ASK THE BLIND MAN

John 9:17-23 They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of Him, that He hath opened thine 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, who ye say was born blind, how then doth 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 seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself. 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. (Also see John 9:10-16)

The miracle of Jesus' giving sight to the man that had been blind from birth begins in this chapter of the Gospel according to John. Because this man miraculously received his sight, there was much inquiry and debate among the Jews that observed this man now cured from his sightless malady. Many neighbors testified that they knew the man as a blind beggar of their city (Vs. 8), while others said that the man only seemed to look like him (Vs. 9a). However, the man, himself, that received his sight assured the multitude that I am he (Vs. 9b).

These neighbors immediately started questioning the man about this miraculous occurrence. John records two questions that were asked of the man. First, said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened (Vs. 10)? It is evident that they had not witnessed the healing process, so the man tells them how it occurred: A Man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight (Vs. 11). The second question they asked him was, Where is He? They desired to find this man that had performed such a miracle, but the man that was healed told them, I know not (Vs. 12). It appears that these neighbors thought this event so mysteriously notable that they took the man to their religious leaders, the Pharisees, for further questioning (Vs. 13). The result was that the Pharisees determined that this "healing" took place on the Sabbath day, which they said violated the laws of the Sabbath. The Pharisees then became divided on this matter. Some said that Jesus could not have been a man of God because He keepeth not the Sabbath day, while others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them (See Vss. 14-16).

Turning to the lesson text we find the Pharisees next asking the man what he thought about Him, that He hath opened thine eyes. Knowing that it must have been a gift sent to him from God, the man replied, He is a prophet. Previously he had told many that the Man that healed him was named Jesus, and here he states only that He is a prophet. No doubt the man knew that the Pharisees adamantly opposes Jesus and rejected Him as the Son of God, yet the man that was healed fearlessly confessed Jesus to be a man of God. The Jews, that is these religious Pharisee leaders, still refuted the claim of the man, doubting that he had been blind, and received his sight. Hoping to prove their contention, they sought out his parents and asked them, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? Evidently they acknowledged him to be their son, so they continued to question them: how then doth he now see?

It is evident that the man's parents were not as brave and forthright with their answers. Realizing the vehement opposition of these Jewish leaders toward Jesus, and the fear of retribution, they said to the Jews, by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not. Then they added, he is old enough to speak for himself. The maturity of men, as fixed by Jewish law, was thirty years old, therefore this man was probably at least that age or older, and had the right to speak on his own behalf, rather than have his parents speak for him. They said to these Pharisees, He is of age; ask him, that is, go and ask the blind man. What a profound statement. It should be taught, believed, and practiced by all members of the church of Christ. If you want to know the truth about a matter, go to the source. Don't ask relatives, friends, neighbors, or other fellow Christians. Ask the one that knows!