True Sight and Blindness

Jesus returns to the story, having disappeared from the narrative (7)–although he has been at the center of the intervening discussions. Now that the man has been thrown out of the synagogue, Jesus searches him out and leads him further in his understanding as to who it was who healed him. Of course, the man had never actually seen Jesus until this point, so his question in verse 36 is understandable, as Jesus acknowledges, and the man comes to a fuller revelation of who Jesus is and a more adequate confession of faith (35-38).

It is at this point that the lesson from all that has preceded it is drawn out and the chapter ends with a reversal of where it started (39-41). The man began the story knowing he could not see physically, but at the end he can see not only physically but also spiritually. The Pharisees, however, claim that they can see everything clearly, but in reality they cannot. They saw Jesus at work and heard his teaching, but because they thought they had the light, they refused to acknowledge that his works and words were from God. The Pharisees at the end of this story are tragically exposed. Not only are they wrong, their religiosity will not allow them to see that they are.

In a wonderfully crafted story, John demonstrates the man’s progress in insight and faith, and the Pharisees’ descent into darkness and blindness. I have no doubt with whom we wish to be identified, but we need to check ourselves constantly to ensure that we are standing with the blind man and open to God’s light, lest we find ourselves constructing a religiosity that is certain of our rightness but, in reality, leads us to being abandoned to our self-chosen darkness.

Ask God to show you if you are blind to some issues in your life. Is there a constructed religiosity you need to dismantle? Allow God’s light to penetrate and correct where necessary.