Daily Devotions
John
Another "instant witness" for Jesus
Text: John 9 : 10-41
ANOTHER “INSTANT WITNESS” FOR JESUS
The neighbours could not believe their own eyes as they spoke to the erstwhile blind man. Nobody had ever heard of such a great miracle performed. Excitedly they wanted to hear every detail.
“Therefore they said to him,
‘How were your eyes opened?’ “
John 9:10
Without hesitation, the man replied. He did not have very much knowledge, but he knew enough to bear witness concerning Jesus!
“A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes
and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’
So I went and washed, and I received sight.'”
John 9:11
John recorded in his Gospel a number of people who were “instant witnesses” for Jesus. The earliest disciples like Andrew and Philip were classic examples of people who bore witness for Jesus immediately after conversion (John 1:35-45). The woman of Samaria was also a good instant witness for the Saviour. Added to this list was the blind man who had been given sight.
However much we may rejoice in people who are “instant witnesses” there are certain drawbacks. The neighbours were obviously not terribly impressed with what they had heard. Since Jesus’ Name was mentioned, the neighbours asked him,
“Where is He?”
John 9:12
The man healed from his blindness found himself at a loss for words. He really did not know much about Jesus. Thus he replied,
“I do not know.”
John 9:12
INVOLVEMENT OF THE PHARISEES
We can only guess at why the neighbours brought the erstwhile blind man to The Pharisees. (This term is sometimes used interchangeably with “The Jews”. The former identifies the dominant group among The Jews).
A number of reasons could be suggested to explain why the neighbours brought the former blind man to The Pharisees:-
1. Natural reason
The Pharisees represented the religious authority of the land. It was quite natural to report peculiar phenomena to them. The neighbours might have felt that it was the right thing to do when they informed the Pharisees concerning this miracle.
2. Out of Fear
The neighbours must have been taken aback by the miracle that had taken place. They couldn’t understand it. Nor could the man who was healed explain what happened. His repeating of the words spoken to him by Jesus did not explain very much. They were just simple statements. The deeper meaning if any, was lost to them. Was this blind man healed by the power of God? Or was there some other power involved?
3. Unclear Intentions
The neighbours perhaps did not fully understand themselves when they brought the man to see The Pharisees. On one extreme, they may be suspected of being malicious. On the end of the spectrum, they were just unwise. Bringing in The Pharisees would only create trouble for the erstwhile blind man.
When The Pharisees came in, their approach was expectedly stereotypical! John noted,
“They brought him who formerly was blind to
the Pharisees. Now it was a Sabbath when
Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. Then
the Pharisees also asked him again how
he had received his sight. He said to them,
‘He put clay on my eyes, and I washed,
and I see.”
John 9:13-15
The Pharisees showed no concern and expressed no joy concerning the fact that the blind man had been given sight! They wanted to know exactly how the blind man had been healed!
A STREET-SMART WITNESS
The blind man may have been impaired where vision was concerned. However, he had become street-smart over the years. When his neighbours came to speak to him, with great joy he shared with them freely, exactly what happened. Let’s recall what he said.
“A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes
and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’
So I went and washed, and I received sight.'”
John 9:11
When the Pharisees interrogated him, the former blind man truncated his explanation to the barest minimum. He must have sensed that all was not right. Why were the people so incensed against the Man who had healed him?
“He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”
John 9:15
Wisdom taught him to curb his words, lest he put Jesus into trouble unnecessarily.