The story in John 9:35-41 depicts the blind man experiencing ‘progressive revelations’ about who Jesus was: from a man (v.11), to a prophet (v.17), who might have disciples (v.27), to someone ‘from God’ (v.33), even the ‘Son of man’ (= ‘Messiah’, vv. 35-6), one who is, most appropriately, worshipped (v.38). But as the man born blind moves into more light, the Pharisees progress into deeper darkness.

Jesus apparently went looking for the man he healed of blindness. Chrysostom said of this incident: ‘The Jews cast him out of the temple; the Lord of the temple found him.’ The Pharisees, meanwhile, had a dilemma: Jesus breaks the Sabbath, so must be a sinner; but a sinner can’t do a miracle like this; so the facts must be untrue; but it really happened – so they resort to abuse. In their pride and self-deception, they thought they knew it all.

The darkness of those who know they’re blind is better than the spiritual pride of those who think they see everything.

Meditate: ‘Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish… to shame the wise… (1 Corinthians 1:26-30)

Lord, please remove the cataracts from my spiritual eyes. Amen.

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