Jul29 Written by:Nathan Williams
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
One of the main themes of John 9 is Jesus' statement in verse 5: "While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world." Immediately after He said that, He made a blind man literally see the light for the first time! His "eyes were opened."
The Pharisees actually said of Jesus, "This man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath" (9:16) and even "we know that this man is a sinner" (9:24). The man who had been healed had only this simple reply: "Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see" (9:25). In other words, "All I know is what He has done for me - and that's a mighty testimony!" When people bring charges against our Lord, they know not what they say. They speak out of deep and intense ignorance.
How can a person look at the Light of the world and call it darkness?
1. Perhaps because they are ashamed of their imperfections and flaws and the Light shows those sins to the world.
2. Perhaps because they like darkness so much it has become their light. They are completely perverted calling evil good and good evil.
3. Perhaps because they are afraid of the Light. It's too much for them. It's overwhelming.
Whatever the case, these Pharisees could not deny a great miracle had been accomplished (9:18ff). Instead of glorifying God for this wonderful work, they sought to stop Him from working any more. Instead of falling on their face before Jesus in worship, they called Him a sinner!
But blessed are those who come to the Light and who are made to SEE by that great Light! This man, made to see, had a simple statement to make to the Pharisees: "If this man were not from God, He could do nothing" (9:33). Consider the last three verses of the chapter:
John 9:39 And Jesus said, "For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind." 40 Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, "We are not blind too, are we?" 41 Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, 'We see,' your sin remains.
Wow!
God bless,
Nathan
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