John the apostle wrote how Jesus saw a man who was born blind and healed him by making clay, anointing 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: These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him. Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner. He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or not, I know not:one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see. Then said they to him again, What did he to you? how opened he your eyes?”, and in chapter nine and verse twenty-seven of his book John shared how the blind man said to the Pharisees, “I told you already, and you did not hear: wherefore will you hear it again?” where we read:
He answered them, I have told you already, and you did not hear:
wherefore would you hear it again? will you also be his disciples?
The verse reads, “He answered them, I have told you already, and you did not hear:” John began with the words, “He answered them” which means “the formally blind man responded to the Pharisees”, “I have told you already” or “I, the blind man, spoke to you previously”, “and you did not hear” which means “and you, Pharisees, were not endowed with the faculty of hearing, did not perceive, understand, discover or discern”. John shared how the blind man responded to the Pharisees' question by telling them that he already answered them and they did not perceive what he said.
The verse continues, “wherefore would you hear it again? will you also be his disciples?” John added the words, “wherefore would you hear it again” which means “why and for what reason and cause do you Pharisees desire to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, perceive, understand, discover and discern the formally blind man's answer another time”? “will you also be his disciples” or “unless you Pharisees even so and indeed will exist as Jesus' students, pupils and attendants”? John shared how the formally blind man wanted to know “why” the “Pharisees” would “hear” his story again unless they too were desiring to be Jesus' disciples.
When we meditate upon John's words in this verse, we learn how the “formally blind man” attempted to figure out “why” the “Pharisees” wanted him to tell them what Jesus did to him again. He knew they did not “hear” him the first time he told them, so he thought maybe they wanted to become Jesus' disciples by hearing it again. We shall see how they respond in our next verse but for now, God desires every person to be His disciple through His Son Jesus, and when they yield their life to Him as their personal “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive their sins and provide them with everlasting life. Those who are wise will carefully observe all Jesus did as the “Christ” in the world and submit their lives to Him who gives “spiritual sight” to people every day.
Next time John shares how the Pharisees, “reviled him”, 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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