John 9: 13-16, Concern over the Sabbath
They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind.
14 The day Jesus made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath day.
15 So the Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied. “Then I washed. And now I can see.”
16 Some of the Pharisees said, “Jesus has not come from God. He does not keep the Sabbath day.”
But others asked, “How can a sinner do such signs?” So the Pharisees did not agree with one another.
A sure sign of legalism: getting caught up in little details and missing a larger, glorious result. So a man who had been blind is no longer! This is a time for excitement, relief, rejoicing. Instead the legalists say, "Whoa, that was the Sabbath!"
If your worldview prohibits any actions (good or bad) on the Sabbath, then a good action on the Sabbath must be bad. This confuses the Pharisees, who cannot step back and examine the assumptions that bring them here.
Meanwhile, the healed man simply tells his story.
John 9: 17-21, More interrogation
Then they turned again to the blind man. “What do you have to say about him?” they asked. “It was your eyes he opened.”
The man replied, “He is a prophet.”
18 They still did not believe that the man had been blind and now could see. So they sent for his parents.
19 “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?”
20 “We know he is our son,” the parents answered. “And we know he was born blind.
21 But we don’t know how he can now see. And we don’t know who opened his eyes. Ask him. He is an adult. He can speak for himself.”
When forced to make a decision, the healed man says, correctly, that Jesus is "a prophet", that is, one acting under the power of God.
The Pharisees wonder if maybe this is all fake. So they seek out the parents of the healed man. The parents also keep it simple. Yes, this is their son; yes he was born blind and now he can see. Other than that, they pass on how this happened. "Ask him," they say. Surely, privately, they must be asking each other, "Why aren't these leaders as excited about this as we are?"
John 9: 22-23, Fear of leaders
His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. The leaders had already made this decision about Jesus. Anyone who said Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue.
23 That was why the man’s parents said, “He is an adult. Ask him.”
14 The day Jesus made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath day.
15 So the Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied. “Then I washed. And now I can see.”
16 Some of the Pharisees said, “Jesus has not come from God. He does not keep the Sabbath day.”
But others asked, “How can a sinner do such signs?” So the Pharisees did not agree with one another.
A sure sign of legalism: getting caught up in little details and missing a larger, glorious result. So a man who had been blind is no longer! This is a time for excitement, relief, rejoicing. Instead the legalists say, "Whoa, that was the Sabbath!"
If your worldview prohibits any actions (good or bad) on the Sabbath, then a good action on the Sabbath must be bad. This confuses the Pharisees, who cannot step back and examine the assumptions that bring them here.
Meanwhile, the healed man simply tells his story.
John 9: 17-21, More interrogation
The man replied, “He is a prophet.”
18 They still did not believe that the man had been blind and now could see. So they sent for his parents.
19 “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?”
20 “We know he is our son,” the parents answered. “And we know he was born blind.
21 But we don’t know how he can now see. And we don’t know who opened his eyes. Ask him. He is an adult. He can speak for himself.”
When forced to make a decision, the healed man says, correctly, that Jesus is "a prophet", that is, one acting under the power of God.
The Pharisees wonder if maybe this is all fake. So they seek out the parents of the healed man. The parents also keep it simple. Yes, this is their son; yes he was born blind and now he can see. Other than that, they pass on how this happened. "Ask him," they say. Surely, privately, they must be asking each other, "Why aren't these leaders as excited about this as we are?"
John 9: 22-23, Fear of leaders
His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. The leaders had already made this decision about Jesus. Anyone who said Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue.
23 That was why the man’s parents said, “He is an adult. Ask him.”
The Pharisees are not done with their questions. They will initiate another round in the next passage.
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