Believing is Seeing – John’s Gospel, chapter 9, verses 35 to 41
Light – revealing AND blinding
Just like car headlights: They reveal much on a dark night, but someone else’s high beam can also blind us.
Blindness that sees
35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ 36 ‘Who is he, sir?’ the man asked. ‘Tell me so that I may believe in him.’ 37 Jesus said, ‘You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.’ 38 Then the man said, ‘Lord, I believe,’ and he worshipped him.
The Blind Man: His eyes can now see. Soon the eyes of his soul will also see. “Jesus found him.” Jesus comes seeking him. The religious rulers threw him out, but Jesus brings him in. “Do you believe in the Son of man.” He is willing to believe. Up until this time he had not seen Jesus. “Lord, I believe.” and he worships him.
Sight that blinds
39 Jesus said, ‘For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.’ 40 Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, ‘What? Are we blind too?’ 41 Jesus said, ‘If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.
The Pharisees: Claiming to see all about God, they are self-deluded, blind to the truth standing before them. No seeing of their own souls’ needs. An arrogant, know it all, blindness.
A plea for Humility
The one quality needed for seeing: Humility says “I don’t know everything.” The once-blind man is our example.
