John 9, Exodus 34:29-34
"MIRACLE HAPPENED HERE"(Sixth in a series: "Seven Signs in John")
How long must you keep us in suspense?
If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly. (John10:24-25)
How would you respond to such a question?
What makes Jesus absolutely unique?
John seeks to give us the answer in his Gospel, and especially in the signs/miracles
that Jesus did. Jesus responds to the question:
I have told you, but you do not believe.
My deeds, done in my Father’s name, are my credentials. (John 9:2 6)
The Context is the Jewish Feast of the Tabernacles Chanukah. The "Dedication"
of the Temple after it was desegrated by a Syrian General and Commemorates
God’s Faithfulness and assurance that no darkness can quench the "True Light."
A Menorah was lit. First day two, then one each day one more, recalling the "miracle that
there was only enough oil for one day, but that it lasted eight days. Later Menorahs
were used in homes. Words associated with Chanukah are:
Latkes,(special pancake) Gelt, (Gold Coins) and Driedel-four-sided top.
On each side a Hebrew word meaning a:
"Great Miracle Happened Here"
Each time the driede was spun it reminded the players of God’s power
and faithfulness.
Miracles still Happen Here.
John briefly narrates the story of the Miraculous Healing of a blind man.
He is more interested in the interaction between the Pharisees and the
Blind man. Through a series of interrogations, John shows that as the
blind man increases in knowledge of Jesus, while the Religious Leaders
blinded themselves to the Light, plunging into darkness.
In one way, the story is allegory of us all.
We All were born Spiritually Blind. Some of us were fortunate to meet
Jesus early in life, especially if we were raised in a home where Jesus’
love was demonstrated and taught. Others of us remained
Spiritually Blind because no one ever told us about Jesus or if someone
did, we were not ready to listen let alone ask for spiritual healing.
This story is about one who sat in darkness and was brought to see
the Light, not only physically but spiritually. It is also about those
who could see, the Religious Leaders, becoming spiritually blind.
John begins the story with a blind man receiving sight and ends
with the Pharisees becoming spiritually blind. (John 10:41)
The care with which the evangelist has drawn his portraits of increasing
insight and hardening blindness are masterful. Three Times the former
blind man, who is truly gaining knowledge, humbly confesses
his ignorance (10:12, 25, 36). Three Times the Pharisees,
who are really plunging deeper into abysmal ignorance of Jesus,
make confident statements about what they know about him. (10:16, 24, 29)
The blind man’s confrontation with the Pharisees in, vs. 24-34,
is one of the most clearly written dialogues in the New Testament.
Before Jesus acts, he explains the purpose and meaning of the healing.
He says that "Light was coming into darkness, that God’s
power might be displayed."
The Festival of Dedication was a time of reflecting on the past,
what Israel and Judah had done that led to seeing their
Temple desegrated. The Disciples asked:
"Who sinned, this man or his parents." (2)
Jesus does not address the issue of suffering.
He shows what God can do in any person.
He was born blind that the power
of God could be seen in him. (9:3)
As the people were lighting candles in commemoration of the
miracle that occurred in 164 B.C., Jesus performed another
miracle and says: I Am The Light of the World.(5)
As a sign of that Light, Jesus gives sight to one born blind.
Everyone knew, God was the source of Power that allowed
Jews to be victorious over the Syrians. Jesus intentionally uses:
Ani hu. Used only of God.
As we saw last week, Jesus said:
Be not afraid, I Am here. (Ego Emi-Yahweh)
Ani hu - I Am the source of the Light.
That is why the Jews split over Jesus’ source of power
in healing a blind man. Some said: "It is Demonic,"
while others: "Healing the blind is one of the
signs of the Messiah." (Isaiah 29:18, 35:5, 42:7).
"The Source must come from God."
Notice the Progression of Understanding which the
blind man goes through. When questioned: how he
received his sight the man said:
The man called Jesus made paste and smeared it on my eyes.
The man’s knowledge of Jesus was what others said
and Jesus’ touch. He had not yet seen Jesus.
The Religious Leaders called the man to give account as to
how he had gained sight. The former blind man retold the story.
Since Jesus had made clay, and it was forbidden to work on the
Sabbath, they Leaders said:
This fellow is no man of God, he does not keep the Sabbath.
Others said:
How could such signs come from a sinful man?
Finally, the man answers: He is a Prophet. (9:16-17)
The Miracle could not be denied.
So, the Parents we summoned and asked:
Is this your son, whom you say was born blind?
How then does he now see? (9:19)
The parents fearful of being barred from the Temple said:
We know this is our son and that he was born blind,
but how he sees we do not know,
nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him yourselves.
He is of age. He will speak for himself. (9:20-23)
So, for a second time the Pharisees call in the formerly
blind man and said:
Give God the praise. We know that this man is a sinner.
The man responded: (9:24-25)
Whether the man is a sinner I do not know.
One thing I know, that though I was blind, now I see.
The Religious Leaders were asking for a confession of guilt.
(Joshua 7:19)
At the very least if a miracle occurred, that it was
God's power not Jesus’ Authority.
The former blind man responds:
Never since the world began has it been heard
that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind.
If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.
The man boldly acknowledges that
Jesus comes from and with God’s authority. (9:32-33)
The Pharisees said: You were born in utter sin
this was their explanation why he was born blind)
and would teach us? They cast him out.
The formerly blind man was beginning to see the truth of
who Jesus was, while the Pharisees were becoming totally
blind to God’s miraculous action. (9:34)
In contrast to the action of the religious leaders,
Jesus looks for the man who had been healed and asks:
Do you believe in the Son of Man?
The formerly blind man answered:
Who is he sir, that I might believe in him?
Then comes the most precious words:
You have seen him, and he is the one who speaks to you.
He said: Lord. I believe. and he worshiped him.
The man who had been physically and spiritually blind now,
literally, saw the one who had healed him.
More than that, he gained complete insight into the
fact that Jesus was not only a Prophet and Man of God,
but the Promised Messiah, God Himself.
Jesus concludes the episode saying:
39: For judgment I have come into this world, so that the
blind will see and those who see will become blind.
40: Some Pharisees, who were with him, heard him say this
and asked, "What? Are we blind too?"
41: Jesus said, if you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin.
But now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.
This is the heart of the story. As people received information
about Jesus, they became more and more liable to responding
to that information. While they were spiritually blind,
they had an excuse for not responding to Jesus.
Once their eyes are opened, if they closed them to truth,
they were guilty of rejecting God’s miraculous transforming love.
A Great Miracle happened on that Chanukah.
An even greater miracle occurs each time one of us responds
to the light of the Good News that Jesus is God incarnate
(human form). We are assured of God’s Faithfulness
and that there is no darkness that can extinguish the light of God’s truth.
As you have been reading about who Jesus is based on the
"signs/miracles" he did, has your insight become brighter or darker?
Is your spiritual blindness turning into spiritual sight? John ends his book:
Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples,
which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that
you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:30-31)
This is what the sixth sign in John illustrates.
God’s Faithfulness and assurance that no darkness can quench the "True Light."
A Menorah was lit. First day two, then one each day one more, recalling the "miracle that
there was only enough oil for one day, but that it lasted eight days. Later Menorahs
were used in homes. Words associated with Chanukah are:
Latkes,(special pancake) Gelt, (Gold Coins) and Driedel-four-sided top.
On each side a Hebrew word meaning a:
"Great Miracle Happened Here"
Each time the driede was spun it reminded the players of God’s power
and faithfulness.
Miracles still Happen Here.
John briefly narrates the story of the Miraculous Healing of a blind man.
He is more interested in the interaction between the Pharisees and the
Blind man. Through a series of interrogations, John shows that as the
blind man increases in knowledge of Jesus, while the Religious Leaders
blinded themselves to the Light, plunging into darkness.
In one way, the story is allegory of us all.
We All were born Spiritually Blind. Some of us were fortunate to meet
Jesus early in life, especially if we were raised in a home where Jesus’
love was demonstrated and taught. Others of us remained
Spiritually Blind because no one ever told us about Jesus or if someone
did, we were not ready to listen let alone ask for spiritual healing.
This story is about one who sat in darkness and was brought to see
the Light, not only physically but spiritually. It is also about those
who could see, the Religious Leaders, becoming spiritually blind.
John begins the story with a blind man receiving sight and ends
with the Pharisees becoming spiritually blind. (John 10:41)
The care with which the evangelist has drawn his portraits of increasing
insight and hardening blindness are masterful. Three Times the former
blind man, who is truly gaining knowledge, humbly confesses
his ignorance (10:12, 25, 36). Three Times the Pharisees,
who are really plunging deeper into abysmal ignorance of Jesus,
make confident statements about what they know about him. (10:16, 24, 29)
The blind man’s confrontation with the Pharisees in, vs. 24-34,
is one of the most clearly written dialogues in the New Testament.
Before Jesus acts, he explains the purpose and meaning of the healing.
He says that "Light was coming into darkness, that God’s
power might be displayed."
The Festival of Dedication was a time of reflecting on the past,
what Israel and Judah had done that led to seeing their
Temple desegrated. The Disciples asked:
"Who sinned, this man or his parents." (2)
Jesus does not address the issue of suffering.
He shows what God can do in any person.
He was born blind that the power
of God could be seen in him. (9:3)
As the people were lighting candles in commemoration of the
miracle that occurred in 164 B.C., Jesus performed another
miracle and says: I Am The Light of the World.(5)
As a sign of that Light, Jesus gives sight to one born blind.
Everyone knew, God was the source of Power that allowed
Jews to be victorious over the Syrians. Jesus intentionally uses:
Ani hu. Used only of God.
As we saw last week, Jesus said:
Be not afraid, I Am here. (Ego Emi-Yahweh)
Ani hu - I Am the source of the Light.
That is why the Jews split over Jesus’ source of power
in healing a blind man. Some said: "It is Demonic,"
while others: "Healing the blind is one of the
signs of the Messiah." (Isaiah 29:18, 35:5, 42:7).
"The Source must come from God."
Notice the Progression of Understanding which the
blind man goes through. When questioned: how he
received his sight the man said:
The man called Jesus made paste and smeared it on my eyes.
The man’s knowledge of Jesus was what others said
and Jesus’ touch. He had not yet seen Jesus.
The Religious Leaders called the man to give account as to
how he had gained sight. The former blind man retold the story.
Since Jesus had made clay, and it was forbidden to work on the
Sabbath, they Leaders said:
This fellow is no man of God, he does not keep the Sabbath.
Others said:
How could such signs come from a sinful man?
Finally, the man answers: He is a Prophet. (9:16-17)
The Miracle could not be denied.
So, the Parents we summoned and asked:
Is this your son, whom you say was born blind?
How then does he now see? (9:19)
The parents fearful of being barred from the Temple said:
We know this is our son and that he was born blind,
but how he sees we do not know,
nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him yourselves.
He is of age. He will speak for himself. (9:20-23)
So, for a second time the Pharisees call in the formerly
blind man and said:
Give God the praise. We know that this man is a sinner.
The man responded: (9:24-25)
Whether the man is a sinner I do not know.
One thing I know, that though I was blind, now I see.
The Religious Leaders were asking for a confession of guilt.
(Joshua 7:19)
At the very least if a miracle occurred, that it was
God's power not Jesus’ Authority.
The former blind man responds:
Never since the world began has it been heard
that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind.
If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.
The man boldly acknowledges that
Jesus comes from and with God’s authority. (9:32-33)
The Pharisees said: You were born in utter sin
this was their explanation why he was born blind)
and would teach us? They cast him out.
The formerly blind man was beginning to see the truth of
who Jesus was, while the Pharisees were becoming totally
blind to God’s miraculous action. (9:34)
In contrast to the action of the religious leaders,
Jesus looks for the man who had been healed and asks:
Do you believe in the Son of Man?
The formerly blind man answered:
Who is he sir, that I might believe in him?
Then comes the most precious words:
You have seen him, and he is the one who speaks to you.
He said: Lord. I believe. and he worshiped him.
The man who had been physically and spiritually blind now,
literally, saw the one who had healed him.
More than that, he gained complete insight into the
fact that Jesus was not only a Prophet and Man of God,
but the Promised Messiah, God Himself.
Jesus concludes the episode saying:
39: For judgment I have come into this world, so that the
blind will see and those who see will become blind.
40: Some Pharisees, who were with him, heard him say this
and asked, "What? Are we blind too?"
41: Jesus said, if you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin.
But now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.
This is the heart of the story. As people received information
about Jesus, they became more and more liable to responding
to that information. While they were spiritually blind,
they had an excuse for not responding to Jesus.
Once their eyes are opened, if they closed them to truth,
they were guilty of rejecting God’s miraculous transforming love.
A Great Miracle happened on that Chanukah.
An even greater miracle occurs each time one of us responds
to the light of the Good News that Jesus is God incarnate
(human form). We are assured of God’s Faithfulness
and that there is no darkness that can extinguish the light of God’s truth.
As you have been reading about who Jesus is based on the
"signs/miracles" he did, has your insight become brighter or darker?
Is your spiritual blindness turning into spiritual sight? John ends his book:
Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples,
which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that
you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:30-31)
This is what the sixth sign in John illustrates.
As I wrote last week, *"The Chosen" is a dramatic rendition of Jesus and his disciples. It can be seen on Prime or The Chosen's app: The Chosen.tv./app!, The episodes dramatizing the Scripture passages in this blog are Season 4 episode 3. The Chosen is a Drama adjusting where or when events, from Scripture, took place. This the case of this episode. In John this miracle took place in Jerusalem, while in The Chosen, it took place in Galilee.
Side bar: In John, Jesus tells the blind man to go to the Pool of Siloam. Likely, that meant walking down the Pilgrims path filled with Jews who had cleansed themselves in the Pool of Siloam, before walking up the Pilgrims Path to the Temple.
That Pilgrim path has just been opened to the public after years of excavating the path, which had been buried under 40 plus feet of earth. Details of the discovery, excavations of the Pilgrims Path are recorded in a book entitled: "When the Stone's Speak," by Doron Spielman.
Next week we will look a seventh sign:
"BRINGING GLORY to GOD" based on John 11:1-17
Next week we will look a seventh sign:
"BRINGING GLORY to GOD" based on John 11:1-17
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