February 17, 2023 – Friday
John 9:17-18 NIV
17 Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” The man replied, “He is a prophet.”
18 They still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents.
Comments
At the end of chapter 8, Jesus had answered a question inside the temple stating, 58 “Very truly I tell you, before Abraham was born, I am!” The statement I am was enough for them to think Him blasphemous and 59 At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds. Remember throughout chapters 7 and 8 the Pharisees were blind as to what His ability to heal, remove demons from the possessed, among other signs and wonders meant about who He was and is. Finally, He no longer tries to convince them He is the Messiah and states, before Abraham was born, I am! He is God, one with the Father.
As they sought to stone Him, He slipped away from the temple grounds and somewhere outside (we are not told where) He saw a man blind from birth (v1). After a discussion with His disciples as to why the man was blind, Jesus 6 spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. 7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. It is believed that the Pool is Siloam is 70 yards from the temple, thus somewhere between the temple and the pool or some short distance beyond the pool where Jesus came upon this blind man.
Then the story gets really interesting as 8 His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some claimed that he was. Others said, “No, he only looks like him.” But he himself insisted, “I am the man.” So, eventually, 13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. 15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.” Stop and reread those verses. The Pharisees were not interested because of this miracle, but because it had occurred on the Sabbath illustrating once again their own blindness.
Still, some of them considered what this miracle meant for 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided. Progress! But it did not end there as we come to our verses for today, 17 Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” The man replied, “He is a prophet.” 18 They still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. They still did not believe or perhaps still refused to believe for, to believe would require admitting Jesus was indeed a holy man and likely the Messiah.
They did call the blind man’s parents and looked for any explanation other than Jesus. 19 “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?” 20 “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. 21 But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” Why did the parents react so cautiously? 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. 23 That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.” Thus, once again, 24 A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.” 25 He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”
Bottom Line: I was blind, but not I see. That is a refrain for many Christians once they come to believe.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank You not only for our faith, but for our ability to see what we once could not see. – In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
RileyD, nwJ
Riley D. Driver – Pastor
Calvary Chapel of Dayton
in Beavercreek