The Gospel of John Lesson 33 (5-05-2013) John 9:35-41

The Gospel of John Lesson 33 (5-05-2013)

Lesson 33 – John 9:35-41

As we come to our study today I want to bring to you a challenge and an admonition. It may seem to you that we are by some people’s standards creeping through this Gospel going at a snail’s pace in our effort to study this book. And, I am sure that some of us at times get a bit restless and wish that we would pick up the pace and travel faster to accomplish what could be a self imposed goal of just completing a rather large study of this book maybe so we can assure ourselves that we have done it, we have studied John’s Gospel. Let me assure you that it is our goal to finish this study, and even if we traveled a lot faster through this book we could be assured that we would get something out of this study.

But, for those who have been here for many of our studies I believe that you would have to admit that there is benefit to going slower and in essence mining and digging through God’s Word instead of doing a more surface hit the high points overview. I have seen things in this study of John’s Gospel that I have never seen before and for me I have found deep spiritual truths in this Gospel in what could be considered the most obscure places that if I did not slow down and meditate on a particular passage or section that I surely would have missed them altogether.

I must admit that at times my flesh is not in the effort that it takes to dig a little, or in some cases to dig a lot, deeper to find these treasures. But, when I put the effort into it, even though I don’t feel like doing so in the beginning, in the end I am so glad that I took the time.

My admonition to you is to not get too anxious and to breeze through even familiar passages. Be sure to ‘slow down’ and learn the art of meditating on God’s Word. Biblical meditation is a lost art in our day. Meditation is not a ‘push button’ or instantaneous process. It takes time. Also, meditating on God’s Word is not only instructional, but is in actuality a time of communion and fellowship with the Living God Himself as any time that we study and meditate God is also very present with us.

Also, I would like to take a moment and make a point of and to encourage us to remember that this study has had a special benefit and application by studying God’s Word together as a group. There is great value in individual study and prayer alone with God, but there is also something to studying God’s Word together in this fashion that we are doing here in our Sunday mornings class. In other words, meeting together and intelligently studying God’s Word as a group also has great benefit and is not an option being indispensable.

The third admonition that I would have is to be sure to not let this time go by being unproductive in your personal life. We meet together to learn so that we can apply, and, in doing so making our life better. Don’t pass by this opportunity to make upgrades and changes in your daily life according to insights that God may reveal to you during our time together. These may be insights in our relationship with God, with others or just practical insights that may apply to discipline and daily life tasks.

As we pick up our study in v. 35 we remember that in v. 34 the religious leaders had cast out the man born blind who had received his sight. They had done this because they, the religious leaders, had become incensed with anger at the man for stating the obvious truth to them in a public venue that they had refused to receive due to their pride and belligerence. A humble man would have come to himself in such an encounter, for the man born blind was in no way antagonistic, but was only trying to speak and state the truth. However, as stated in the previous studies, the Pharisees were not looking for the truth, but were proud to the core.

Not being able to face the truth concerning Jesus and themselves they cast the man out of their accepted world. But, in v. 35 it tells us that when Jesus had heard that this had happened it tells us that He went and sought out the man as a shepherd would seek out one of his lost sheep. This is a great preface to what is coming next in John chapter 10. The man as yet has not completed his journey to Christ. As yet he is a lost sheep still searching for the one that is his Answer. We will see in the dialog that is coming up that the man’s spiritual antennas, however, were up waiting for a signal to receive the correct message giving him direction to find his way home. So he was on the path…headed in the right direction, but not home yet.

We know that he was looking for and open to the truth when it came his way by the response that he gave Jesus when Jesus asked him a very precise and practical question concerning the One that he should be looking for if he was indeed looking for salvation. We will see in this next chapter that there is only one answer to this man’s question and to his quest for what had happened to him causing him to seek out the only reality that there is for his honest desire to give God praise and to know this God who had touched him.

In asking the right question and seeking the truth we see him give the only correct answer possible when Jesus asked the pointed question ‘do you believe on the Son of God?’ When seeing the man’s answer we see the man’s heart which contained his search for the real truth. In v. 35 Jesus asks the man, ‘Do you believe on the Son of God?’ for salvation. The man’s answer is classic from someone truly seeking God. He replies, ‘Tell me who He is that I might know where to place my desirous faith’.

It is interesting to watch this man’s faith grow and mature throughout this chapter. At the beginning of this chapter this man was just a man sitting by the side of the road. He appeared to be a man not even looking for the answer to life as far as we can tell. One thing that we can be pretty sure of is that he was most likely not thinking that this would be his special day that he would receive his sight. Prior to Jesus’ touch, at least at this present time, the man had no thought of seeing. Being blind was just the reality of his world, something that he just had to cope with on a daily basis.

But, for some reason God in His mercy decided to tap him on the shoulder and enter into his world turning on the light and causing the man to begin or focus his journey or quest on God. Light came into his world. Who knows what he was really thinking before Jesus came by. But, Light came into his world and in watching this man’s journey in chapter 9 we see that now he had become engaged in searching for answers and not just letting life happen. Jesus had essentially ‘turned him on’ by touching him and now this man became alive and began actively and desirously searching for answers when before he was just sitting by the road.

So who do we pass by in our journey and daily life that’s waiting for us to pause as we pass them and turn on the switch that turns on the light in a dark existence beginning their journey to the reality of the need for a Savior, letting them know that God does care about them? We often forget that all too often one’s journey begins seemingly out of nowhere, the reality of their need for God being brought on by a touch, a word, an action or a specific event that comes from the Master through us or life’s circumstances designed to wake up or quicken that person who was blind to the reality of God just moments before.

All such journeys must begin if they are going to eventually reach their destination and we often forget that for most there is an encounter that ‘just so happens’ comes into their life that is the bump that often begins the start of their quest looking for the answer of life which has its ending in God. Some just prior to this bump or beginning, so to speak, had no inclination of God’s true existence or reality, their need for Him or His Presence in their life. Such an encounter ,however, is just the switch that turns on the light opening their eyes and understanding to a whole new world that just moments ago they could not see.

As the man nears his destination Jesus asks him a question that helps him to see and focus clearly now on the destination that he is really seeking guiding the man safely home. Jesus asks him ‘Do you believe on the Son of God?’ The man’s response in v. 36 is interesting. The man asks in reply Who Jesus is referring to telling Him that he is willing and desirous to place his faith in the Son of God, but in his response there is a question as to who that might actually be. The man, however, may have had an inclining because in his reply to Jesus he also addresses Jesus as Lord indicating his now present perception of Christ.

In v. 36 we see the man figuratively at the shore of his destination in reality asking to be sure ‘Is this it!’ Jesus in v. 37 in essence tells the man to step off the boat and come onto the shore…that he is now home! In v. 38 the man’s journey to God is complete. It is true that his journey in life was not over, but his journey to find God coming into safe harbor was now complete. In v. 38 we find the man praising Jesus for much more than just receiving his sight.

But, in the next three verses we see an interesting dialog that raises some questions that requires some thought and inquiry into the mysteries of God. In v. 39 Jesus makes a statement that gets the religious leaders attention. Prior to this point Jesus has made it clear that His primary purpose in His ministry at this time was to offer mercy to a world that was already in darkness shedding light, offering those in that darkness forgiveness of their sins. But, here, to these religious leaders He does not state the same. He makes a clear and straightforward statement in v. 39 that ‘He’ will judge, and it appears that He is making it clear to them that for them He has come to judge. It is clear all the way through this Gospel that the only posture of these religious leaders is one pride and self righteousness, and for such, there is only one option left and that is judgment.

However, in v. 39 Jesus says something that catches their attention. Essentially He makes a public statement using what happened to the blind man as a picture of the spiritual condition of man’s heart. A blind man sees. Those who were ignorant when they are offered the truth, being offered the answer to life, are often humble enough to receive it. But those who have already been taught and should have recognized God’s offer in Jesus when He appeared were again too proud and arrogant to see and receive, choosing to be blind, and therefore the only option remaining was judgment. It is sure that the watershed of the Gospel is found right here. The blind man chose to receive the truth and now sees, and the Pharisees who knew the truth rejected it becoming blind to it.

In v. 40, however, they perceived that Jesus’ statement in v. 39 included them and in actuality may have been in reality intend for and directed toward them. This was proof that they did indeed have the capacity to believe Jesus if they had chosen to do so because truly they did understand what He was referring to. They just chose to reject it.

However, in v. 41 Jesus indeed makes an interesting statement. He says in essence that if they were truly blind that they would have no sin. What did He mean by saying this? We see a similar statement found in John chapter 15 verses 22-4 where Jesus says that they are without excuse now that He has come and that if He had not come and made plain to these religious leaders and to the world Who He was their sin would not be imputed to them.

I believe that this statement is one of the mysteries of God that it is not easily understood or explained except to say that the judgment of man and the judgment of God’s universe and His creation belongs in God’s realm or arena and is entirely between Him and His creation. It is not for us. It is not ours. That is not to say that we cannot know the principles and the boundaries and reasons that are involved in God executing His judgment and holding us and others accountable, but in the end judgment is His. We can speculate and assume, but in the end God’s judgment is between Him and His creation.

In v. 41 He presents us with a mystery concerning judgment that is not easy for us to comprehend and fully understand. It appears in this verse that the judgment of man’s sin has some connection with his ability to be accountable, and that a Just God has made previsions to make this accountability possible. The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 1:20 that throughout time God has given us a witness of His Presence and existence clearly seen in His creation so much so that man in the end has no excuse. But, is there a place in man’s relationship with God where he becomes accountable for his sin or iniquity. Only God knows, and if so, only God knows where that accountability begins. This is a mystery and some have some very strong beliefs in this area, but it is not a question that is easily answered. All enter this world with original sin, but where and when does God hold them accountable.

There is no clear reference only clear questions concerning this matter, and I will not attempt to confuse the issue by giving yet another opinion as if I have some inside connection more than others having figured it all out. But, we do have Scripture references that appear to indicate that God does have a place in our relationship with Him where we become accountable to Him for our sin. One of the most pondered areas of this accountability is concerning young children and with those mentally impaired. Where does their accountability begin? Where does God begin to hold them accountable? The answer is the same as stated above, ‘God knows’. It is for Him.

One of the most commonly quoted passages of Scripture concerning this matter is found in the Old Testament where David lost his child that was born by Bathsheba. II Sam. 12:21-3 In this passage David made a statement that clearly indicates his perspective concerning his young child that had died. He tells us with confidence that he, David, will see him again and will go to him when he, David, dies indicating that his child will meet him in heaven. It is clear from David’s perspective that he was convinced of God’s mercy concerning the death of his young child and where he would end up.

We also find another interesting passage in the book of Jeremiah where in Jer. 31:15 we find reference to Rachel weeping bitterly for her children who were no more. We know from the reference to this passage found in Matthew chapter 2:16-8 that this passage was fulfilled following Jesus’ birth when King Herod went and slew all of the young children under the age of two when he was mocked by the wise men for their not revealing the location of the Christ child. However, in this reference in Jeremiah instead of being sympathetic and comforting Rachel we find the Lord telling Rachel to refrain her voice from weeping and to restrain her eyes from tears promising her that these children will return from the land of the enemy, v. 16, and will come again to their own border, v. 17. The impression given here is that the children spoken of are not lost, but are safely kept in God’s arms and will be reunited one day with God’s children that are left behind.

Believers and unbelievers alike have honest questions concerning one’s final verdict and outcome in certain situations, such as the death of a young child, a mentally challenged person or someone that has not been given the chance to respond to the Gospel. Even Abraham who probably knew God and His character better than most had real questions concerning God’s actions when God was about to pass judgment on Sodom and was found asking’ ‘will not the God of all the earth do right? Will God judge the righteous along with the wicked?’ Some situations do not fit our capacity of understanding and bring up questions that are not easy for us to answer with our limited knowledge and ability. But, we can be assured that our God is totally capable of being fair and righteous in his judgment and is indeed capable of passing judgment that is completely right. Found here in v. 41 of chapter 9 as well as in Jn. 15:22-4 God does take into consideration details that are fair and just when passing judgment. This does not mean, however, that God will or can just overlook our sin. God is able to figure and sort it all out no matter how complex the situation might be doing that which is completely right and fair in the end. No one will be able to accuse Him of being unfair or partial concerning His judgment in the end. He is indeed a Judge like no other.

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

Jeremiah 31

 There is hope concerning children removed by death that they shall return to their own border, to the happy lot assigned them in the resurrection, a lot in the heavenly Canaan, that border of his sanctuary. We shall see reason to repress our grief for the death of our children that are taken into covenant with God when we consider the hopes we have of their resurrection to eternal life. They are not lost, but gone before.