26th November 2024

A good investigation will include who, what, where, when, why, and how. Jesus had healed a blind man on the Sabbath. The Pharisees could only focus on the breaking of a law. They were blind to the miraculous blessing of God. What the Pharisees could not understand or accept was that Jesus was the Messiah; he was the Lord of the Sabbath. God established and set the rules, the laws, not the Jewish religious leaders. When they questioned Jesus’ authority, they challenged and accused God; they set themselves up as God’s authority.

I was also drawn to the fact that they did not seem happy for the blind man. They did not celebrate with him, but instead made him an example of sin. They had no thankfulness; they had no praise for God. I really think that they would have wanted him to have stopped Jesus from healing him on the Sabbath. They missed the whole point of mercy, forgiveness, and grace. They surely painted the picture of God as being a cruel and harsh God. Though they seemed to be lacking in faith and trust, the blind man was quick to accept Jesus, to worship him and to thank him (John 9:35-38). 

Blindness is more than a condition of the physical, it is also a condition of the heart. The Pharisees were blind, Jesus said (vv. 39-41). They were blind to the love of God and to the needs of others. Jesus used the blind man as an example to them of the love of God. Why? What was needed here? The blood of Christ to wash them clean, purify their conscience, and heal their spirit. They tried to enter heaven by their own power; keeping rules and regulations, keeping themselves pure and clean by their actions (John 10:1-18). But only the blood of Christ could open the door and allow them to enter.

I was reminded of Herod’s quest to learn where the newborn King Jesus was; trying to trick the Magi into revealing him, so that he could kill him, kill the one who had come to save us all. The Pharisees did not want to worship Jesus, but to kill him. They thought that they were removing a thorn in their side, doing God a favour, but the truth was that Jesus had come to save them despite their wrong intentions. Until their minds were healed, they would not understand. ‘Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our conscience from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.’ (Hebrews 9:14). 

Until they accepted Jesus Christ, they would not understand the true love of God. God came to reveal himself to the world, to cleanse it from sin. He came to complete his plan of salvation. ‘God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ-which is to fulfill his own good plan. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ-everything in heaven and on earth.’ (Ephesians 1:9-10). 

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