And as He passed by, Jesus saw a man blind from birth.

Disciple1: Rabbi…, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?

Jesus (firmly): Neither this man sinned…, nor his parents.

(normal voice) In order 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.

(reflectively) Night is coming, when no man can work.

(firmly) While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

(
Jesus then spits on the ground, crouches down, and makes a ball of clay using the spit, he then goes up to blind man and applies the clay to the man's eyes, then says to him:)

Go, and wash in the pool of Siloam.

Narrator: which being translated means "sent"

(
Blind man goes off stage right, uncertainly as a blind man would.
Jesus and disciples leave stage left.
Group of neighbours enter stage left, talking to each other, and occupy left side of stage.
After a short interval, the man returns, entering from stage right running, and by his looking around him obviously seeing, and occupies a position centre stage
)

Neighbour1: (To the other neighbours) Isn't this man the one who used to sit here and beg?

Neighbour2: Yes that's him,

Neighbour3: No, I don’t think so, but he looks very like him.

Formerly blind man: Yes, I am the one.

(Neighbours shake their heads in disbelief
Blind man moves towards neighbours at left of stage
)

Formerly blind man (insistently): I really am the one.

Neighbour1: So…, how
were your eyes opened?

Formerly Blind Man (quite slowly): The man called Jesus made clay, anointed my eyes, and then said to me, 'Go to Siloam, and wash'.

(more normally) So I went away and washed, and I received my sight.

Neighbour1: Where is He, then?

Formerly Blind man: (shrugging shoulders) I’ve no idea.

(
Pharisees enter stage right, one brings a chair which he will sit upon as a judge (Pharisee1), and the rest including will stand about him. They stay at the right edge of stage.
The group of neighbours bring formerly blind man before the group of Pharisees
)

Neighbour1 (towards the judge and pharisees): Today is the sabbath. This man says he has received his sight.

Pharisee1 (to formerly blind man): How did you receive your sight?

Formerly Blind man: He applied clay to my eyes, and I washed, and I see.

Pharisee2 (dismissively): This man isn’t from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.

Pharisee3 (more measuredly): But how can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?

(
The Pharisees huddle together around the judge and murmur with each other, then retreat)

Pharisee1 (to everyone): We don’t seem able to reach a decision

(pause, then turning to the blind man) What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes?

Formerly Blind Man: He’s a prophet.

(
Pharisees shake their heads, and look frustrated and doubtful)

Pharisee1: It's all quite incredible. Call his parents!

(
Neighbour1 runs off stage left and shortly returns with parents stage left)

Pharisee1 (to male parent): Is this your son, who you say was born blind? Then how does he now see?

Male parent: We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind.

But how he now sees, we do not know.

Nor do we know who opened his eyes.

Ask him, he’s an adult. He can speak for himself.

Narrator: His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews. The Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Messiah, he would be put out of the synagogue. That’s why his parents said, "He’s an adult, ask him.

Pharisee1 (getting exasperated): Call the man forward again

(
Formerly blind man comes forward, loudly)
Give glory to God; we
know that this man is a sinner.

Formerly Blind Man: Whether He is a sinner, I do not know. One thing I do know though, is that whereas I was blind, now I see.

Pharisee1 (after a pause, when he clearly trying to think of something useful to say): So what did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?

Formerly Blind Man (a little irritated): I’ve told you already, and you didn’t listen.
Why do you want to hear it again?
You don't want to become His disciples too, do you?"

(
Pharisees all grumble and insult the man)

Pharisee1 (scornfully and sarcastically): You are His disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.
(more
normal voice) We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this man, we don’t know where He is from.

Formerly Blind man: Well, that’s an amazing thing!

You don't know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes.

We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners. But if anyone is God-fearing, and does His will, God listens to him.

Since the beginning of time it is unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of someone born blind.

If this man were not from God, He couldn’t do a thing.

Pharisee1: (very angry) You were born in utter sin, and you now dare to teach us?

(
A synagogue official escorts the man roughly off stage left. Everyone else exit stage right)
(
After short delay blind man enters on stage left and goes to forward stage left.
Jesus then enters on stage right, looking around for the man and comes up to the man.
Meanwhile the Pharisees and neighbours then all enter stage right and stay there, listening
)

Jesus (to blind man): Do you believe in the Son of Man?

Formerly Blind Man (somewhat puzzled): And who is He, sir, that I may believe in Him?

Jesus: You have both seen Him, and He is the one who is talking with you.

Formerly Blind man (enthusiastically and passionately): Lord, I believe.
(
Man falls on his knees and worships Jesus)

Jesus (turning to speak to the crowd assembled, slowly): For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see; and that those who see may become blind.

(
Pharisees then move to centre stage, with their spokesman to fore)

Pharisee1 (to Jesus): We aren't blind too, are we?

Jesus (sorrowfully): If you were blind, you would have no sin. But since you insist that you can see, you remain in sin.

(
All leave stage right, leaving Jesus and the man behind talking quietly.
Then Jesus and man exit stage left.
)