John 9, Verses 13-23
They brought to the Pharisees the man who was formerly blind. Now it was a Sabbath on the day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. Remember the Pharisees? They are prime specialists of antagonism with the result lead astray effectiveness. The timing is perfect for
their best day of antagonism: it was the Sabbath. Then the Pharisees also were asking him again how he received his sight. When you get an answer that you did not want or did not expect, you ask again. And he said to them, "He applied clay to my eyes, and I washed, and I see." A simple answer to a simple, yet complex question. Therefore some of the Pharisees were saying, "This man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath." The Pharisee's reasoning was limited, for they were stuck on the issue of the Sabbath. They rose this issue, according to John's Gospel, back in Chapter 5 when Jesus directed the lame man to pick up his bed and walk (on the Sabbath). There a man of some 38 years was walking. Now a blind man was seeing. They failed to see beyond their religion to see the miracle of life change. They were ... but now they ...! Jesus clearly broke the Sabbath, but He fulfilled the goodness and compassion of His Father, Almighty God, YHWH. But others were saying, "How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?" And there was a division among them. This issue of the Law of God or the Compassion of God causes division to this day. So they said to the blind man again, "What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes?" They asked the man again. His answer is of a deeper nature. It ventures from the previous 'what He did' into the 'who He is.' One's being always further explains issues previous decided and limited to one's actions. And he said, "He is a prophet." His answer was clearly more definitive. It was widely accepted in Judaism that if an indisputable miracle it was "prima facie evidence" that divine commission was involved. Therefore, the divine commission would place Him above any human legal authority. Jesus was a prophet. The Jews then did not believe it of him, that he had been blind and had received sight, until they call the parents of the very one who had received his sight, So they chose to discount the miracle by discounting the man. Thereby discounting the miracle. They called his parents. and questioned them saying, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? Then how does he now see?" The interrogation of the parents. If they could prove that the blindness was not from birth, then they could dismiss the validity of the miracle. So, what do you say, Dad? What do you say, Mom? Was he born blind? His parents answered them and said, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but how he now sees, we do not know; or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself." His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if any confessed Him to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue. For this reason his parents said, "He is of age, ask him." They corroborated two facts: 1. This is our son, 2. He was born blind. They did not know 'how' and they refused to venture a guess. They were afraid, but they, nevertheless, did the right thing. They insisted that their son speak for himself for he was of age.CONCLUSION
What is the difference between 'religion' and 'Christianity?' Which one is characterized by rules and regulations? Which one is characterized by a relationship?
Can you see beyond the Law of God to the Compassion of God?
Who do you say Jesus is?
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