Day Twenty-Five · 30 Encounters with Jesus

The Man Born Blind & thePhari- ses

Jesus heals a man who was born blind, on the Sabbath. ThePhari- ses investigate the miracle, interrogate the man and his parents, and cannot accept what happened because it violates their framework.

John 9:1–41 Week 4: The Religious
Today's Scripture

One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see.

John 9:25
Also Read

ThePhari- ses had more theology than the formerly blind man. They also had more blindness.

John 9:39

Whether He is a sinner, I do not know. One thing I do know: I was blind but now I see.

John 9:25
Teaching

ThePhari- ses had more theology than the formerly blind man. They also had more blindness. He had never seen, and he could see exactly who Jesus was. They had always had their sight, and they could not see Him at all. The irony is the whole sermon.

They kept interrogating him: give glory to God, this man is a sinner. And his answer kept getting simpler and bolder. Whether He is a sinner, I do not know. One thing I do know: I was blind but now I see. He did not have a theological framework. He had a testimony. And thePhari- ses had no answer for it.

By the end, they threw him out of the synagogue. Jesus heard about it and went looking for him, to find the one the religious system had expelled. That is worth sitting with. The church rejected him. Jesus went and found him.

Meeting Jesus does not leave anyone neutral. The same encounter that opened one man eyes hardened another heart. The question is which one we are becoming.

Speak This Out Loud
"Give me the simple sight of the man who just says: I was blind. Now I see. Let my testimony be louder than my theology."
Today's Challenge

Testimony Over Framework

Is there a place where your theological framework is protecting you from seeing what Jesus is actually doing? Find someone whose simple testimony makes you uncomfortable and sit with why.

Journal Prompts
  • Where is my interpretive system protecting me?
  • What testimony do I have that no framework can contain?
  • Have I been thrown out for seeing clearly?
  • Am I more committed to being right or to seeing?
Reflection Questions
  • What has Jesus opened my eyes to that others cannot see?
  • Am I investigating miracles or receiving them?
  • Where has the religious system rejected what Jesus is doing?
  • What would it look like to have simple sight?
Today's Prayer

Lord, I do not want to be the kind of person who investigates a miracle to death, who cannot receive what You are doing because it does not fit my framework. Give me the simple sight of the man who just says: I was blind. Now I see. In Jesus name, Amen.

Meeting Jesus does not leave anyone neutral. The same encounter that opened one man's eyes hardened another's heart.

With love, Claire