So a second time they called the man who had been blind, and said to him, “Give glory to God; we know that this man is a sinner.” He then answered, “Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.”
John 9:24-25
Today: Read John 9
The story begins with a miracle…a miracle of healing and restoration. A man born blind receives his sight. For the first time in his life, this man is able to enjoy seeing a sunrise with all of its beauty and color. No longer would he need the assistance of others. He could now live in the freedom that comes from having physical sight. This man’s life was changed forever and it was all because of Jesus.
But unfortunately, not everyone celebrates the amazing works of God. Tragically, knowing Jesus causes divisions among people and these individuals would begin to draw spiritual lines separating those who believe from those who do not. Before it is all over, fear would take hold of the very parents that should be celebrating this miracle. This account is well worth our time as it resonates with practical application for the church today.
- A Miracle
“While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.” When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes, and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went away and washed, and came back seeing.
John 9:5-7
The disciples were inquisitive. They wondered if the blind man had committed a sin that led to his malady. Perhaps it was the parents who transgressed. Jesus quickly dismisses their assertions. Neither the man nor the parents had caused this man to be blind rather his condition was for one reason; that the powerful, miraculous, healing power of God would be displayed. Jesus attended to the man, gave him some instructions, and he was healed.
- Division
Therefore some of the Pharisees were saying, “This man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others were saying, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And there was a division among them. John 9:16
Not unlike many other occasions, as Jesus healed the religious leaders of the day were accusatory and unimpressed. They were so wrapped up in the legal requirements of the law that they could not see the miraculous touch of God that was displayed right in front of their eyes. Ironically, as a blind man received his physical sight, the reaction of the religious leaders to that miracle exposed their own spiritual blindness. But not everyone was as hard-hearted. For some, the miracle was an undeniable expression of the presence of God.
- Unbelief
The Jews then did not believe it of him, that he had been blind and had received sight, until they called the parents of the very one who had received his sight, and questioned them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? Then how does he now see?”
John 9:18-19
Now we get to the heart of the matter. Why were these people refusing to acknowledge the power of God in the life of this blind man? The answer is simplistic but telling. They simply did not believe. Jesus tells us much about believing in Him. For those who place their faith in Christ, all things are possible (Mark 9:23). Answer to prayer comes to those who believe they have received even before it becomes a reality (Mark 11:24, James 1:5-8). Even salvation is not reserved for good people (for all of mankind is fallen) rather eternal life is for those who believe (John 3:16). Let us never forget that spiritual division is not drawn on ethnic, racial, political, or even denominational lines. In the eyes of God, mankind is divided over His Son. The discord is between those who believe and those who do not. It is a chasm between those who receive Christ and those who reject Him. For these first century Jews, the rejection is obvious.
- Fear
His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but how he now sees, we do not know; or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed Him to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue. For this reason his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
John 9:20-23
While being questioned by the religious leaders, the parents of the blind man deferred all inquiries to their son. The Bible leaves no room for us to wonder about what drove their actions. They were afraid. Arrangements had already been made that for anyone openly confessing Jesus as the Christ; excommunication from any spiritual activity would follow. In that day, this action could bring with it serious social and even economic repercussions. The parents did not want to lose their place in this religious and social structure. Not much has changed today. For many, open confession of Jesus is met with hatred and fierce opposition. Some of us are shielded (somewhat) from spiritual persecution but for many, openly confessing Jesus can be a dangerous proposition. The irony, in this case, is that the threats came from the very same individuals who were in charge of the spiritual wellbeing of the people. Fear of repercussions is certainly not what should drive our walk with Christ rather it should be a heart of gratitude and excitement over the work of the Savior in our lives.
- A Testimony
So a second time they called the man who had been blind, and said to him, “Give glory to God; we know that this man is a sinner.” He then answered, “Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.”
John 9:24-25
In the midst of all of this division, there remains an amazing personal testimony from the man who was touched by the hand of the Master. Once again, the religious leaders display their spiritual blindness as they insist that the blind man, “Give glory to God.” One can almost hear the anger and condescension coming from their mouths as they utter such words. The glory of God had been displayed right in front of them and they completely missed it. In addition, they referred to Jesus as a “sinner.” This gross mischaracterization of Christ was coming from the mouths of the very ones professing a devotion and service to God. But despite all of their demands and accusations, the man gives his testimony, “One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” When we are touched by the amazing power of God, nothing else really matters. We may not become the foremost of theological experts but when we place our faith in Christ and receive the Holy Spirit, we have everything that we need to boldly proclaim the amazing and powerful work of God.
- Persecution
They reviled (insulted) him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.”
John 9:28
“We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where He is from.”
John 9:29
“You were born entirely in sins, and are you teaching us?” So they put him out.
John 9:34
Finally, we see the religious leaders in action. First, they profess to be disciples of Moses. This means that were seeking to be justified by works of the Law, a practice still alive and well in our world today. But the futility of trying to be accepted by God through religious ritual and motion or by being a good person is obvious. Under the new covenant, God justifies us as we place our faith in Jesus. It is our faith in the finished work on the cross that brings salvation and spiritual restoration.
Secondly, these leaders claimed that they did not know from where Jesus had come. This is another glaring example of their spiritual unbelief. The very God of whom they professed to serve was standing in front of them in bodily form and they were completely unaware.
Lastly, they religious leaders, operating on their hatred and unbelief, threw the man out. They had become so annoyed by his testimony and positive assertions about Jesus that they could stand it no longer. Their condescension can be heard as the declare to the man, “You were born entirely in sins, and are you teaching us?” This unwillingness to receive the good news that Christ had come had reached full fruition.
The miraculous, healing, and restorative power of God is often overshadowed by the insistence of adhering to a set of rules, ordinances, and statutes as a means of either being made right with God or remaining in good standing with Him. When this happens, religion can blind its followers to the power that comes as a result of simple faith in Christ. Instead of a heart of love, joy, and peace, attitudes of arrogance, bitterness, and condescension begin to flow from those religiously bound.
Let’s make sure that while we discuss and teach about the glory of God that we do not miss His glory, taking place right in front of our eyes. As born again believers in Jesus, we might not become the experts in all things theological, but for those who place their faith in Christ, we can be counted as those who can testify, “One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see!”
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