John 9:2-5
And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.”
This passage speaks of a messianic miracle: the healing of a man born blind, never performed before in the world. Read the whole account in John, Chapter 9. It was widely accepted that only the Messiah, the Son of God, would be able to do certain miracles. Jesus had already performed other such miracles before this, including the cleansing of a leper, the casting out of a mute and deaf demon from a mute man, and the raising of the dead. The religious leaders had already been forced to officially investigate the validity of these miracles. Although these and many other miracles clearly substantiated His identity as the Christ, they flatly chose to reject Him!
Why did a majority of the church leaders reject and oppose Jesus, in spite of the obvious miracles He performed, His astounding anointed scriptural teaching, and His love for people? Scripture states their hearts were far from God, and they were jealous of Jesus as people flocked to Him. Many in Israel also rejected Jesus being the One to come, because they mistakenly expected the Messiah to free them from the ruling Romans by military force.
Jesus came to fulfill the will of His Father in heaven. As a man, He always sought and obeyed the Holy Spirit’s leading. The way He healed the man born blind is interesting to note. Jesus spat on the ground, made clay with it and put it on his eyes. Then He sent him to wash in the pool of Siloam. It seems that they were near the temple, and that was a walk of nearly 2000 feet or 600 meters. But when the blind man did so, he received sight! He also came back. Was it to thank Jesus? Later, the church leaders questioned him about the healing, but rejected him and his testimony also, after stating he was born ‘entirely in sins’. When Jesus found him again and asked if he believed in Him, he said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped Him.
Jesus is called a ‘man of sorrows’ in scripture. The sin He saw around Him, the lack of proper understanding of God, His Word and His ways, the hardness of heart in people rejecting Him and so on must have grieved Him. In the end, Jesus paid the penalty of our sin, dying on the cross and rising again, to please His Father and make the way for us to be forgiven and become a Child of God.
Jesus lived as a man perfectly before His Father and fulfilled His mission for mankind. The man born blind, had a hard life from birth, but was used of God greatly. When he obeyed Jesus, he received his sight in God’s love, and learned who Jesus actually was. His life must have been transformed! Some, like the proud Pharisees (a religious group), however, rejected their Savior.
We each must honestly consider if we have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior from sin, and as Lord. Is our heart soft toward God and His Word in the Bible? For those who have responded, are we seeking after Him and His will for us, and loving those around us? Selfish and worldly pursuits are empty and negative for us. But a close walk with God is tremendous.
Let’s come to Him, and work the works of God.
Other Scripture
Isaiah 9:6-7
Luke 4:16-21