The whole chapter of John 9 is about a miracle of Jesus, giving eyesight to a beggar, who was blind from birth. We will see the different reactions/responses of the different people i.e. the beggar, his parents, Jews-Pharisees and Jesus.
Jesus made clay and put on his eyes and asked the blind beggar to go to the pool of Siloam to wash and then he received the sight. Some people brought him to the Pharisees. Pharisees questioned him about how he received his sight and he told them how Jesus opened his eyes. Also, they asked him about his view about Jesus. He said, “Jesus is a prophet”.
Response out of fear:– But Jews did not believe him and called his parents. His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and he was born blind; but by what means he now sees we do not know, or WHO OPENED HIS EYES WE DO NOT KNOW. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself.” His parents said these things because THEY FEARED THE JEWS, for the Jews had agreed already that IF ANYONE CONFESSED THAT HE WAS CHRIST, HE WOULD BE PUT OUT OF THE SYNAGOGUE. THEREFORE his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
Actually, his parents should be grateful to Jesus, who gave free eyesight to their son, who was blind from birth and they should confess Jesus without any fear. But sadly, they were more concerned about their membership in that synagogue, where taking the Son of God’s name as Christ was prohibited.
Bold response:- He did not know the real truth about Jesus i.e. He is the Saviour but one thing he knew: “once he was blind, but now he sees”. He clings to the truth about what Jesus did in his life, till the end. And he boldly answered them, “Why, this is a marvellous thing which you do not know where He (Jesus) is from; yet He has opened my eyes! Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshipper of God and does His will, He hears him. Since the world began, it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.” He was not bothered about anything.
Do you think Jesus was unaware of all these things happening? Though He was not present there, He was aware of everything. Then, why did He not come to his (beggar’s) defence! Most probably, Jesus wants to see till the end how much firm he is, standing by Jesus’ side and clinging to the testimony.
Blind response (i.e. do not want to accept the truth):- At last Pharisees and Jews could not bear the poor man’s firm and bold confession about Jesus. They said to him, “You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?” And THEY (JEWS) CAST HIM OUT.
Jesus’ response:- Finally, the poor man’s firm confession for Jesus was richly rewarded. When Jesus heard that they cast him out because of his confession / testimony, Jesus the King of kings Himself came to him to give true revelation about Himself to save him. Behold, a poor man received not only his physical eyesight, but also the spiritual eyesight about the Son of God. And He believed in the Son of God.
Judgement:- And Jesus said, “For judgement I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.” Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?”
Jesus said to them, “IF YOU WERE BLIND, YOU WOULD HAVE NO SIN; BUT NOW YOU SAY, ’WE SEE.’ THEREFORE YOUR SIN REMAINS.”
Why their sin remains is because they have seen the great miracle, they knew the truth, but still they were not willing to embrace the truth about Jesus. They had insulted and cast out that poor beggar, who boldly spoke and confessed about Jesus. They denied the Son of God by their actions. The Son of God gave His final verdict: ‘THEREFORE YOUR SIN REMAINS.’
Anjali Jose
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