Dr Liam Goligher – Once I was blind, now I see (this guy is a brilliant preacher)
Jesus leaves the religious to go and work
He finds a man sitting in darkness, which symbolizes all of those in spiritual darkness
Have you heard a good theodicy?
When you expect to not find yourself anywhere spiritually, that’s often where we find God working
Like the blind man, we’re all born blind.
Our lives are not in vain if God uses us.
God often uses our suffering for revealing himself.
God uses suffering for spiritual growth.
Suffering forces dependence
Life is all about him.
This man’s healing is causing a division within the religious hierarchy
we are learning about spiritual blindness. not understanding. not grasping what God has done.
12, 25, 36 he is increasing in knowledge
16,24,29 pharisees are plunging in deeper ignorance
the more he is interrogated, the more his faith grows
He progresses from his benefactor being Jesus, to ultimately the Son of Man, v11, v17, v33, then the Son of Man
Why does John emphasize the Sabbath day. Here is a day that was designed to provide rest and focus worship, a day in which we ought to be alive with a knowledge of God.
Making mud, it suggests effort, work. There going to make something of this.
He had kneading clay, made it into mud.
Shemaiah versus Hillel (two theological traditions demonstrated here among the pharisees/sanhedrin)
Calling the man a prophet was probably the highest distinction he knew of for a man
this blind man is already taking sides against the authorities who say Jesus is not from God
This man is saying this man has been sent by God, ie, he’s a prophet
they put prejudice before fact
1) is this your son, 2) was he born blind, 3) how does he now see?
1) this is our son, 2) he was born blind, 3) we don’t know (they lied)
Fear precludes them from entering the debate
Unbelief has already made up its mind
He had a different interpretation of the sabbath, so therefore he was wrong
What do they do when people are out-argued usually do? They respond with emotion.
The leaders put argument before decision. They are always arguing, but never coming to a conclusion.
Give glory to God – they start using spiritual language.
They’re inviting him to confirm their version, they wanted him to make a confession, they’re implying up to this point that he hasn’t been giving glory to God
Ironically, his answers ARE giving glory to God
This is not an objective inquiry.
They have no idea how they are condemning themselves, calling the Son of God a sinner.
He doesn’t shrink from his testimony. Though I was blind, now I see.
He’s bringing them back to the facts. Once I was blind, now I see.
Do the math. Who did that to me? How did it happen? You work it out.
They switch strategies. What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?
I have told you already….he is beginning to see these people for what they are.
Do you want to be his disciples too? He’s expecting a negative answer. But he’s clearly coming out as a disciple himself. He’s unabashed by the high pressure tactics.
It’s possible to engage in religious or theological discussion and never really want to get anywhere. They were not wanting to find the truth.
Once put on the spot, they drop any appearance of objectivity. This man has seen through them. So they revile them. They hurl insults.
They resort to sarcasm which is a common way to deal with people you think are out of your class.
We are the disciples of Moses. We know God has spoken to Moses. As for this man, we don’t know where he comes from.
They self-identify with Moses. But they were ascribing more to Moses than Moses was responsible for. Moses had not given them their oral tradition. He had given the written Scripture. Jesus was not opposed to Moses, but rather what they had added on to Moses. Jesus did not accept the authority of their oral tradition.
This distinguishing Jesus from Moses – they are dismissing Jesus.
There is a legal problem. In the Jewish jurisprudence, it was required by their own law that they do a background check on the person being charged. They failed to do this. We do not know where he comes from. This blind man could have been a lawyer, he’s very intelligent. He picks up on their admission. He’s gently mocking them. Why this is an amazing thing. You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. Should you not know this. You are the authorities. You should know about these things. Surely you should have looked into that. You’re telling me you don’t know. And yet you’re accusing him. He opened my eyes. You don’t know where he comes from. Yet he opened my eyes.
We know God does not listen to sinners. This is his argument. God does not listen to sinners.
Second, never since the world has begun, no one has heard of a man born blind having his eyes opened. If he was not from God, he could not do anything.
Given the timidity of his parents, you have to be all the more impressed with this man.
These pharisees have missed (isa 29, the deaf should hear, the eyes of the blind shall see)
isa 35, then the eyes of the blind should be opened.
isa 42, I am the lord, I have called you. I will open the eyes of the blind.
This was the Messiah’s job. I am the light of the world (is 42), Jesus is evidencing that he is the Messiah.
They are ignoring the words of Isaiah.
You were born in sin and YOU are teaching us???
Isn’t that interesting. By saying he was born in sin, they were admitting that he was blind from birth.
But we are all born sinful from birth. Born in sin David reminds us.
They excommunicate him without any due process. He has been abandoned by the religious authorities.
Jesus heard about this and seeks him out.
The Son of Man is speaking to you. In Judaism, they knew that that means (Dan 7), a divine figure. The figure is given a kingdom that is everlasting and eternal. This guy already knows enough to challenge the pharisees, he already knows what the SOn of Man is.
Lord I believe, and he worshiped him. This is the first man recorded in the Gospels to worship Jesus. He saw. Not just his physical eyes, that was the least of the miracles. His spiritual eyes were opened. That’s how the holy spirit works in someone’s life. That’s what it means to be able to see spiritually.
The Pharisees move in the opposite direction. That’s where blindness takes you. You can’t teach me anything. I won’t believe and I won’t listen to you.
He who sees for the first time exposes the blindness of the pharisees
The whole of the Christian life is a progression, much like we see in this man. You will grow in your understanding when your eyes have been opened.
Even though you don’t understand it all, you identify with him, you’re teachable. You want to learn more.
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