John 9:24-41
Q.1. Why were the Jewish leaders sceptical about the healing? How did the healed man address their denunciation of Jesus? – (Jn.9:24-25 c.f. 16)
In the minds of the religious leaders, Jesus was a lawbreaker because He healed the man’s blindness on the Sabbath day. They did not believe that God would have used Jesus this way. They wanted the healed man to explain another narrative behind his healing. However, he insisted that the details that they had heard were totally accurate – … Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see (Jn.9:25). He would have had to lie to change his story.
Q.2. How did the persistent doubts and threats of the leaders affect the healed man? What led him to conclude that Jesus was from God? – (Jn.9:26-34)
Some people wilt under constant attack. Here, God had designated the right man for the healing. He fearlessly challenged the Pharisees – … Well, here is an amazing thing, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him. 32 Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, He could do nothing (Jn.9:30-33). The healed man refused to come to conclusions on hearsay, but rather on long established and also recent facts. The Pharisees mocked and belittled his stubborn faith.
Q.3. Why did Jesus follow-up the healed man? How did he respond to Christ’s claims? – (Jn.9:35-38)
Jesus heard that the healed man had been ex-communicated. He sought him out to ensure that he understood what had happened – … Do you believe in the Son of Man? (Jn.9:35). I love his response which was heavily weighted in favour of the One Who had healed him – … Who is He Lord that I may believe in Him? (Jn.9:36). Upon learning that Jesus was the Son of Man, he believed Him and worshiped Him. We too should ascribe worth to Christ.
Q.4. How should we understand Christ’s reason for coming into the world? What makes spiritual blindness so fatal? – (Jn.9:39-41)
Jesus had declared earlier to Nicodemus – For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him (Jn.3:17). Here He expanded on His reason for coming – … For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind (Jn.9:39). Throughout life, sinners make decisions about the Saviour that will be carried through to the Judgment … the Judgment Seat of Christ for the saved, or the Great White Throne Judgment for all of Christ rejecters. Many refuse to accept their sinful state, so therefore leave this life under God’s righteous condemnation. Jesus told them – If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, `We see,’ your sin remains (Jn.9:41 c.f. Jn.3:36).