The Gospel of John: John 9.28-41

Read and meditate on John 9.40, 41.
Man, these Pharisees are everywhere! But they asked a good question, and Jesus gave them a concise answer.

⁴⁰Some Pharisees were there, and they replied,
“Are we then blind?” ⁴¹And Jesus said, “If you
were blind, you’d have no sin, but now you do,
because you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin
remains.”

- John 9.40, 41

Reflect
1. You can hear the note of pique in the Pharisees’ question: “Are You saying that we’re blind?” Review verse 39. Would you classify this question as curious or indignant? Explain. Is it OK if our witness for the Lord offends someone? Complete the following brief prayer: I need to speak the truth in love, Lord, but even then, the truth can…

2.  In His response, Jesus commended being blind to being able to see. What did He mean? Lord, I know there are many areas of my life in which I remain “blind.” Help me to admit my blindness so that…

3.  Jesus said those who claim to “see” are still in their sins. Why is that so? Help me daily to “see” as I should, Lord, and I will…

4.  What is the opposite of sin remaining in someone? What should be the effects of sin no longer remaining? Lord, You have opened my eyes to see You, and You have taken my sin away! Help me to live like one in whom sin no longer remains, so that…

5.  There’s a sense in which we should understand ourselves as both blind and seeing. Explain. Bring together your prayers from questions 1-4 into one prayer.

Summary
“That is why, when the Pharisees who were listening to what he was saying, themselves said, ‘We are not blind too, are we?’ They were obviously like the one who had gone up to the temple and was telling God, ‘I thank you, because I am not like other people, unjust, adulterers, rapacious,’ as though to say, ‘I thank you that I am not blind but can see, unlike other people of the same sort as this tax collector.’ What did those ones say? ‘We are not blind too, are we?’ And the Lord answered them, ‘If you were blind, you would not have any sin. Now however, because you say “We can see,” your sins remain.’ He did not say ‘your sin occurs’ but remains. You see, it was already there; because when you do not confess it, it is not taken away but ‘remains.’” Augustine (354-430 AD)

Unless we know ourselves to be blind, we will not despise our darkness and seek the light of truth. Now, since the Lord has healed our blindness, we see, believe, and worship Him, because our sin no longer remains. Give thanks to the Lord for His healing your blindness and enabling you to see.

Closing Prayer
The LORD reigns;
Let the earth rejoice;
Let the multitude of isles be glad!
Clouds and darkness surround Him;
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.
A fire goes before Him,
And burns up His enemies round about.
His lightnings light the world;
The earth sees and trembles.
The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the LORD,
At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
The heavens declare His righteousness,
And all the peoples see His glory.
Let all be put to shame who serve carved images,
Who boast of idols.
Worship Him, all you gods.
Zion hears and is glad,
And the daughters of Judah rejoice
Because of Your judgments, O LORD.
For You, LORD, are most high above all the earth;
You are exalted far above all gods.
You who love the LORD, hate evil!
He preserves the souls of His saints;
He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.

Psalm 97.1-10

Psalm 97.1, 6, 9-12 (Darwall: Rejoice, the Lord is King!)
Rejoice, the Lord is King! O earth, lift up your voice;
Be glad, you islands, shout and sing: Rejoice! Rejoice!
    Beyond, above all gods and nations be exalted, God of love!

The heav’ns above declare His glorious righteousness;
And tribes and peoples everywhere His Name confess.
    Beyond, above all gods and nations be exalted, God of love!

All you who love the Lord, despise sin’s wicked ways!
Praise Him Who guides us by His Word through all our days.
    Beyond, above all gods and nations be exalted, God of love!
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.