9 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” John 9 (Only in John’s Gospel)
The disciples thought there must have been sin committed for a man to be born blind. But Jesus said to them;
3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
Jesus warned that the work of God had to be done while it was still day, the ‘Night is coming’. In recent days much of man’s work ceased and it happened very suddenly. Jesus was the light in His days on Earth, but could there be a time when the work of God will cease, no work just waiting for His return? I don’t believe we’re at this time yet!
Jesus came to this man born blind, another man in darkness and healed his sight.
6 After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. 7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.
Then the healing became public knowledge, some didn’t think he was the man born blind, they needed proof. He was then taken to the Pharisees for them to confirm the miracle, but they threw up all sorts of arguments against it. The Bible records as much of their opposition as it does about the healing and Jesus’ subsequent words.
34 To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.
They couldn’t disprove the miracle, but neither would they acknowledge it. We might say they had a huge prejudice/ chip on their shoulder, against Jesus. That was how they rendered judgement, but the Lord’s judgement of them also follows.
39 Jesus said, “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.
Religious people who didn’t acknowledge the proof before their own eyes were reckoned blind/in darkness.
Matthew 23, gives the Seven Woes Jesus pronounced upon the Religious leaders. In 23:16 ‘blind guides’, 23:17 ‘blind fools’, 23:19, ‘You blind men’. Jesus had no doubt that these people were in total darkness concerning the Kingdom of God.
To the church of Laodicea, the resurrected Christ said;
17 You say, “I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.” But you do not realise that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, BLIND and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire (Testing of our Faith), so that you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so that you can cover your shameful nakedness; and SALVE TO PUT ON YOUR EYES, SO THAT YOU CAN SEE. Revelation 3
May the Lord open our eyes where we still need to see.
God bless and keep you today.