The Fear of the Blind Man's Parents - John 9:22

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: 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”, and in chapter nine and verse twenty-two of his book John shared how, “these words spoke his parents, because they feared the Jews” where we read:

These words spoke 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.

The verse reads, “These words spoke his parents, because they feared the Jews:” John began with the words, “these words” which means “the words concerning asking their son who was blind about the way he could see and person that healed him” “spoke his parents” or “uttered, declared and proclaimed the formally blind man's immediate progenitors and ancestors”, “because they feared the Jews” which means “since and on account that the formally blind man's parents were afraid of, seized with alarm and struck with fear by the leaders of the Jewish nation”. John shared how the “blind man's” parents were afraid of the “Jewish people” so they told the Pharisees to have their son answer for himself.

The verse continues, “for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.” John added the words, “for the Jews” which means “because, since and on account that the leaders of the Jewish people” “had agreed already” or “resolved, determined and arranged in advance”, “that if any man did confess” which means “so whether any particular person whether male or female conceded, refused, promised and declared” “that he was the Christ” or “that Jesus existed as the Messiah and Son of God”, “he should be put out” which mean “that person whether male or female was to be excommunicated or excluded from sacred assemblies of Israelites” “of the synagogue” or “belonging to the sacred worship place”. John shared how the “Jewish religious leaders” previously made a rule that whoever declared Jesus to be the “Christ” was to be excommunicated from the sacred worship place.

When we think through John's words in this verse, we learn why the parents of the “blind man” answered the “Pharisees” by telling them to ask their son himself how he was made to see and who did it. The leaders of the “Pharisees” made a rule that anyone who declared Jesus to be the “Christ” was to be excommunicated from the “sacred worship place” and excluded from any of the activities within it. By this we understand the depths of disregard these religious leaders had for Jesus and anyone who associated with Him. God sent His Son Jesus to be the “Savior and Lord” of the world and when a person yields their life to Him will be forgiven of their sin and inherit everlasting life. Those who refuse and reject Jesus will be as these “Pharisees” and woe be to their future before Him.

Next time John shares this was the reason the parents answered, “He is of age; ask 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".