John 9
Dear RTB’ers,
Today, Jesus’s healing of a man born blind. Carol told me a few years back that she had learned in one of her studies that healing a person born blind was one of the signs that the Jews expected of the Messiah. So we read this today and my thoughts run again to how the Pharisees could fail to believe in Jesus. They charged Him with breaking the Sabbath when something far greater had occurred! They even brought in the man’s parents – were they trying to discredit the miracle? Putting myself into this story, I find that I would surely have sought to follow Him more fully! Aside from bringing Lazarus from the dead (and two other raisings) I find this to be Jesus’ greatest miracle.
My Study Bible summarized the man’s progress toward Jesus quite nicely. He viewed Him first as “…a man (John 9:11), to a prophet (John 9:17), to one who might be followed by disciples (John 9:27,) to one from God (John 9:33), to one who was properly to be worshiped (John 9:38).” A very nice progression…
Although I have never been blind, I do tend to “claim” this one verse: One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see. (v. 25b) Yes, I was blind to my own sinful self, dutifully following Jesus’ “second commandment” and ignoring the first: …to love the Lord my God with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my mind, and with all my strength (Mark 12:30). Yes, I was spiritually blind, but now I see.
Blessings.
See also: