March 21 -- John 9:13-41
“Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”—John 9:25 (NIV)

Because Jesus did not “keep the Sabbath” according to the Pharisees’ rules, they insisted He could not be from God. Some of the people with the blind man asked how a “sinner” could “perform such signs,” and the Pharisees were “divided” (v. 16). Their division was not about whether or not Jesus was from God, though; instead, they were divided on how to explain away the miracle of the blind man’s healing. So, they continued to question the man and refused to believe the miracle happened until they sent for his parents, who confirmed that the man was blind but refused to say how he was healed because they feared being “put out of the synagogue” (v. 22).
The Pharisees summoned the formerly blind man a second time to confront him. They implied he had lied to them since they believed Jesus was a sinner (and a sinner could not have been responsible for a healing miracle). The formerly blind man witnessed to them all by simply stating what Jesus had done for him. He said, “Whether He is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” (v. 25)
The Pharisees asked the same questions they had asked before, and the formerly blind man lost patience. He responded, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become His disciples too?” (v. 27) You can hear the sarcasm in that last question. It’s interesting that the man wasn’t afraid of the Pharisees the way his parents were. The man’s courage came from his experience with Jesus. After all, why should he fear the Pharisees when he has experienced the power of Christ?
The Pharisees “hurled insults” at the man and tried to show their superiority by saying that they were Moses’ disciples and they were certain God spoke to Moses. The formerly blind man cut through their pomposity, though, when he said, “We know that God does not listen to sinners….If this man were not from God, He could do nothing” (vv. 31-33). The Pharisees could not answer this logic, so they insulted him again and threw him out.
Jesus heard about this confrontation, went to the man, and revealed Himself as the Son of Man. In response, the formerly blind man believed and worshiped Him. Jesus then commented on the man’s faith in contrast to the unbelief of the Pharisees. The blind man could see, and those who believed they could see were actually blind because they refused the truth that so obviously came directly from God.
This passage reminds me of something Steven James wrote in Sailing Between the Stars: Musings on the Mysteries of Faith:
In the crazy world of Christianity, those who think themselves wise are really fools in disguise, while those who know they’re fools become our greatest prophets and teachers. Those who are most aware of their sins are our greatest saints, while those who think they’re not really all that bad (at least compared to most people) are the greatest sinners. Those who think they’re humble are proud, but those who know they’re proud are humble. Those who believe themselves to be free are the most enchained; those who see their chains are finally free. As long as I think I can see, I’m blind. And only when I’m brave enough to admit that I’m beyond all hope does hope come crashing in and cleanse my heart.
The Pharisees were proud fools who were blind and enslaved but believed they were wise, free, and clear-sighted. They deliberately refused to believe in Jesus despite the evidence of many miracles, so they were guilty, and their sin remained on them. If they could only have overcome their pride, they would have found freedom and forgiveness.
Consider: Is there any way that my pride is interfering in my relationships with God or others? When am I willing to listen to Jesus, ready to believe and do what He commands, like the formerly blind man? When am I more like the Pharisees, holding on to my pride rather than doing what I know I should do?
Spend some time with God, asking Him to show you where your heart still needs softening. Ask Him to show you where you still have chains, and ask Him to free you from them, remembering that He is faithful to do so.
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