Scripture Passage: Jn 9:1-12 & 35-41

Background

•John’s Gospel is spattered around with the metaphors of light and darkness (e.g. Jn 1, Jn 3, Jn 8, Jn 12)
•Jesus is not a wanted person in and around Jerusalem (Jn 7:12,13; 8:59)
•But he is also a ‘wanted’ person in Jerusalem (Jn 7:30)
Blind Who? Blind Why?

•Jesus is on the streets of Jerusalem and there ‘happens’ to be a blind man…un-named
•An inquiry from the disciples about the man’s predicament ensues
•Jesus’ response is neither of the choices given to him (Ex 20:6; Ez 18:20; Num 12)
•The man’s appointed suffering was to reveal God’s Glory (Is 29:18)
•He also gives a mission mandate in his response

Touched By The Former (Creator)
•The very hands that were involved in the creation of this man would now touch him!
•Jesus’ action is unnecessary (Jn 4) …but what then necessitates it?
•Confusion prevails around this man’s apparent healing…though the man now sees he does not know where Jesus is!
•The case proceeds to the Pharisees for investigation
•That Jesus has healed on a Sabbath is a denial of his claim or so it seems

Seeing Yet Not Perceiving

•John in this somewhat detailed and long narrative brings this aspect before us
•An outcast testifies about Jesus while the religious group stubbornly refuse to recognize him
•Jesus meets the man again and with his physical eyesight restored asks a searching question
•He perceived not only with the physical but with the spiritual and worships
•As much as light illuminates it also judges!
The Gospel Is Illuminating
•Paul affirms this in his words to King Agrippa in Acts 26
•Its but obvious for the giver of the Gospel is himself “The Light of the world”
•In this ‘Spit, Dirt and Gospel’ narrative there is light to be carried and a light that continues to illuminate
Take Away: Make efforts to get yourself under the right illumination, God’s Person and God’s Word