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A
Bunch of Blind People
The man with physical blindness
The ninth chapter of John accounts for the sudden eyesight of a man who
had been blind since birth. “As Jesus passed by” He saw the man,
whereupon He “spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and
He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay.” Jesus told
him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam,” which the man did and came
back seeing (vss. 1-11).
Jesus’ healing of a man blind since birth was an amazing miracle,
something “unheard of” “since the world began” (vs. 32). A
man who had never seen flowers, trees, human beings, or Jerusalem’s
buildings now could see these and so much more. Further, the man came to
see Jesus in the flesh! (What a privilege!)
This man, however, came to see Jesus in more than a physical
sense that day. His eyes were opened spiritually to all that Jesus was
and is. Notice the interesting progression: When first asked, “How
were your eyes opened?” he responded, “A Man called Jesus made
clay and anointed my eyes...” (vs.11). Later, though, when
questioned about who he thought Jesus was, he said, “He is a prophet”
(vs. 17). Soon after, he confessed that Jesus must be “from God”
(vs. 33). And when Jesus conversed with him later, the man acknowledged
his belief in Jesus’ divinity, “and he worshiped Him” (vs. 38).
At the beginning of the day the man did not know who Jesus was,
but at the end he recognized Jesus as the Son of God. Jesus said,
“For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may
see...” (vs. 39).
Sadly, though, the man born sightless was not the only ‘blind’
person mentioned in this chapter
The parents
This man’s parents were blinded by fear. When the Jews pressured them
and asked, “How then does he now see?” they responded, “We do
not know... He is of age; ask him” The Bible says, “His parents
said these things because they feared the Jews” would put them out
of the synagogue (vss. 19-23). There are people even today who are blinded by fear -- fear of
what their spouse or parents or children or religious party would think
if they were to acknowledge Jesus and obey His teachings.
The Jewish leaders
The leaders of the Jews were doubly-blinded to the clear evidence
concerning Jesus. First, they were blinded by their man-made traditions.
When confronted with this miracle, the only response they could
initially muster was, “This Man is not from God, because He does not
keep the Sabbath” (vs.16). Jesus had healed this man on the Sabbath,
and that was all they needed to conclude that Jesus was “a sinner.”
(It was just that simple!) Of course, the Mosaical law contained not one
‘jot’ or ‘tittle’ that would have prohibited what Jesus did on the
Sabbath, but the Jews' own traditions did. Too often men allow their own party beliefs and man-made dogmas
to keep them from opening their eyes to Jesus’ truth. When they respond
to His word with, “But my preacher says--” or “But my church has always
taught--” these are telling indicators.
Second, these leaders were blinded by their own pride. When the
man who had been healed tried to logically reason with them about Jesus,
they arrogantly replied, “You were completely born in sins, and are
you teaching us?” They then proceeded to excommunicate him from the
synagogue (vs. 34). It’s a sad day when someone becomes too intelligent to be
enlightened by a ‘rank amateur’ with a truth from God’s word.
And us?
Are we somewhere in this text? Which of these people is illustrative of
us? Could it be we are presently blinded by fear or tradition or pride?
Or are we opening our eyes and seeing Jesus for who He truly is? If He
tells us something is so, do we believe it? If He commands us to do
something, do we obey?
Lord, “open [our] eyes, in order to turn [us]
from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that
[we] may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those
who are sanctified by faith in” Jesus (Acts 26:18).
--Mike Noble
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