Blind as to Who is the Shepherd

In John 9 there are two parties that are blind. One is the man who Jesus healed and the other is a group of religious leaders who could not see who Jesus was. The one was physically blind and yet came to see who Jesus was and the other party were physically sighted but spiritually blind. The next chapter separates the one true Shepherd from the false, the Good Shepherd from thieves and robbers. At funerals we often hear Psalm 23 read, but do not consider that it does not apply to all at the funeral. We assume that it applies equally to those who believe and who do not believe in Jesus, do not care enough to go to be in the flock of the Good Shepherd. The Psalm begins with the assumption that the Lord IS my Shepherd.

Spiritual blindness

Why are some church people spiritually blind (John 9:1-41)? Many outside the church choose to remain blind because they either believe it is irrelevant or because they are afraid. Yet when those in the church are spiritually blind, the tragedy is enormous. There are perhaps a number of things which could blind us to the work of God in others. Denominationalism is that form of narrow mindedness that believes only our denomination has it all right. Divisive doctrines blind us to those teachings upon which all Christians agree and actually unite. Man-made traditions, which are non-essentials, blind us to the essentials of the faith. How do we gain spiritual vision? Perhaps, like the man in the story we just need to keep it simple. One thing I know. I was blind but Jesus touched me and now I see.

Fault-finding

Dirty, rotten fault-finding! Why do we look for faults in others to tear them down and build ourselves up? We criticize each other, other families, churches, parties and nations. Some believers even criticize the sick as having a sin or not enough faith to be healed. That’s exactly what happened in John 9:1-41. Is sickness a punishment for some hidden sin? Or is the fact that we haven’t been healed a sign of a lack of faith as some perversely claim? Or did the parents sin and pass on a disease as a result? The roads to condemnation are as varied as the imagination of the critic. How should we look upon the sick? Jesus first thought was to lift the man up, not put him down. And then the religious criticized him for healing on the Sabbath. Sigh!

That man is sick

That man is sick
He's got a tick
Let's throw a brick
Give him a kick

There must be sin
Somewhere therein
Or next of kin
Where to begin

To criticize
Or to apprise
This man's demise
And his blind eyes

Jesus just bent
Without judgment
Gave his consent
Healed his torment

He did not rave
Or misbehave
His life he gave
For us — to save

(John 9:1-41)

Blind know-it-alls

There are people who think they know it all, but in reality are blind to the truth. We see it in blind bigotry, one-eyed politics and denominational prejudice. In John 9:1-41 Jesus gave a man sight twice, once to his eyes and once to his soul. Like the Pharisees, some intellectuals are blind to divinity. They cannot see the obvious evidence all around them. The Pharisees eyes were on the letter of the Sabbath law: no kneading or healing. Jesus broke both those rules by kneading spit and dirt to make mud, and by healing a blind man. Yet, despite his breaking of sabbath laws, he was sinless. The spirit of the law, which is far greater, was not broken. Blinded by their own legalism, by keeping the letter of the law they could not see the real Jesus.

Creative healing

A traditional approach to healing in the Church comes from James 5:14-16 where the elders of the church pray and anoint with olive oil. Some have taken this to be the only way of praying for the sick, yet even within the context, James says to pray for one another so that we may be healed. Jesus gave several examples of creative approaches to healing. In John 9:1-41 he spat in some dirt to make mud and placed that upon a man’s eyes. The theory of last orders would preclude anything prior to James’ instructions, but there is no such theory within the New Testament regarding healing. Where there is no ban, we have freedom in Christ. We may approach requests for healing in a variety of ways other than always anointing with oil. That’s what Jesus did.