DAY #160: John 9:8-34

As we contiue reading through John 9, we see that these verses record the various reactions of the blind man’s neighbors to his healing. Some thought he looked like the one who used to sit and beg. Others positively identified him as the same man. Still others objected that this only looked like that blind man. In response, the healed man insisted, “I am the same man.” Finally realizing that the person who once was blind had received his sight, they asked, “Who healed you?” The formerly blind man testified to the healing power of Jesus by recounting the story of how he had been healed.


The Pharisees quickly concluded that whatever else the healer might be (blinded by their seemingly unquenchable lust for power and control), He certainly wasn’t from God, for otherwise he would not work on the Sabbath. In their quest for “truth,” these Pharisees tried a number of explanations to invalidate the miracle: (1) perhaps the blind man had not been blind from birth or had not been totally blind; (2) perhaps God did this miracle directly (but they would recognize no human agent).

When the formerly blind man pointed out the obvious answers that they had been so studiously avoiding, they responded by viciously berating him and expelling him from their presence, thus once more proving they were not interested in the truth, but merely hanging unto their power.

The staunchest Pharisees attacked the healed man with a renewed attempt to break down his testimony. But this newly sighted beggar responded with even more praise for his healer than he had offered previously—he called Jesus a prophet.

The Jewish leaders wouldn’t believe that the man had been blind, so they called in the man’s parents in the hope that they would refute their own son’s testimony. Failure to reach quick agreement on the case meant they needed to review the “facts.” They asked the parents if this man was really their son, and if he was really born blind. The Pharisees were exasperated: “How can he see?” they asked, although we may wonder what they expected the parents to answer.
They knew their son, and they knew his previous condition, but how he could see they didn’t know. They responded, “Ask him.” The parents did not deny their son’s story, but neither did they support his claim.


Not content with their first cross-examination of the healed man, the Pharisees called him in a second time with a command, “Give glory to God by telling the truth.” The Pharisees tried to make the man confess his wrong in proclaiming Jesus as a prophet and to make him agree with them that Jesus was a sinner. But the healed man would not give in; he would not say whether or not Jesus was a sinner. What he would say was what he had experienced: “I know this: I was blind, and now I can see.”

The healed man’s condemnation of the Pharisees’ irrational rejection of Jesus proved too much for them to take, so they threw him out of the synagogue.

SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)

The Pharisees continued rejection of the Jesus and the miracles He performed brings to light once again their true ideology - they were blinded to the truth by their quest for power and control over people. Their irrational behavior is similar to the main stream media of today, who daily ignore truth and facts in order to advance their secular view of the world.


I am reminded of the story of Stephen in Acts chapter seven. Listen to how the people responded to the truth they heard.


(Stephen talking) "You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him-- you who have received the law that was put into effect through angels but have not obeyed it."


"When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. "Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul." Acts 7:51-58 (NIV)



Oh Lord, give us a heart to embrace the truth of Scripture. Help us to daily apply it to our lives. Protect us from pride and arrogance. Give us humble hearts. Give us receptive hearts. Give us repenting hearts.