The Testimony of the Healed Man
June 18, 2019
Commentary
The Pharisees tried to pressure the healed man into withdrawing his testimony about Jesus. They wanted him to say that the miracle of his sight was only a miracle of God and that Christ was a sinner (v.24). He would not debate the character of Jesus Christ, because that was beyond his knowledge and experience. On the other hand, he refused to deny what he knew for certain and that was; “One thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I see” (v. 25). It would have been easy for the Son to hide his confession and thus avoid controversy, but he fearlessly stood his ground. He knew what a difference Christ had made in his life, and he could not deny it. Everyone who has met Christ and trusted Him should make it known openly.
These Pharisees asked him to go over the story again, hoping to find some contradiction in his report (vv. 24-30). At this point, the former blind man got impatient. He had already told them how he was healed (v.15) but they had not wanted to hear. It seemed incredible to him that these Pharisees would not know the man who had opened his eyes (vv. 31-33). After all, how many people were going around Jerusalem, opening the eyes of blind people? He reasoned that God grants not the requests of sinners, but of the righteous. Therefore, this man had to be from God, or he could do no miracles.
Angered by the fact that their authority had been questioned, these religious leaders officially excommunicated this man from the local synagogue (34).
Application
It is so easy to have blind spots in my life. When is the last time someone has revealed a blind spot to me? Was I willing to admit it and do something about it? I want to do a better job in this area. Because other people don’t always do things the same way I do it is easy to think they are not doing it the right way. Lord, help me to be more positive and less negative toward others.
John 9:24– 34 (NET)
24 Then they summoned the man who used to be blind a second time and said to him, âPromise before God to tell the truth. We know that this man is a sinner.â 25 He replied, âI do not know whether he is a sinner. I do know one thingâthat although I was blind, now I can see.â 26 Then they said to him, âWhat did he do to you? How did he cause you to see?â 27 He answered, âI told you already and you didnât listen. Why do you want to hear it again? You people donât want to become his disciples too, do you?â
28 They heaped insults on him, saying, âYou are his disciple! We are disciples of Moses! 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses! We do not know where this man comes from!â 30 The man replied, âThis is a remarkable thing, that you donât know where he comes from, and yet he caused me to see! 31 We know that God doesnât listen to sinners, but if anyone is devout and does his will, God listens to him. 32 Never before has anyone heard of someone causing a man born blind to see. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.â 34 They replied, âYou were born completely in sinfulness, and yet you presume to teach us?â So they threw him out.
Illustration: Blind to the Truth
The famous agnostic, Thomas Huxley, was once lovingly confronted by a very sincere Christian. This believer stressed to Huxley that he was not in any way impugning Huxley’s sincerity. Nevertheless, might it not be possible that mentally the great scientist was color blind? That is, some people cannot see traces of green where other people cannot help but see it. Could it be that this was Huxley’s problem; that he was simply blind to truth that was quite evident to others? Huxley, being a man of integrity, admitted that this was possible, and added that if it were, he himself of course, could not know or recognize it. (Interpreter’s Bible, Vol 8, p. 708).