Thoughts on John 9

John 9:1-12

I think that we forget that Jesus just escaped a mob of Pharisees at this point and his disciples, I wouldn't say the 12 necessarily, start with the same air of self righteousness ask what is in any culture a rude question. You have to hear the exasperation in Jesus' voice at this point. I mean seriously. There is an entire book about a man who was only humbled and brought to his lowest level so that GOD could have all the glory. I would be hard pressed to believe that they haven't heard the story of Job. Then again how many times have we looking in the mirror (GOD's Word) and forget the manner of man we are (deprived sinners). I would agree with Jeremy in that the day and night are metaphorical and not literal. It is interesting that he didn't just speak the man's vision back into existence but used the dust of the ground from where man came to make a mask. I would also note that the temple and the pool while next to each other aren't super close so this took a minute for him to complete the task. It's interesting how public perception of the same event is so varied. I think it shows the duality of mankind. I think it's also important to note that the man's faith not his actions are what lead to his healing. He could have put as much mud on his face as he wanted and washed as many times as he wanted with no result.


John 9:13-23

It feels that we are stuck on repeat. Jesus does a miracle and the Pharisees are driven, as it were, to disprove it's validity by their interruption of the law. I find it interesting that the crowd and the Pharisees are constantly divided by Jesus' teachings and acts. John the Baptist prophesied this though, Luk 3:16 John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Luk 3:17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” Once again we see that they will not believe the witness of a single individual but must find and bring more witnesses, the blind man's parents, to ask if this is really their son and if he was indeed blind at birth. The parents response to the Pharisees is telling, They didn't want to be removed from the synagogue and shunned by opposing the Pharisees and basically go, he's our son but not our problem. I find it interesting that John is highlighting that believing in Jesus can separate you from family and you must be willing to lose that bond to gain him.


John 9:24-34

"For the second time." It seems they expect him to flip on his story and not continue in his faith in Jesus that restored his sight. They are so blinded by the religion of their own making that they cannot see the truth that is in front of them and then go so far as to state that they know(are aware, consider) Jesus is a sinner and in their eyes after he has claimed to be GOD that is what they are sticking to. Let's consider the blind man's position a minute. He has spent his life as an outcast. He's unable to enter the temple to worship because of his disability, he was most likely refused entry to the synagogue, Probably spent most of his life begging, being sneered at and made the butt of many jokes by these same men. And he just snaps. He essentially knowingly insults them by asking if they want to be a disciple of Jesus as well. It is astounding that these men revere a man that has been dead for THOUSANDS of years more than the Light that has stood before them and they once again know that GOD spoke to Moses but we don't know about this guy. The blind man gets his preach on and goes after the Pharisees hard in verse 31 with plain truth and caps it with verse 33. "If this man were not from GOD, he could do nothing." This verse can apply to us as well. Are we from GOD or are we from the devil. Can we do all things in Christ or nothing of real value in our sin and depravity. The Pharisees in true form get their feeling hurt and get offended by the truth as they do on multiple occasions. The truth goes against our sin nature. Is it not our immediate response to be offended with we are corrected. Even in our children do we not see that when confronted with the truth that they get defensive and mad and resistant to the truth. O that GOD would keep our hearts soft and malleable to the truth of his Word. In closing, we must expect rejection from those around us and in authority. I think this also goes to show that if religious leadership becomes contrary to the truth of the Word we must stand against and be thrown out of their company.


John 9:35-38

"And having found him" Jesus finds us. There feels to be such and underlying theme of having to trust in GOD for everything. It's so contrary to our culture of self reliance and I suppose our own sin of self reliance. The Son of Man, interesting turn of phrase. Jesus refers to himself as "the Son of Man" all through the gospels almost as a title and the blind man recognizes the title but doesn't know who it's attached to. Once told that he has met him he proclaims belief. I wish I fully grasped the context here, I feel there is more to this than meets the eye but without understanding more of the historical background I can't get my head around it.


John 9:39-41

I don't feel that Jesus is saying he came to judge the world but to change the judgment, to give escape. He obviously is trying to use the healing of the blind man as a picture of what he will do for us spiritually. The Pharisees in true form take this for a physical meaning not a spiritual one and are more or less trying to provoke Jesus but he responds that since they claim to know GOD and to see the truth that they are unable to be healed of their sins and their guilt removed. We are all guilty until covered by the cloak of his protection.