Thought on This Chapter
JN 9:18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him,
that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of
him that had received his sight.
JN 9:19 And they asked them, saying, Is this your son,
who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see?
JN 9:20 His parents answered them and said, We know
that this is our son, and that he was born blind:
JN 9:21 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.
JN 9:22 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.
JN 9:23 Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask
him.
Jesus had healed a man who was born blind. The
Pharisees question the former blind man on how he was healed. They did not
like the answer. So trying to disprove the healing, the Pharisees bring in
the former blind mans parents. His parents testified that it was their son
that was healed and that he was born blind. But they would not testify
that Jesus did it. The son they loved and raised was now healed.
Their son who had to beg for money, and had to bear the reproach of people who
thought he was blind because he was a sinner. The son they loved is now
healed by Jesus and will no longer have to suffer being blind. This was a
big deal for this family. You would think that these parents would be
spreading the news about this great healing. You would think that they
would be telling others about the healing power of Jesus. But they did
not. Why? The answer is found in verse 22.
JN 9:22 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.
The parents did not tell others about Jesus because of
what others might do to them. They knew that if they witnessed for Christ
that they were going to be put out of the synagogue. They would loose
their social status and their business contacts and many of their friends.
They could not go to the synagogue anymore, which was a center of their society.
They felt that the cost of witnessing for Jesus was too high. Now before
you are too hard on these parents, realize that many of us today do the same
thing. We will not speak out and witness for Jesus because we are afraid
of the consequences. We are afraid of loosing friends or social status.
Many are worried what others might think. None of these are valid reasons
for not witnessing for Jesus.
Thought On This Chapter
JN 9:30 The man answered and said unto them, Why herein
is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath
opened mine eyes.
JN 9:31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but
if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.
JN 9:32 Since the world began was it not heard that any
man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.
JN 9:33 If this man were not of God, he could do
nothing.
JN 9:34 They answered and said unto him, Thou wast
altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.
The blind man that was healed did not know a whole lot
of theology. He was not a Rabbi. He did not have huge amounts of
scripture memorized. He did not know everything. But what he knew,
he knew. He was a man who had been touched by God. His life had been
transformed. He did not get into things that he did not know of, he simply
witnessed of what he knew. And what he knew, he would not back down on.
Truth is truth and it is worth holding to and defending. He was not
intimidated into compromise by these religious leaders.
The truth that the former blind man laid out to these
religious leaders was undeniable. His case was very clear and the
religious leaders could not refute it. They had studied their whole lives
and this man who could not even see before a few hours ago was making them look
bad. They should have seen the truth in the man's argument, but their
pride would not allow it. Instead of getting right, they just got mad,
said something unscriptural and then thru the man out. The man who was
healed might have been physically blind a short time before, but these religious
leaders are spiritually blind. The blind man gladly accepted having his
blindness taken away and given sight. The religious leaders were a
different story. They were mad that someone was trying to take their
spiritual blindness away.
When you get right down to the bottom of the matter, it
did not matter how good of a case the former blind man made. The facts
were not going to matter. Truth was going to be twisted or ignored.
What you have here is not a logic matter. It is not building a good enough
case. It is not a lack of evidence. None of that is the problem.
The problem is with the heart. The religious leaders had a heart problem.
They simply were not going to listen. No matter what.
Their kind are still around today. I have dealt
with enough of them. It does not matter how good a case you make.
The truth does not matter to them. They will not listen. They will
not even consider your evidence. What the scriptures say will not matter.
When you run into their kind. Do the best you can. Hold to your
witness and testify for Jesus. And after it is over, don't put yourself
thru the, but what if I would have said this, or what if I would have remembered
that verse. Unless God brings conviction to their dark, blind hearts, it
will not matter. So just make the best case you can, witness for the
truth, do not be intimidated, and then pray. Pray that God will work on
their closed heart.
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King James Bible Main Index:
JN 9:1 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
JN 9:2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
JN 9:3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
JN 9:4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
JN 9:5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
JN 9:6 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,
JN 9:7 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.
JN 9:8 The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged?
JN 9:9 Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he.
JN 9:10 Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?
JN 9:11 He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.
JN 9:12 Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not.
JN 9:13 They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind.
JN 9:14 And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.
JN 9:15 Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.
JN 9:16 Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.
JN 9:17 They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet.
JN 9:18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight.
JN 9:19 And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see?
JN 9:20 His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind:
JN 9:21 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.
JN 9:22 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.
JN 9:23 Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him.
JN 9:24 Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner.
JN 9:25 He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.
JN 9:26 Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes?
JN 9:27 He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples?
JN 9:28 Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses' disciples.
JN 9:29 We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.
JN 9:30 The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.
JN 9:31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.
JN 9:32 Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.
JN 9:33 If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.
JN 9:34 They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.
JN 9:35 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?
JN 9:36 He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?
JN 9:37 And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.
JN 9:38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.
JN 9:39 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.
JN 9:40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
JN 9:41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.
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JN 9:2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did
sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
JN 9:3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned,
nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
The disciples had the attitude that suffering is
punishment for sin. So they asked is this man blind because of his sin or
his parents.
Jesus then corrects them and tells them that the man is
not blind because of his sin or his parents sin.
The disciples belief that suffering must be a
punishment for sin is wrong.
I have seen people have this same attitude. They
look at someone who is having a hard time and I have heard them say, "I wonder
what sin they are being punished for."
Trouble comes for many different reasons and only God
knows for sure why.
Thinking and judging that all trouble is punishment for
sin is wrong!
If you ever think like that, then you need to fall on
your knees and ask God for forgiveness.
Always remember that trouble can come into someone's
life for many different reasons. The reason that this
man was blind was, "that the works of God should be made manifest in him."
Sometimes trouble comes just so the works of God can be
made manifest. |
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