The Blind Man Reviled - John 9:28

The apostle John 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: 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? 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?”, and in chapter nine and verse twenty-eight of his book John shared how the Pharisees, “reviled him, and said, you are his disciple” where we read:

Then they reviled him, and said, You are his disciple; but we are Moses' disciples.

The verse reads, “Then they reviled him, and said, You are his disciple; ” John began with the words, “Then they reviled him” which means “at that time the Pharisees reproached, railed at and heaped abuse upon the formally blind man”, “and said” or “and uttered, declared and proclaimed”, “you are his disciple” which means “you, formally blind man, exist as Jesus' student, pupil and attendant”. John shared how the Pharisees began to “abuse” the formally blind man and told him that he was Jesus' “student and attendant”.

The verse goes on to say, “but we are Moses' disciples.” John continued with the words, “but we” which means “however, nonetheless, notwithstanding and moreover we, the Pharisees” “are Moses' disciples” or “exists as Moses', whose name means drawing out and was the legislator of the Jewish people and in a certain sense the founder of the Jewish religion, students, pupils and attendants”. John shared how the Pharisees told the formally blind man that they were the “students and attendants” of “Moses”.

When we think through John's words in this verse, we learn how defensive the Pharisees became after they were questioned by the formally blind man for whether they were going to be the “disciples of Jesus”. They “abused and railed upon” him and indignantly informed him they were “Moses' disciples” instead of Jesus' like him. God's plan was to send His Son Jesus into the world so that everyone could be His disciple, and anyone who yields their life to Him as their personal “Savior and Lord” will be forgiven of their sins and inherit everlasting life with His Father God. Though Moses was the “legislator of the Jewish religion”, his words lead to people to believe in the Messiah Jesus, and those who are wise will submit to Him as His disciple.

Next time John shares how the Pharisees say, “we know that God spoke unto Moses”, 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".