John 34

Introduction

Last week left the former blind man being confronted by a Jewish crowd. Unable to decide what to think or do independently they formulated a plan; take him to the religious leaders.

John 9:13-16 “They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind. And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes. Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see. Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.”

The man had been physically blind, after meeting Jesus he could see; as we will discover he also begins to have spiritual sight. The Pharisees have physical sight but are spiritually blind. The uproar began as soon as the man said it was the sabbath day when he made clay. That’s work! This reaction reveals their biased approach. In their view Jesus broke the sabbath; their extrabiblical rules and regulations. For example, the Lord had mad mud from His saliva and dust which violated the prohibition against kneading on the Sabbath. And the rabbinic regulations against giving medical treatment on the Sabbath unless a person’s life was in immediate danger, which was obviously not the case with the blind man. MacArthur 401

If you remember this isn’t the first time Jesus has healed someone on the Sabbath; why did He deliberately provoke the Jewish leaders?

Luke 6:5 “And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.”

Their extrabiblical rules and regulations were unnecessary and created a burden on the people. It governed dozens of trivial, hairsplitting rules, making the Sabbath wearisome and a burden.

Mark 2:27 “And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:”

The religious leaders prided themselves on observing every minute law concerning the Sabbath, making it a legalistic observance, completely ignoring important issues such as mercy, grace, and forgiveness.

Matt. 23:4 “For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.”

The religious leaders corrupted the Sabbath, turning it into a day of legalistic self-gratification, and not a day for glorifying God.

The Pharisee’s blinded by their legalism state: This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others state How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? Just as the crowd had experienced division, so have the Pharisee’s.

John9:17-24 “They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet. 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. And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see? His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind: 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. 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. Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him. Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner.”

Can you imagine, standing there, eyeball to eyeball with the former blind man and denying he is healed. The Pharisees were so blinded by their prejudice, they refused to believe. Maybe they thought this is an imposter. They will call the parents for further confirmation.

The man states Jesus is a prophet. The man’s eyes are opening wider: he is beginning to see still more clearly, while the eyes of his judges are becoming clouded over with mist. Carson in MacArthur 403

Our personal description of Jesus makes an impact. John encourages all of us whose eyes, hearts, and minds have been open by Christ to speak out for the Lord. This lesson is for us because the formerly blind man’s vision of Jesus got clearer and clearer as he reflected on what had happened and listened to the accusers frantically trying to discredit what he knew to be undeniably true. At first his description of Jesus wasn’t accurate, but it was heartfelt. He said what he understood. New believers often bring that quality of freshness and earnestness to their statements about Jesus. How quickly we forget the wonder of being able to see spiritually for the first time.

We can testify to the fact that we were once blind to our own separation from God, blind to our need, blind to God’s influence in our lives, blinded by the world around us. We may not be able to explain in detail what was done in our lives, but we can say with conviction: Once I was blind; now I can see. Life Application 197

In questioning the parents, the Pharisees were blunt while the parents were somewhat evasive. Why? if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue; excommunication. Israel was a theocracy, being excommunicated would cut the person off from all religious and social life.

The Pharisees charge Give God the praise should be understood as stop lying by saying Jesus healed you and tell the truth.

The problem is they are being told the truth, they just refuse to accept it. Still happes today.

John 9:25-30 “He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see. Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes? He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples? Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples. We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is. The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.”