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Today's Little Lift
by Jim Bullington
“Are We Blind Also?”
In order to fully understand the focus text that will be used for today's devotional, one must read the entire story of Jesus' healing of the blind man in John 9. We have referred to this chapter time and again in this series, but with good reason. The figurative language in the last few verses of this chapter is interpreted by the literal events that precede it. In the closing verses of the chapter, “seeing” doesn't mean “seeing,” and “blind” doesn't mean “blind.”
The Pharisees understood what Jesus was saying when He talked about the fact that “...those who see may be made blind.” This is what caused them to ask the question, “Are we blind also?” Surely they knew whether they were literally blind or not, but they did not know whether they were spiritually blind or not. Jesus knew more about their hearts than they knew themselves (or at least that they were willing to admit). Lest we get ahead of ourselves, here is the closing paragraph of John 9.
“And Jesus said, 'For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.' Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, 'Are we blind also?' Jesus said to them, 'If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, “We see.' Therefore your sin remains.'” (John 9.39-41).
Obviously a person would know whether or not he/she was literally blind. However, it is quite another thing to be able to determine whether or not one is afflicted with spiritual blindness. The insidious thing about spiritual blindness is that it masquerades as light. In the physical world, this could not happen, but in the spiritual arena it was and is commonplace for darkness to be confused with light. This reality was behind the message of Paul when he wrote about “...false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.” (2 Corinthians 11.13-15).
Perhaps this is also why Jesus spoke of blind guides and the fact that “...if the blind lead the blind, they will both fall into the ditch.” (Matthew 15.14). This is also probably the reason he challenged His hearers to pay heed that, “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matthew 6.22-23).
Even though there is no evidence that the Pharisees in John 9 heard any of Jesus' discourses where the dangers of darkness masquerading as light were discussed, they certainly understood these principles. They knew that He was referring to them when He spoke of those who could see being made blind. That is why they asked, “Are we also blind?” The plain truth of the matter was this: These Pharisees were the blind guides of which Jesus had spoken before. They professed to be able to see [spiritually], but their hearts were obviously hardened by pride and self-deceit. Without ever having to say so in so many words, they readily recognized that Jesus was their arch-enemy and there could be no peaceful coexistence with Him.
The challenge to make sure that the light that is in us is not darkness is as valid today as it ever was. Our eternal enemy has not changed nor have his tactics. (Continued).
Questions:
1. When we say we see [spiritually] what dangers are present?
2. Did these Pharisees say that they saw [spiritually]? Did others think that these Pharisees could see [spiritually]? What dangers are present when these circumstances prevail?
3. What tests or verifications can we use to determine if the light that is in us is actually darkness?
4. What verifications can we use to determine if the light that others profess to have is actually darkness?
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