March 20, 2016: Day 77 – John 9

An entire chapter dedicated to the repercussions when Jesus heals a man born blind.  This man and his healing will resonate later in this Gospel as many began believing in Jesus  because of this one act.  There is one verse which should sound familiar.  Try out vs.25 and you will find the following words: “One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.”  Amazing grace, you can hear this formerly blind man say, how sweet the sound.  But the whole basis for this chapter is a bit puzzling.  A wonderful miracle just took place and something unheard of happened.  A man born blind was given back his sight, nothing like this had ever happened before.  Everyone seems to be caught up in whether he was actually born blind or not.  Everyone seems to be concerned on whether it happened on a Sabbath or not.  Everyone seemed to be concerned what kind of person Jesus was which somehow would dictate whether the healing was legitimate or not.  The fact of the matter was that this man was born blind, and now he can see…period.

Jesus seeks him out after they have kicked him out of the temple, basically after he was excommunicated.  A curious statement can be read in vs. 22 where we hear that “anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue”.  This man was put out and so Jesus, claiming some responsibility to that, seeks him out.  “Do you believe in the Son of Man? I am he.”  As a result of this statement, and not of the healing, he worships Jesus.  Sometimes it takes not just an act, but an explanation of an act to elicit belief.