A dramatised presentation of John 9

 

Cast: Narrator, Disciple, Jesus, Neighbour, Blind Man, 2 Pharisees, Parent.

The narrator is at the lectern.  The other characters stand in a line behind the stage when they are offstage and come forward to the microphones when they are onstage.  This is a straight reading from the New International Version except for a few “he said”s.

 

 At the start, Jesus, disciple and blind man are onstage.

 

Scene 1

Narrator     Hear the word of God from John chapter 9.

                 As Jesus went along, he saw a man blind from birth.  His disciples asked him,

Disciple      Rabbi, who sinned – this man or his parents – that he was born blind?

Jesus          Neither this man nor his parents sinned …..

Narrator     Said Jesus,

Jesus          ….. but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.  As long as it is day, we must do the                   work of him who sent me.  Night is coming, when no-one can work.  While I am in the world, I am the light of the                     world.

Narrator    Having said this, he spat on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes.

Jesus         Go.  Wash in the pool of Siloam. (Exit blind man)

Narrator    (This word means “Sent”)  So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. (Exeunt Jesus and disciple)

 

Scene 2

Narrator    (Enter blind man and neighbour)  His neighbours and those who had formerly seen him begging asked,

Neighbour Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?

Narrator    Some claimed that he was.  Others said,

Neighbour No, he only looks like him.

Narrator    But he himself insisted,

Blind man  I am the man.

Neighbour How then were your eyes opened?

Blind man  The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes.  He told me to go to Siloam and wash.  So I went                     and washed, and then I could see.

Neighbour Where is this man?

Blind man  I don’t know.

 

Scene 3

Narrator    They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind.  (Exit neighbour)  (Enter Pharisees)  Now the day on                        which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath.  Therefore the Pharisees also asked him                  how he had received his sight.

Blind man  He put mud on my eyes and I washed, and now I see.

Narrator    Some of the Pharisees said,

Pharisee 1  This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.

Narrator    But others asked,

Pharisee 2  How can a sinner do such miraculous signs?

Narrator    So they were divided.  Finally they turned again to the blind man.

Pharisee 1  What have you to say about him?  It was your eyes he opened.

Blind man   He is a prophet.

Narrator     The Jews still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents.                   (Enter parent)

Pharisee 2  Is this your son? Is this the one you say was born blind?  How is that now he can see?

Parent        We know he is our son, and we know he was born blind.  But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we                   don’t know.  Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.

Narrator    His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for already the Jews had decided that anyone who                           acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue.  That was why his parents said,

Parent        He is of age; ask him.  (Exit parent)

Narrator     A second time they summoned the man who had been blind.

Pharisee 1  Give glory to God! We know this man is a sinner.

Blind man   Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know.  One thing I do know – I was blind but now I see.

Narrator     Then they asked him,

Pharisee 2  What did he do to you?  How did he open your eyes?

Blind man   I have told you already and you did not listen.  Why do you want to hear it again?  Do you want to become his                       disciples too?

Narrator     Then they hurled insults at him and said,

Pharisee 1  You are this fellow’s disciple. We are disciples of Moses.  We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow,                 we don’t even know where he comes from.

Blind man   Now, that is remarkable!  You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes.  We know that God does                 not listen to sinners.  He listens to the godly man who does his will.  Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of                   a man born blind.  If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.

Pharisee 2  You were steeped in sin at birth.  How dare you lecture us!

Narrator     And they threw him out.  (Exit blind man and Pharisees)

 

Scene 4

Narrator     (Re-enter blind man.  Enter Jesus.  Re-enter Pharisees slightly later and stay in the background)  Jesus heard that they                      had thrown him out, and when he found him he said,

Jesus           Do you believe in the Son of Man?

Blind man    Who is he, sir? Tell me so that I may believe in him.

Jesus           You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.

Blind man    Lord, I believe.

Narrator      And he worshipped him.  Jesus said,

Jesus           For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.  (Pharisees                  come forward)

Narrator      Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked,

Pharisee 1   What?  Are we blind too?

Jesus           If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.

Narrator      This is the word of the Lord.

Blind man    Thanks be to God. (Exeunt all)