Day Fourteen: What Do You See?
“I see what he means.” “She can’t see herself living there.” “It was good to see you.” In each of these sentences, the word see carries a different meaning: to understand, to imagine, and to perceive with your eyes (respectively).
Being able to see is incredibly important, and when we look at this passage, we can be tempted to only see (understand) the ability to see or not as a physical disability rather than cognitive or imaginative. In this passage, we see all three of these types of seeing at play, and the cost of inability or unwillingness.
The passage begins with Jesus seeing a man who was blind from birth, a man who was likely a beggar and a social outcast due to his disability. Though Jesus is noted first in the passage to see him, it’s interesting that one of his disciples decides to speak first to describe what he sees.
This disciple can only see sin and shame, the man’s or his parents. This is the first failure to see, as Jesus makes everyone aware that this man is not blind because of sin, but rather so that God’s glory might be revealed.
After Jesus heals the man, a series of events unfold demonstrating that our greatest need is not physical sight, as this ex-blind man is able to see Jesus even though he has yet to see Jesus. The Pharisees and temple priests are unable to see Jesus, though he has been in front of them numerous times. Jesus’ disciples cannot see him, though they travel with him daily.
But it is the ex-blind man who has yet to see Jesus with his eyes that can tell the temple authorities what he has seen, declaring Jesus to be a prophet (John 9:17) sent from God (John 9:33).
This man can see that Jesus is worthy to be followed (John 9:27) and invites others to follow who he has not seen, but who he has seen.
Can you see yourself in the account of this blind man? As a follower of Jesus you see without seeing, and are surrounded by a world that sees nothing and so sees nothing. In many ways this passage is a metaphor for our lives as followers of Christ now, calling others to follow the one who saw us when we were blind and made us see. Perhaps the greatest difference between this ex-blind man and us is that we believe we have something to lose in boldly declaring what Jesus has done for us.
Let’s not dismiss the passionate proclamation of this man in the temple as simple “new believer’s zeal,” this man knows what he is without Jesus, and understands the worth of being with Him. Do you still see yourself in this report?
Either way, rest in this truth, just as the ex-blind man’s seeing became seeing when confronted by Jesus outside the temple, when we depart from this world our faith will be sight. And like the ex-blind man, our proclamation will be vindicated.
Being able to see is incredibly important, and when we look at this passage, we can be tempted to only see (understand) the ability to see or not as a physical disability rather than cognitive or imaginative. In this passage, we see all three of these types of seeing at play, and the cost of inability or unwillingness.
The passage begins with Jesus seeing a man who was blind from birth, a man who was likely a beggar and a social outcast due to his disability. Though Jesus is noted first in the passage to see him, it’s interesting that one of his disciples decides to speak first to describe what he sees.
This disciple can only see sin and shame, the man’s or his parents. This is the first failure to see, as Jesus makes everyone aware that this man is not blind because of sin, but rather so that God’s glory might be revealed.
After Jesus heals the man, a series of events unfold demonstrating that our greatest need is not physical sight, as this ex-blind man is able to see Jesus even though he has yet to see Jesus. The Pharisees and temple priests are unable to see Jesus, though he has been in front of them numerous times. Jesus’ disciples cannot see him, though they travel with him daily.
But it is the ex-blind man who has yet to see Jesus with his eyes that can tell the temple authorities what he has seen, declaring Jesus to be a prophet (John 9:17) sent from God (John 9:33).
This man can see that Jesus is worthy to be followed (John 9:27) and invites others to follow who he has not seen, but who he has seen.
Can you see yourself in the account of this blind man? As a follower of Jesus you see without seeing, and are surrounded by a world that sees nothing and so sees nothing. In many ways this passage is a metaphor for our lives as followers of Christ now, calling others to follow the one who saw us when we were blind and made us see. Perhaps the greatest difference between this ex-blind man and us is that we believe we have something to lose in boldly declaring what Jesus has done for us.
Let’s not dismiss the passionate proclamation of this man in the temple as simple “new believer’s zeal,” this man knows what he is without Jesus, and understands the worth of being with Him. Do you still see yourself in this report?
Either way, rest in this truth, just as the ex-blind man’s seeing became seeing when confronted by Jesus outside the temple, when we depart from this world our faith will be sight. And like the ex-blind man, our proclamation will be vindicated.
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