Bible Video (if the video doesn't load, refresh the page): Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind
There is an amazing account in the book of John, chapter nine. In this chapter, Jesus is walking with His disciples and they pass by a man who is blind, and has been since birth. The disciples stop and ask the Lord who had sinned that this man be blind, being left to a life of utter dependence and begging. The Lord's disciples asked whether he had sinned, or if it was his parents (John 9:1-2).This question is loaded with meaning.
First of all, it clearly indicates that the Lord's disciples believed that this man, and therefore by implication all of us, lived or existed before this life. Otherwise, how could this man, who was blind from birth, have sinned, and thereby have brought about the presumed punishment of being blind upon himself? I think the fact that the Lord did not correct them on this point is significant and points towards a doctrine of a life, or existence before the one we all now enjoy (Jeremiah 1:4-5 for another scriptural reference). Further, this preexisting state seems to have been a time when we made choices and a time when we could act accomplishing either good or evil.
The next thing to glean from these verses is that the disciples couldn't imagine that God, who is just, could make this man blind from birth unless he or his parents had brought this punishment upon themselves. Their mindset seemed to be that anything else would be unfair, and thus, couldn't possibly be attributed to God. Many of us have similar sentiments, or even worse, refuse to believe in God because of the apparent injustices that abound in this life. Sometimes, God allows challenges to enter our lives because of the opportunities for growth life's difficulties provide. In this case, as pointed out by the Lord, the man was born blind that the power of God might be manifest.
John 9:3-7
3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,
7 And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.
Both Jesus' words and deeds clearly testified of who He was, that He was the son of God. The blind man's neighbors were so astonished that, at first, some had a hard time believing that this was the same man who was blind from birth. Once they realized that this was indeed he who was blind, they brought him to stand before the Pharisees to tell his story. It's almost as if they needed the Pharisees to sanction the miracle before they could allow themselves to believe it or draw any conclusions of their own. This sort of deference to their authority indicates just how much influence the Pharisees held among the people of their day. The more logical course of action, in my mind, would have been to have sought Jesus out rather than the Pharisees and judge for themselves. Nevertheless, the man was brought before the Pharisees.
The Pharisees asked him how he received his sight and he told them how Jesus annointed his eyes with clay and after washing it away, he could see. After recounting his story, a division occurred between the Pharisees some saying that Jesus was a sinner because he formed the clay and healed the blind man on the Sabbath day, the others proclaiming that a sinner couldn't work a miracle such as that. After quarreling among themselves over the issue they turn again to the man healed by Jesus and ask him for his opinion and he states, simply, that Jesus is a prophet.
At this point the Pharisees seem to act out of desperation, refusing to believe that the man was born blind until his parents are brought before them and testify that the man before them is their son, and that he was born to them blind. When the Pharisees press the parents for answers, they are afraid to answer because they fear the Pharisees will have them put out of the synagogue.
John 9:19-23
19 And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see?
20 His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind:
21 But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.
22 These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.
23 Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him.
Again, the power and influence exercised by the Pharisees is apparent. Had they given their approval, the people would have flocked to the Lord, and he would have been recognized and worshipped as the Son of God. But, because they hardened their hearts against him to protect their own power and prestige among the people, they were blinded to the fact that a God stood in their midst working mighty miracles and proclaiming with power and authority the true and living gospel of the almighty God. The life giving waters of salvation were free for the taking, but they would not partake.
When the Pharisees further questioned the man who had been healed, he testified so boldly of Jesus that the Pharisees declared him a sinner, casting him out and refusing to hear him further. When Jesus heard that the man had been cast out from among the Pharisees, He sought the man out, and when found spoke with him:
John 9:35-39
35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?
36 He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?
37 And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.
38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.
39 ¶And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
Some of the Pharisees overhead this conversation and became indignant, asking the Lord if He was referring to them. The Lord answered them this way:
John 9:40-41
40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.
The sad, tragic irony is that the blind through the grace and power of God did receive their sight and rejoiced in their deliverance, worshipping God and believing in His son whom He sent, but the very people commissioned to act as spiritual guides and entrusted with teaching and preparing the people to receive the Lord at His coming were so caught up in the vain ambitions of this world that when the Lord stood before them uttering the words of life and salvation and working mighty miracles in their midst, all they could see was the threat He posed to their authority, and they refused to accept Him and fought against Him using their power and influence to turn the minds and hearts of the people against Him whenever they could. Ultimately, they were responsible for causing His death upon the cross.
The Pharisees, though they were convinced they saw clearly were among the most blind of any men that ever lived!
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