John the apostle wrote how Jesus saw a man who was born blind and healed him by making clay, putting the clay in his eyes, and having him wash in the pool of Siloam. The “blind man's” neighbors “brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind. And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes. Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon my eyes, and I washed, and do see. Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keeps not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them. They said unto the blind man again, What do you say of him, that he has opened your eyes? He said, He is a prophet. But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight. And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, whom you say was born blind? how then does he now see? His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind:”, and in chapter nine and verse twenty-one of his book John shared how the parents continued to answered the Jews by saying, “but by what means he now sees, we know not” where we read:
But by what means he now sees, we know not; or who has opened his eyes, we know not:
he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.
The verse reads, “But by what means he now sees, we know not; or who has opened his eyes, we know not:” John began with the words, “but by what means” which means “however, nonetheless, notwithstanding and moreover in what way or manner” “he now sees” or “he, their blind son, at this time has sight”, “we know not” which means “we, the blind man's parents, are without knowledge, understanding and perception”; “or who has opened his eyes” or “or what person has unfastened and unloosed the blind son's physical eyes”. John shared how the parents of the blind man were without knowledge of how their son was at this time with sight, and they were unaware of who was responsible for healing his eyes.
The verse goes on to say, “he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.” John added the words, “he is of age” which means “he, the blind son, is of suitable maturity, term, length of time and has attained a state fit for answering”: “ask him” or “question and inquire of him, the blind son”: “he shall speak for himself” which means “he, the blind son, will utter, declare, proclaim and answer for his own self”. John shared how the formally blind man's parents deferred to him to “respond” to the religious leaders' questions because he was at the age of maturity and could answer for Himself.
When we meditate upon John's words in this verse, we learn how the “parents” of the man who was born blind were without understanding of how he was now able to see, and they did not know who was responsible for giving him sight. They also wanted to dismiss themselves from the questioning of the “Pharisees” (we shall see why in our next verse), and they told them to ask their “son” who could answer for himself. There seems to be a great deal more attention upon how this “blind man” could see rather than the fact that he now had his sight. God delighted in doing miracles through His Son Jesus so those who observed them would know He is indeed the “Christ and Messiah” of the world. Those who put their faith and trust in Him will not only “see spiritually”, but also be forgiven of their sins and receive everlasting life with God. Let all who read these words give their attention to the “healer” Jesus more than when, what and how the healing occurred.
Next time John shares how the parents answered the Jews that ways, “because they feared the Jews”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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