The Gospel of John: John 9.13-27

Read and meditate on John 9.13, 14.
John knew how to build tension into a story. Jesus had previously “violated” the Sabbath, bringing the contempt of the Pharisees upon Him (Jn. 5). John’s mentioning that Jesus healed this man’s blindness on the Sabbath taps into the tension that arose earlier, and adds to the tension that was already in Jerusalem because of the disputation in John 7 and 8.

¹³They brought unto the Pharisees the man
who had been blind. ¹⁴It was the Sabbath when
his eyes were healed, when Jesus made the clay
and he received his sight.

- John 9.13, 14

Reflect
1.  The people were divided concerning this man, as we have seen. So they brought him to the Pharisees. What does this suggest about the role of the Pharisees in social matters in Jerusalem? What did they stand to lose, if they were unable to silence Jesus? Complete this prayer: All power and authority belong to You, Lord Jesus. Help me use Your power today to…

2.  Do you sense a kind of daring in John’s mentioning two works that Jesus did on the Sabbath (“made clay” and “opened his eyes”)? Explain. Give me boldness, Lord, to do whatever You command, regardless of…

3.  The Pharisees had already sent a posse to arrest Jesus, and they were doubtless among the “Jews” of chapter 8 who tried to stone him. They had also posted a warning against believing in Him (Jn. 9.22). Now they were presented with yet more evidence of the “problem” of Jesus. Do you think this softened or hardened them? Explain. Lord, some people just do not want to believe in You, but they still need to hear that You are the Christ. Use me today to…

4.  In view of Jesus’ previous Sabbath confrontation with the religious leaders, why would He deliberately heal on the Sabbath again? Especially after what had happened at the Feast of Tabernacles? Lord, when You’re right, You’re right, and when I need to do what’s right, I…

5.  We get the sense that Jesus and tension somehow go together. What does this suggest for our experience as followers of Jesus? Explain. Bring together into one the prayers you composed for questions 1-4.

Summary
“The Evangelist remarks that it was ‘the sabbath’ in order to expose their real design … which was to accuse him of a departure from the law and thus detract from the miracle.” John Chrysostom (344-407 AD)

Jesus can be a real “problem” for established authorities, received traditions, and settled ways of doing things. He tends to upset the status quo, even in our own lives. And that’s a good thing. Explain.

Closing Prayer
The fool has said in his heart,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity;
There is none who does good.
God looks down from heaven upon the children of men,
To see if there are any who understand, who seek God.
Every one of them has turned aside;
They have together become corrupt;
There is none who does good,
No, not one.
Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge,
Who eat up my people as they eat bread,
And do not call upon God?
There they are in great fear
Where no fear was,
For God has scattered the bones of him who encamps against you;
You have put them to shame,
Because God has despised them.
Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!
When God brings back the captivity of His people,
Let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad.

Psalm 53

Psalm 53 (Leoni: The God of Abraham Praise)
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God at all!”

Corrupt are they in whole and part, unjust and small.
Not one of them does good; God sees their wicked ways.
None understands the Word of God, or gives Him praise.

Have all these wicked men no knowledge of God’s grace?
The Church they hate with passion and seek not God’s face.
Lord, strike their hearts with fear, where fear was not before.
And scatter all who camp so near Your holy door.

The wicked flee in shame; their ways our God rejects.
Renew Your people in Your Name with great effects.
Let great rejoicing sound once we renewed have been,
And let salvation’s Word resound from us again!

T. M. Moore

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series IV a and b: John, edited by Joel C. Elowsky, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006. Verse translation of John by T. M. Moore.