GOOD NEWS FROM ST. JOHN
Meditations in the Gospel of St. John
St. John 9:13-34 (Part 2)
* * * * *

LAST time when we considered this passage, it was the problem of spiritual darkness which is shown in the attitude of the Pharisees to this blind man that concerned us. In this second consideration of these verses we shall look at the man healed from his blindness, at the experience he went through, and how he handled it. We shall find his experience very instructive for our own lives as Christians.

The first thing to observe is how almost immediately he had received this healing blessing from Jesus, he suffered persecution. I hope that we do not have such an intense experience of trouble and persecution because of our faith, but the truth is that every Christian will suffer attack from the world because of their faith.

First of all this man healed from his blindness by Jesus gives us an example of how to handle the attack and abuse of the world. In verse 14 we read that the Pharisees asked him what he had to say about Jesus. The man simple told the truth about his experience. He just told the facts, neither more nor less. He told them that Jesus had put mud on his eyes, and that now he could see. The man did not know very much, but what he did know he was ready to witness to. In the same way we can witness to what we know. We are not expected to know all the answers, but simply to tell others as opportunity arises, what Jesus has done for our souls. As our knowledge and experience grows, so we will be able to extend our witness, just as this man did.

Then in verses 17 and 18 we see that the man born blind was ready to give glory to Jesus and to affirm him. The Pharisees asked him what he thought of Jesus and he boldly told them what he thought, which was that Jesus is a prophet. His understanding and faith had not grown very much, and he had not yet fully understood who Jesus was, but he was ready to affirm Jesus before his questioners. There is an example to us here, to be as open and bold about our faith as this man was.

The devil rarely leaves us alone for long, and so it was with this healed man. The Pharisees returned. In verse 24 the Pharisees tried to make the man born blind deny Jesus by saying that they knew Jesus was a sinner. We too may face arguments we can’t answer. What this healed man did was to admit that he did not know everything, and could not argue with the Pharisees. He said that he did not know whether Jesus was a sinner or not. He could not answer the Pharisees accusation, but he plainly shows that he is not ready to accept their evaluation even though he can’t answer their statement. What this healed man does is to reaffirm what he did know. “One thing I do know: I was blind but now I see!” is what he replies (v.25). We may not have all the answers, but we can hold fast to what we know is true, and not be shaken by the questions and opposition that we experience.

The man born blind also shows great courage. Even though he can’t answer the Pharisees, he is not afraid to challenge them. So when the Pharisees ask him again how his eyes were opened, he challenges them about whether they want to become the disciples of Jesus. (v.27).

As the conflict goes on, we see the healed man increasing his knowledge. The persecution was a means to strengthen his faith and understanding. Far from diminishing his love for Jesus, the persecution caused him to cling to Christ more. The persecution also had the blessed result of causing him to think through what he did know, and come to some true understanding. We see in verse 30 the man reflecting on the fact that his eyes had been opened, and from this deducing that Jesus must be a godly man, and one who was from God, because nobody could do what he did unless God was with him.

Persecution is hard to bear, but it does produce blessing. This man’s faith was deepened by his painful experience, and his understanding grew. If he had not been attacked by the Pharisees in this virulent way, he might never have thought as he did, and so never come to such deeper faith; or if not never, it would have taken a much longer time before he progressed so far. God allows us to suffer persecution for the good of our souls, and therefore we should face persecution with fortitude and thankfulness.

In the end the healed man suffered even more, The Pharisees resorted to violence against him, and he was excluded from the synagogue. For the sake of Jesus this man lost so much in worldly terms, but he did not renounce his faith in Jesus because he had so much more from Jesus and in Jesus, and he was able, like Paul, to count worldly blessings as all loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ, who he was coming to know as his Lord.

The world offers much, but it is all fading glory. As John Newton expressed in his great hymn -

Fading is the worlds best pleasure,
All its boasted pomp and show;
Solid joys and lasting treasure
None but Zion’s children know.