The Man Born Blind (9)

The healed blind man has given an answer to the question of the neighbors who before had known him as blind. It was the answer that revealed his ignorance; he honestly had to say that he did not know where the Lord Jesus was. Yet, it was a question by which the Lord will bring out the fruits of the wonder when the Lord Jesus Christ may have the highest place in a sinner’s life. The way is described as a way of strife because the Bible says they brought him to the Pharisees. The Pharisees were the enemies of the Lord Jesus. Yet, in this chapter the Lord will use the enemies and their tactics to bring this man to confess the Lord Jesus.

Notice first from this that enemies can serve a great purpose. When they attack, it is perhaps hard to see this, but the attacks are directed by the Lord! The Book of Job clearly reveals that Satan is powerful but is also tempered by the Lord’s allowing and restraining hand to fulfill His eternal counsel. The enemies are under God’s ruling hand.

Notice, secondly, in this history how the Pharisees are working. The standard by which they judge the case is the law of Moses. The commandment by which they find this miracle offensive is the keeping of the Sabbath. The Sabbath must be kept holy by all; that is a commandment still in effect today. How do we spend God’s Day? The Pharisees say in this case that the law was broken since making clay is an act which was not allowed to be done on the Sabbath. Here you see how the enemies are busy to destroy the works of the Messiah. Notice then, that with the law of God, these Pharisees are trying to snare the works of the Son of God. What blindness! Man is revealed herein to be a miserable creature in his blindness and ignorance.

Notice, thirdly, since the men deny the Messiah (also evident in the previous chapter) there comes division among them. For them to deny the Messiah was to deny the truth and promise of the Old Testament; how blind they were for this. How true that we must also search our own heart and ways. What is the fruit of our speaking and action in our family, work, school, and church? Is the fruit division? Then we may well fear that it is not a work of God but of Satan. The division that Satan works is to stir up the heart to deny the evident power of the Lord. In this history it is evident that we even can lean on our religious feelings or inclinations to do that. Then it will also manifest itself sooner or later that our sin will come to light as it would with the Pharisees when they soon will cry, “Away with Him,” and “Crucify Him.” The false religion, the self-righteous religion wants nothing to do with the true Messiah. This is not only because of blindness and ignorance but chiefly unbelief. Calvin strikingly writes about this in his commentary: “Being swelled with a false opinion of their holiness, they were chiefly wounded by the doctrine of the gospel which condemned all their counterfeit righteousnesses; and above all, they fought for their power and kingdom under the pretense of endeavoring to maintain the Law.”

The reason why the Pharisees cling to their interpretation of the law is because they have never yet seen that the Lord Jesus is the fulfiller of the law. They fail to believe that the Lord Jesus is “Lord of the Sabbath.” They have no eyes to see the Lord Jesus as the compassionate Healer who on the Sabbath makes clay to deliver, and who on the Sabbath also fulfills “I must work the works of Him that sent Me.” The Pharisees are so busy maintaining their own status in Israel that they will go to extremes to deny the evident tokens of Messiah’s power. How awfully dishonoring is the power of unbelief!

Now the question is asked to the healed man, “What sayest thou of Him, that He hath opened thine eyes?” With this question they put themselves to shame because the answer will testify against them. The healed man will testify to the unbelieving Pharisees who Christ is. “He is a prophet.” What a testimony this man may give of the Lord Jesus. You must understand these words in their timeframe. The prophets were people who revealed the will of God. The prophets were held in high esteem. Everyone knew a prophet was a man sent by Jehovah for the welfare of Israel. This man makes the confession that he was healed by a prophet. This testimony is also to reveal the place Christ had in his spiritual struggles, namely, the highest place.

In the life of all God’s true people, Christ will receive the highest place. This is not because they do that themselves but because Christ takes that place. The healed man seems to stand all alone against the self-righteous Pharisees; however, in his clear testimony he reveals who has the highest place, the Prophet who healed him. Notice the Lord Jesus had not yet revealed Himself in His person, but here the sweet fragrance of the life that longs for Christ is sent forth. This takes place in the strife, but this strife will not be put to shame. Christ will appear to him for his joy! What fragrance does our life send forth? The fragrance of life by the power of God or the fragrance of death because of our unbelief?

(To be continued)

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