Text: John Chapter 9 (the entire ch.)
Joh 9:1 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
What a story this is, and every time I read this account of this man’s healing, I learn something new. From the moment it starts, it is charged with the electricity in the air and power of God at work, and I can get a glimpse of what it must have been like to be among those standing by, and watching Jesus, as he performed this wonderful miracle; to the chagrin and disgust of the Pharisee’s and Sadducee’s watching and waiting for any opportunity to catch him breaking the Law, or trip him up in his words.
I could take pages and pages to point out a multitude of things about this story, but this time, I’ve centered in on what Jesus did not do, and what the bystander’s did do.
When Jesus passed by and saw the blind man:
He did not ask him how much he understood about the Law, or the prophets.
He did not ask him about his mental status.
He did not evaluate him, analyze him, or interview him to see if he was a good candidate.
He didn’t give him any forms to read or fill out asking his background, intelligence, level of education, or credentials. (pun intended)
He didn’t ask for anyone’s permission or acceptance
He stooped down, made mud out of the clay, and rubbed it into the eyes of the blind man, and told him to go and wash in the pool of Siloam; CRAZY! WHAT IS MORE ABSURD; THE MAN CRYING OUT FOR HEALING, OR THE ONE DOING THE HEALING?
But, then the scripture says: He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.
Then the uproar really began. The people and the Pharisee’s both interrogated him mercilessly. When he answered them, they mocked, and reviled him. But the saddest part is when they asked his own parents who were standing by, and the answer they gave.
Joh 9:18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight.
Joh 9:19 And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see?
Joh 9:20 His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind:
Joh 9:21 But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.
Joh 9:22 These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.
Joh 9:23 Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him.
Yes, they feared people, one of Satan’s most effective faith killers. They knew that it was agreed among the rulers to excommunicate any one who confessed Christ. Hence they said, He was born blind, he now sees, you must ask him how he was cured. He is of age. To be cast out of the synagogue was an awful punishment to a Jew. It put him on a level with the heathen. So they caved in, and refused to be held responsible in any way. They left the son to speak for himself.
Isn’t that what goes on today? Everyone wants to be accepted, looked up to, and respected. Nothing has changed in 2000 years.
His simple inquiry brought out an avalanche of wrath from the Pharisee’s, and they cast him out. If they could not answer his arguments they could excommunicate him. This they did. Observe that this miracle was officially investigated by the enemies of Christ, and they were compelled to admit it. The judicial investigation showed that he was born blind, that he was cured, and that Jesus gave him sight.
At this point the story becomes a marvelous picture of the “pursuing, active, tremendous love of the Savior”, because Jesus seeks him out, and finds him, to ask this question:
Joh 9:35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?
The level of compassion shown by Jesus in finding him to affirm his soul as well as his healed eye’s is beyond words. Has he changed over the years? Has his love, compassion, and ability to heal and restore come up short in this modern age? If you read and believed the flood of the articles, commentaries, and discourses coming out of many seminaries, and pulpits today….you would say yes.
I am so glad this blind man did not care what the people around him, or even his parents decided to do. He had been healed. Once he was blind, now he could see. No amount of rejection, reviling, or mocking could change this fact; and he would not allow the influence of the crowds to cause him to falter in his stand for Jesus, and his response to Jesus was this:
Joh 9:35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?
Joh 9:36 He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?
Joh 9:37 And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.
Joh 9:38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.
I am also one who has been changed forever by His love, compassion and power to change a life. He is worthy to be worshipped and adored, and He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Lorna Couillard
Joh 9:1 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
What a story this is, and every time I read this account of this man’s healing, I learn something new. From the moment it starts, it is charged with the electricity in the air and power of God at work, and I can get a glimpse of what it must have been like to be among those standing by, and watching Jesus, as he performed this wonderful miracle; to the chagrin and disgust of the Pharisee’s and Sadducee’s watching and waiting for any opportunity to catch him breaking the Law, or trip him up in his words.
I could take pages and pages to point out a multitude of things about this story, but this time, I’ve centered in on what Jesus did not do, and what the bystander’s did do.
When Jesus passed by and saw the blind man:
He did not ask him how much he understood about the Law, or the prophets.
He did not ask him about his mental status.
He did not evaluate him, analyze him, or interview him to see if he was a good candidate.
He didn’t give him any forms to read or fill out asking his background, intelligence, level of education, or credentials. (pun intended)
He didn’t ask for anyone’s permission or acceptance
He stooped down, made mud out of the clay, and rubbed it into the eyes of the blind man, and told him to go and wash in the pool of Siloam; CRAZY! WHAT IS MORE ABSURD; THE MAN CRYING OUT FOR HEALING, OR THE ONE DOING THE HEALING?
But, then the scripture says: He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.
Then the uproar really began. The people and the Pharisee’s both interrogated him mercilessly. When he answered them, they mocked, and reviled him. But the saddest part is when they asked his own parents who were standing by, and the answer they gave.
Joh 9:18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight.
Joh 9:19 And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see?
Joh 9:20 His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind:
Joh 9:21 But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.
Joh 9:22 These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.
Joh 9:23 Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him.
Yes, they feared people, one of Satan’s most effective faith killers. They knew that it was agreed among the rulers to excommunicate any one who confessed Christ. Hence they said, He was born blind, he now sees, you must ask him how he was cured. He is of age. To be cast out of the synagogue was an awful punishment to a Jew. It put him on a level with the heathen. So they caved in, and refused to be held responsible in any way. They left the son to speak for himself.
Isn’t that what goes on today? Everyone wants to be accepted, looked up to, and respected. Nothing has changed in 2000 years.
His simple inquiry brought out an avalanche of wrath from the Pharisee’s, and they cast him out. If they could not answer his arguments they could excommunicate him. This they did. Observe that this miracle was officially investigated by the enemies of Christ, and they were compelled to admit it. The judicial investigation showed that he was born blind, that he was cured, and that Jesus gave him sight.
At this point the story becomes a marvelous picture of the “pursuing, active, tremendous love of the Savior”, because Jesus seeks him out, and finds him, to ask this question:
Joh 9:35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?
The level of compassion shown by Jesus in finding him to affirm his soul as well as his healed eye’s is beyond words. Has he changed over the years? Has his love, compassion, and ability to heal and restore come up short in this modern age? If you read and believed the flood of the articles, commentaries, and discourses coming out of many seminaries, and pulpits today….you would say yes.
I am so glad this blind man did not care what the people around him, or even his parents decided to do. He had been healed. Once he was blind, now he could see. No amount of rejection, reviling, or mocking could change this fact; and he would not allow the influence of the crowds to cause him to falter in his stand for Jesus, and his response to Jesus was this:
Joh 9:35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?
Joh 9:36 He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?
Joh 9:37 And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.
Joh 9:38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.
I am also one who has been changed forever by His love, compassion and power to change a life. He is worthy to be worshipped and adored, and He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Lorna Couillard
