Jesus uses a material element and a command to give the man born blind his sight. The promise of healing is attached to the command but the fulfilment of the healing is on account of the man's works. Hints in the Greek and the parallel text of Jesus washing the disciples' feet (John 13) suggest that, although the man is performing the act of washing, he is not the prime mover in washing. Jesus is doing something to him through the washing. Therefore, we have a physical element (clay and spit; Pool of Siloam), Jesus' promise (healing through faith), and the command of Jesus (go, be washed). This is similar to a sacrament which has a physical element, promise of forgiveness/salvation, and the command of Christ for all Christians to do. As a sacrament is not our work but God's work for us where He promises to be, the blindman is not performing a work to be healed but healing through faith.