John 9: 35-41, Spiritual sight, spiritual blindness
Jesus heard that the Pharisees had thrown the man out of the synagogue. When Jesus found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
36 “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me, so I can believe in him.”
37 Jesus said, “You have now seen him. In fact, he is the one speaking with you.”
38 Then the man said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped him.
39 Jesus said, “I have come into this world to judge it. I have come so that people who are blind will see. I have come so that people who can see will become blind.”
40 Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this. They asked, “What? Are we blind too?”
41 Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin. But since you claim you can see, you remain guilty.
36 “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me, so I can believe in him.”
37 Jesus said, “You have now seen him. In fact, he is the one speaking with you.”
38 Then the man said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped him.
39 Jesus said, “I have come into this world to judge it. I have come so that people who are blind will see. I have come so that people who can see will become blind.”
40 Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this. They asked, “What? Are we blind too?”
41 Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin. But since you claim you can see, you remain guilty.
The blind man has now taken a costly stand (but then again, he used to be blind!) Now when asked if he believes the Messiah, he responds in the affirmative. And the blind man then worships Jesus.
We have an explanation of Jesus' purpose in the world, that he is here for all those who are blind. The Pharisees correctly interpret this remark -- yes, the concept of "the blind" is a metaphor and they fit the description.
The blind man sees who Jesus is; the seeing Pharisees are instead blind to him. When they ask, "Are we blind too?" Jesus' answer is, in essence, that once they have come this far and still refuse to recognize him, then Yes, they are blind.
Jesus will elaborate on this spiritual blindness in the next chapter.
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