Thought from today’s Bible reading from John 9:1-10:21.
When Jesus healed a blind beggar, the Pharisees became upset because this was done on the Sabbath (they had a faulty notion that Jesus’ actions here violated the Sabbath law when they did not). So the man who was healed was brought before the Pharisees to answer for what had happened. After this they interviewed the man’s parents. Then they brought the formerly blind man back before them. During this second interrogation, this man taught the Pharisees of some important facts and showed them why they should believe in Christ.
“They reviled him and said, ‘You are His disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where He is from.’
“The man answered and said to them, ‘Well, here is an amazing thing, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes. We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him. Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.’
“They answered him, ‘You were born entirely in sins, and are you teaching us?’ So they put him out” (John 9:28-34).
The Pharisees claimed that they were disciples of Moses because they knew that God had spoken to Moses. Since they did not know that about Jesus, they would not be His disciples. The former blind man exposed the folly of their reasoning.
- Jesus performed an undeniable miracle in opening this man’s eyes (v. 30).
- There was no record of anyone else ever performing a miracle like this one (v. 32).
- God does not hear (listen and respond favorably to) sinners (v. 31).
- God does hear those who fear and obey Him (v. 31; cf. 1 Peter 3:12).
This man’s conclusion was inescapable: “If this man were not from God, He could do nothing” (John 9:33). Sadly, the Pharisees, like so many today, were not interested in the truth if it meant abandoning their long-held beliefs. They could not answer him, so they resorted to false charges and expelled him from their presence so they would not have to hear him or answer him.
As we read this account, it is obvious which attitude we must emulate. Let us be like the blind man who, after being healed, exhibited a faithful and humble trust in the Lord.
Tomorrow’s reading: Luke 10-11; John 10:22-42
[I’m using the Chronological reading plan on the Bible Gateway website if you’d like to follow along, too.]
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