SIGHT FOR THE BLIND
Sight for the Blind
John 9:24-41
"The same sun which melts wax hardens clay. And the same gospel which melts some persons to repentance hardens others in their sins."
~ Charles Spurgeon, “The Lesson of the Almond Tree”
2 Corinthians 2:15–16: For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life.
Main Idea: Jesus opens the eyes of the blind so we might worship him.
I. The Blind Who See
The Pharisees call and interrogate the blind man who was healed by Jesus for a second time. Two things in this conversation stand out that reveal his “sight” regarding Jesus:
His Undeniable Testimony: “One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see” (9:25b)
This man’s testimony of Jesus’ work in his life is a simple summary of what is true for all who have been saved by Christ (cf. Acts 26:18; Eph. 1:18). He knows that this is the work of God and God alone and could not possibly be performed by a “sinner.”
2 Corinthians 4:6: For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
His Bold Freedom
This man’s confidence and freedom under the intense microscope of the Pharisees is surprising and a clear sign of his complete transformation. Unlike his parents (cf. 9:20-23), he does not fear the Jewish leaders and sarcastically sees through their charades. He points out that their unbelief in the face of this miracle is even more “amazing” than the miracle itself! (9:30)
II. The Seeing Who Are Blind
As the Pharisees continue to harden their hearts and seek evidence for their verdict regarding Jesus, two things stand out that reveal their blindness:
Their Prideful Unbelief
The Pharisees are sure to position themselves as the highest authority over and over again:
They force the man into an oath: “Give glory to God…” (cf. Josh. 7:19)
They continually emphasize “we know…” (9:24, 29; cf. 3:2)
They claim to be “disciples of Moses,” the true experts in the Word of God (9:28)
The Pharisees were not just physically blind to the true identity of Jesus Christ; they had darkened hearts that were hostile to the works of God (cf. 5:18; 7:1). Their sinful hearts and prideful posture led them to spectacularly wrong assumptions and assessments about Jesus, revealing the depth of their blindness.
Their Controlling Authority
Rather than using their authority to celebrate and promote the obvious “works of God” (9:3-4), they twist their authority toward unrighteous ends. In this interrogation, they “revile” the now seeing man (9:28), belittle his dignity (9:34a), and then ultimately “excommunicate” him from the synagogue (9:34b), cutting him off from the hub of religious, social, and political life in his community.
“The congenital blindness of this man will be interpreted by both the disciples (9:2) and by the authorities (9:34) as evidence of sin… [but] this man is simply representative of the entire human situation. The distinction is not between those who are blind and those who see; it is between those who know they are blind and those who claim they see. But this distinction cannot come to light except when the light comes.” ~ Lesslie Newbigin, The Light has Come: An Exposition of the Fourth Gospel
III. The Son Who is Worshiped
Jesus stands out over and against everyone else in this account that has turned from a wonderful, merciful miracle to an awful display of those who “loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil” (3:19). Though this man was “cast out,” Jesus goes out to find him, foreshadowing his own being “cast out” (cf. Heb. 13:12) to save lost sinners and bring sight to the blind (cf. Ps. 27:10).
“Do you believe in the Son of Man?” is the essential question that confronts everyone. Jesus invokes the “Son of Man” to emphasize his authority and righteous judgments (cf. Dan. 7:13-14). Jesus graciously reveals that this man is seeing the Son of Man right before him (cf. 4:26); he “believes” and “worshiped him” (9:38), the right and proper response to Christ.
Though Jesus has come into the world to save and not to condemn (3:17; 12:47), the good news of the gospel is simultaneously bad news for those who reject him, blinded and darkened by their own sin and pride. Jesus comes in order “that those who do not see may see” and that “those who see may become blind” (cf. Isa. 6:10; 42:7; Mk. 4:12).
The Pharisees nearby rightly discern that Jesus is speaking of them, but their unwillingness to admit their need of Jesus means that their “guilt remains” (9:41); they think they can see, but they are blind (cf. Lk. 5:31-32; 18:10-14).
“It is a very wonderful thing about the gospel that it is meant for people who think themselves most unsuited for it, and most undeserving of it, — it is a sight for those who see not... “Christ died for our sins,” not for our virtues. It is not your efficiencies, but your deficiencies which entitle you to the Lord Jesus. It is not your wealth, but your want; it is not what you have, but what you have not; it is not what you can boast of, but what you mourn over, that qualifies you to receive the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. O blind eyes… O souls that sit in darkness… I have good news for you — light for the blind, gladness for the despairing, and grace for the guilty.”
~ Charles Spurgeon, “Sight for Those Who See Not”