What does John 9:12 mean?

This verse again highlights key lessons from this story. Jesus has given sight to a man who was born blind (John 9:1–7). To do so, Jesus put clay on the man's eyes (John 9:6), then told him to go and wash it off. This means the formerly blind man has not, yet, actually seen Jesus! He's not even in the same place he was when Jesus encountered him. Though others doubt what has happened (John 9:8–9), the evidence is clear. This man was once blind, but now he can see.

The man's ability to give this message to a crowd is not caused by his own abilities. He's not using eloquence or drama. He's not demonstrating deep thinking or skilled debate. He is—in literal terms—telling others the truth about what God has done for him. And it's the powerful impact of God in his life that makes people want to ask in the first place.

Defending our faith is not only useful, it's a command given to all believers (1 Peter 3:15–16). That being said, Christians do not have to be expert philosophers. We do not have to earn academic degrees, or become full-time ministers, in order to effectively tell others about Christ. And we don't have to have all of the answers. What we need is what we know, an idea this same man will summarize beautifully when interrogated later on: "One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see" (John 9:25).