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A sharp contrast

Text: John 9 : 10-41

A SHARP CONTRAST

The contrast between the erstwhile blind beggar and the Jews was so obvious, that Jesus made this comment.

“For judgment I have come into this world,
that those who do not see may see,
and that those who see may be made blind.”
John 9:39

John did not merely record a story of how Jesus healed a blind man. He had a purpose in narrating this episode. He wanted to draw a sharp contrast between the blind beggar and the Jews who had sight.

The blind man represented those “who do not see”. When they were able to recognize Jesus for who He was, immediately they may be said to be able to see!

On the other hand, there were those who imagined that they could see. However, when they failed to see Jesus, they were in fact spiritually blind!

REMEMBERING AN ANCIENT PROPHECY

We are reminded of an ancient prophetic word preached by Isaiah. The spiritual state of Israel in those days was also regretfully dark. Despite the fact that God had sent so many prophets to the nation of Israel, the populace had essentially failed to respond. Thus the prophet Isaiah was sent to preach this powerful word to the people.

“Pause and wonder!
Blind yourselves and be blind!
They are drunk, but not with wine;
They stagger, but not with intoxicating drink.
For the Lord has poured out on you
The spirit of deep sleep,
And has closed your eyes, namely, the prophets;
And He has covered your heads, namely the seers.”
Isaiah 29:9-10

The prophets wielded a double-edged sword. On the one hand they preached to people to open their eyes to see the truths that God was revealing to them through His prophets! However, if people were going to “blind themselves” then they would “be blind” indeed.

Jesus had come to bring about “recovery of sight to the blind” (Luke 4:18). That wasn’t just a statement concerning His healing ministry alone. There was a deeper meaning. He had come to give sight to those who were spiritually blind, if they would have it.

The blind man was a truly classic case! He was born blind. He needed to be healed. No one could bring about recovery of sight to him, except Jesus! He was gloriously healed.

On the other hand, the Jews had rejected Jesus with great vehemence! They despised Him and fought all who were inclined to follow Him! They were the truly blind ones, even though they had eyes to see in the physical sense of the word!

THE SELF-CONDEMNATORY RETORT OF THE JEWS

The Jews were not far behind. They must have furtively followed Jesus. As Jesus spoke those words to the former blind beggar, they retorted with anger. John noted this.

“Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him
heard these words, and said to Him,
‘Are we blind also?'”
John 9:40

What the Pharisees intended to say was that they would strongly disagree with Jesus if He pronounced them “blind” in His judgment (“assessment”). They regarded others as blind and sinful. If anyone had spiritual eyes, why they would be prime examples – or so they thought of themselves!

The Jews had such a high opinion of themselves. Were they asking about how Jesus thought about them? Here was His judgment.

“If you were blind, you would have no sin;
But now you say, ‘We see.’
Therefore your sin remains.”
John 9:41

Spiritual blindness had always been the problem of the Jews. Yet, they could not see themselves as they ought! It was sin that blinded the people. In Isaiah’s prophecy, we read that sin could even cause spiritual blindness to the prophets or seers as they were sometimes called (Isaiah 29:9-10). The religious leaders of the day, the Pharisees, may indeed be compared to the ancient prophets and seers. They were so pitifully blind! Yet, they did not have the humility of spirit to confess their spiritual blindness that they might be healed! Since they had rejected Jesus, they had also retained their sins!

HOW DEEP CAN SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS BE?

The Jews had failed to fathom just how deep their spiritual blindness was. Let us ponder over another passage found in the Book of Isaiah.

“The whole vision has become to you like the words
of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one who is literate,
saying, ‘Read this, please.’
And he says, ‘I cannot, for it is sealed.’
Then the book is delivered to one who is illiterate, saying.
‘Read this, please.’ And he says, ‘I am not literate.'”
Isaiah 29:11-12

The Jews prided themselves in being literate, yet they could not even figure out who Jesus was! How deep was their spiritual blindness! Are we any better?