As He went along, He saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him ... While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
After saying this, He spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” He told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam”. So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.
His neighbours and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” ... .... ... But he himself insisted, “I am the man.” ... ... ...
They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind ... ... .... He answered, “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?”
Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, (Jesus), we don’t even know where He comes from.”
The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where He comes from, yet He opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does His will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.”
To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.
Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, He said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
“Who is He, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in Him.”
Jesus said, “You have now seen Him; in fact, He is the one speaking with you.”
Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshipped Him.
Jesus said, “For judgement I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”
Some Pharisees who were with Him heard Him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?”
Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.
The important lesson from this reading is that Jesus asked the blind man, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" That is: Do you believe in Me as being the Son of God?
Then He adds, "I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind." Meaning, there are many who know and accept that I am the Son of God yet they deny it publicly.
The Pharisees get His message and ask, "Are we blind too?" To which Jesus replies, "If you were (spiritually) blind - i.e. you did not know any better, you would not be guilty of sin. But since you claim you can see, (i.e. you know and understand who I am), then you are guilty."
Time and again when performing miracles, Jesus asks people if they believe in Him as the Son of God.
When He was told of Lazarus' death He said, "This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it." (John 11:3 onwards). Later He says to Martha, "I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" She said to Him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world."
When the tomb of Lazarus was opened Jesus said for all to hear, "Father, I thank you for having heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me."
And again in Mark 9:16 when He meets the man with a son possessed with an evil spirit. Jesus checks the man's faith by asking "If I can?". "All things are possible to him who believes!"
To which the man responds the immortal words, "I do believe; help my unbelief!" Confirming that he believes in who Jesus is.
Every time Jesus performed a miracle it was to glorify God and to prove His credentials as the Son of God. Turning water into wine, feeding the thousands, calming the sea, walking on water.
Of course, He cared for the suffering and the plight of the people. He loved and cared for them; but underlining His miracles was the desire to show us that He was/is the Son of God. Time and again He said, "Your Faith has saved you!" Meaning, your Faith in me that I am the Son of God has saved you.
"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6
The truth is the truth. Whether you believe it or not, it does not change it from being the truth.
Jesus said no one comes to the Father except through Him.
We have to decide whether we believe Him ... or not.
...why not?
ReplyDelete