John 9 has a wonderful but pitiful story of Christ healing a blind man. This event should have elicited joy from everyone directly or indirectly touched by this miracle of Jesus; however, it turned into a story of spiritual deprivation. Fortunately, the one healed sets a tremendous example for us in boldly proclaiming the truth.
BLINDNESS (v1-3) -- the disciples and Jesus see a man that is identified as blind his entire life. The disciples ask who sinned to cause him to be born blind, and this question exemplifies an underlying assumption also found in the book of Job -- if something bad happens, it has to be because of sin. However, Jesus immediately corrects this by saying this man's blindness was for the glory of God. When difficulties come into your life, remember that it will ultimately bring glory to His name IF we respond correctly.
BLESSING (v4-7) -- Jesus heals this man to further testify that the power of God rested upon Him. Even deeper than that, though, is the fact that these miracles matched his claim of deity; yet so many, including the religious rulers, continued to deny that fact.
BEFUDDLED (v 8-13) -- as the neighbors and others saw that their colleague was no seeing, they really did not know how to act. Instead of celebrating with this man for an incredible event in his life, they doubted whether it was really him. When they asked how this happened and he told them, again, they still did not rejoice. They demanded to know where this person (Jesus) was. Stop and think about that -- this man was blind and did not see who healed him; so how could he even identify him much less tell them where He was? When the formerly blind man could not tell them, note what happens in verse 13 -- they took him before the Pharisees. These actions go to show that they missed the tree for the forest and sacrificed the jubilation for just a few details.
BITTERNESS (v14-17) -- the Pharisees were more concerned with finding whoever healed the formerly blind man because they wanted to confront the individual that dared to heal someone on the Sabbath. As stated above, they were missing the tree for the forest because they were more concerned about the time and method of healing instead of the genuine miracle. Because the blind was healed on the Sabbath, the Pharisees jumped to the conclusion that Jesus could not be "from God;" however, others disagreed. The root of bitterness here was selfishness because Jesus was getting a following meaning that these followers were leaving the rituals of the religious rulers.
BICKERING (v18-28) -- the Pharisees brought in the parents of this man and questioned them intently. The parents, obviously, were afraid; so instead of answering the Pharisees, they told them to ask their son. This formerly blind man had left the "court of the Pharisees;" so, they had to go get him again. They wanted him to give God the glory, which he was already doing, and call the One that healed him a sinner. The formerly blind man's answer is beautiful -- "Whether He is a sinner or not, I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see." Again, he had to go through the process of what Jesus did to heal him; and this man was getting frustrated. So, he asked them if they wished to become a disciple of His (this statement entails that this man was among those disciples), and the Pharisees said they followed Moses because "God spoke to Moses." Oddly enough, Moses performed signs and wonders to show that God was with him; but when Jesus did the same, they rejected Him. So, would they have really followed Moses?
BOLDNESS (v30-34) -- the formerly blind man had been patient with this inquisition, but he has reached his limit. He boldly questions the fact that these religious rulers do not know where this man (Jesus) is from, but they clearly acknowledge that he has been healed. He is driving to the point of whether they would have followed Moses. His conclusion to them is simple: "If this Man were not from god, He could do nothing." The Pharisees were upset at his conclusion and could not refute it. They chose another route by personally attacking him: (1) you were born in sin (thus implying they were not), (2) you are not educated, and (3) they then kicked him from the Temple. This man who now received his sight was boldly questioning those that were spiritually blind, and they did not like that!! Truth, even when spoken gently, is not guaranteed to be received well.
BELIEF (v 35-38) -- think of this man's consternation right now -- I was blind, somebody that I could not recognize healed me, this guy has to have power from God, I tell the religious rulers that, and they get mad and kick me out of the Temple. Jesus, knowing that these events would happen, goes to find the formerly blind man. Jesus asked if he believed and the man asked to see Him. When Jesus revealed that it was He, note the 3 word response: "Lord, I believe." This man experienced a miracle in his life and that was enough to engender faith in his heart.
BLASTING (v 39-41) -- this chapter concludes by revealing His purpose: "that those who do not see may see and that hose who see may be made blind." Of course, He was speaking figuratively and the situation of this chapter explains it. This man could not see physically but was also spiritually blind, and both were rectified when he met the Savior. On the other hand, the Pharisees were physically fine but were spiritually blind (although they thought they could see). The Pharisees that were there heard this statement and stood up for themselves, but Jesus restates His opinion of them -- you must be blind to the Law to see your sins but you have chosen to see the Law and are missing the grace behind it. As Blackaby says: "The worst mistake that we can make is to overestimate our spiritual condition. False confidence in our walk with God is like thinking we are healthy when we are terminally ill, a dangerous misconception."
Get into and stay in God's Word. That is the only way to truly see!!!
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