October 29 A READ JOHN 9–12
Mounting Anger toward God’s Son
OVERVIEW
Continuing his ministry in Jerusalem following the Festival of Shelters, Jesus first gives physical sight to a blind man, then opens his spiritual eyes as well. This leads to a discussion with the Jews about “the blind leading the blind” and the importance of a shepherd who both guides and guards his sheep. Jesus’ seventh and most climactic miracle takes place in Bethany, where he raises Lazarus from the dead. Though Bethany is astir with wonderment and belief, from this point on Jesus is a marked man (11:53), his every step leading closer to the cross.
MY DAILY WALK
Mary of Bethany is a woman every Christian should emulate. She is mentioned three times in the Gospels, and each time she is described as being at Jesus’ feet (Luke 10:39; John 11:32; 12:3). It was there that she worshiped him, received instruction from him, and experienced his comfort. You cannot physically take Mary’s position, but in attitude you can. It is the position of submission and dependence.
Mary also was willing to sacrifice her most precious possession in an act of devotion to Jesus. The twelve-ounce jar of perfume was worth hundreds of dollars by today’s standards. It may well have been her dowry in anticipation of a wedding proposal. Yet she poured it over the feet of Jesus in an offering of love.
Perhaps you are wondering, What do I have that I can give to Jesus as an act of worship? The most precious thing you possess is yourself. If you have never done so before, assume the posture of Mary as you prayerfully read Romans 12:1, and give yourself as an offering today.
WE MUST GIVE NOT ONLY WHAT WE HAVE; WE MUST ALSO GIVE WHAT WE ARE.
INSIGHT
The Gateless Gate for the Sheep | John 10:7
In ancient times the sheepfold was a circular stone corral with a single narrow opening. After the sheep were inside, the shepherd would lie down across the opening, using his own body to form the gate or “door” of the sheepfold (10:7). Nothing could enter or leave the fold without the shepherd knowing about it.
INSIGHT
When a Little Means a Lot | John 11:35
John 11:35 is well known to be the shortest verse in the entire Bible. But it packs a big truth. Jesus wept because he was compassionate and cared deeply about his friends, who were experiencing deep sorrow. The Lord we serve is not cold and aloof. He is close, and he cares.
Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind
1As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. 2“Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?”
3“It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. 4We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us.* The night is coming, and then no one can work. 5But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.”
6Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man’s eyes. 7He told him, “Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam” (Siloam means “sent”). So the man went and washed and came back seeing!
8His neighbors and others who knew him as a blind beggar asked each other, “Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?” 9Some said he was, and others said, “No, he just looks like him!”
But the beggar kept saying, “Yes, I am the same one!”
10They asked, “Who healed you? What happened?”
11He told them, “The man they call Jesus made mud and spread it over my eyes and told me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash yourself.’ So I went and washed, and now I can see!”
12“Where is he now?” they asked.
“I don’t know,” he replied.
13Then they took the man who had been blind to the Pharisees, 14because it was on the Sabbath that Jesus had made the mud and healed him. 15The Pharisees asked the man all about it. So he told them, “He put the mud over my eyes, and when I washed it away, I could see!”
16Some of the Pharisees said, “This man Jesus is not from God, for he is working on the Sabbath.” Others said, “But how could an ordinary sinner do such miraculous signs?” So there was a deep division of opinion among them.
17Then the Pharisees again questioned the man who had been blind and demanded, “What’s your opinion about this man who healed you?”
The man replied, “I think he must be a prophet.”
18The Jewish leaders still refused to believe the man had been blind and could now see, so they called in his parents. 19They asked them, “Is this your son? Was he born blind? If so, how can he now see?”
20His parents replied, “We know this is our son and that he was born blind, 21but we don’t know how he can see or who healed him. Ask him. He is old enough to speak for himself.” 22His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who had announced that anyone saying Jesus was the Messiah would be expelled from the synagogue. 23That’s why they said, “He is old enough. Ask him.”
24So for the second time they called in the man who had been blind and told him, “God should get the glory for this,* because we know this man Jesus is a sinner.”
25“I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!”
26“But what did he do?” they asked. “How did he heal you?”
27“Look!” the man exclaimed. “I told you once. Didn’t you listen? Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?”
28Then they cursed him and said, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses! 29We know God spoke to Moses, but we don’t even know where this man comes from.”
30“Why, that’s very strange!” the man replied. “He healed my eyes, and yet you don’t know where he comes from? 31We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but he is ready to hear those who worship him and do his will. 32Ever since the world began, no one has been able to open the eyes of someone born blind. 33If this man were not from God, he couldn’t have done it.”
34“You were born a total sinner!” they answered. “Are you trying to teach us?” And they threw him out of the synagogue.
Spiritual Blindness
35When Jesus heard what had happened, he found the man and asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?*”
36The man answered, “Who is he, sir? I want to believe in him.”
37“You have seen him,” Jesus said, “and he is speaking to you!”
38“Yes, Lord, I believe!” the man said. And he worshiped Jesus.
39Then Jesus told him,* “I entered this world to render judgment—to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see* that they are blind.”
40Some Pharisees who were standing nearby heard him and asked, “Are you saying we’re blind?”
41“If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty,” Jesus replied. “But you remain guilty because you claim you can see.