Most of John 9 — Jesus’s healing of the blind man by placing mud on his eyes — is in the Lectionary.
However, the final three verses have been excluded. They concern Jesus’s subsequent encounter — yes, another — with the Pharisees. The Pharisees are shameless, which is why it is so important that we hear and read about them. Their stubbornness and sinfulness tell us much about ourselves.
As the last few verses have been omitted from the Lectionary, they comprise part of the Forbidden Bible Verses, also essential to our understanding of Scripture.
Today’s verses come from the English Standard Version with commentary provided by Matthew Henry and John MacArthur.
39Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” 40Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” 41Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.
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Matthew Henry an outstanding exegesis on the healing of the blind beggar in John 9 — highly recommended reading. John MacArthur’s sermon covers verses 35-41 and is also excellent.
MacArthur says that ‘And they cast him out’ (verse 34) means that the Pharisees threw him out of the temple and left the man without a place to worship. They excommunicated him for following Jesus. This was why his parents had earlier washed their hands of the miracle; they did not want to find themselves in the same situation (verse 22).
Throughout St John’s Gospel, we find references to light and darkness. This miracle of the blind man, whilst true, also serves as a metaphor explaining the Pharisees’ sin of unbelief. The blind man now walks in the light; the Pharisees will be forever shrouded in darkness.
John begins his Gospel on this theme. These are the verses we hear on Christmas Day (John 1:1-13). Emphases mine throughout:
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 10He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
So, right away, John sets our expectations. The ‘true light’ — Jesus Christ, Son of God — was coming to His people, and, yet His ‘own people did not receive Him’. However, for those who recognised Him as their Messiah, their Redeemer, ‘he gave the right to become children of God’.
Then, there is John 3:19-21:
19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”
We read of light and darkness in the context of judgment in John 8, verses 12 and 14:
12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
14Jesus answered, “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going.
Jesus there is telling the Pharisees that they do not understand His heavenly provenance or that He will ultimately return to Heaven. The further implication is that because they are stubborn in their unbelief, they will not experience eternal life. They do not currently — and will never — understand, or know, where He is going.
Now on to today’s verses. Matthew Henry tells us that John 9 takes place at the end of the year that John 8 occurred. We are in December now. That said, he acknowledges that some scholars believe this healing happened immediately after the Feast of Tabernacles, the events of John 8.
In verse 38, the once-blind man confesses Jesus as Lord and goes his way, healed, comforted and blessed to know his Redeemer. Jesus states that He came in ‘judgment’ to bring sight to the blind and to blind those who think they see (verse 39).
In other words, although He came to bring as many as possible to be saved, He would also be storing up judgment against those who willingly and stubbornly refused to believe that He is the Son of God. Henry explains that this verse says three things:
that is, (1.) To preach a doctrine and a law which would try men, and effectually discover and distinguish them, and would be completely fitted, in all respects, to be the rule of government now and of judgment shortly. (2.) To put a difference between men, by revealing the thoughts of many hearts, and laying open men’s true characters, by this one test, whether they were well or ill affected to him. (3.) To change the face of government in his church, to abolish the Jewish economy, to take down that fabric, which, though erected for the time by the hand of God himself, yet by lapse of time was antiquated, and by the incurable corruptions of the managers of it was become rotten and dangerous, and to erect a new building by another model, to institute new ordinances and offices, to abrogate Judaism and enact Christianity; for this judgment he came into the world, and it was a great revolution.
A group of Pharisees have stood nearby, listening to the exchange between Jesus and the man. Only earlier they had excommunicated the blind man. Now, they challenge Jesus (verse 40): ‘So, are you saying that we who know so much about the faith and are its earthly guardians are also blind?’ They do not ask out of a genuine desire to know the answer but to provoke Him and attempt to show themselves to be superior.
In verse 41, Jesus responds with what appears to be a puzzling statement. Essentially, He is saying, ‘If you were spiritually blind, you would either not have sinned at all or much less so. God in His mercy would have pardoned these lesser sins. However, if you say that you can see and yet do nothing to repent of your sins and transgressions when you hear My words, then there is nothing I can do to save you from condemnation.’
John MacArthur explains the finality of Jesus’s words. Let us pray we never find ourselves in this situation:
If you knew you were blind then I could take care of you, but you’re stuck in your sin because you think you can see. Oh, this is a tragic statement. They were so blind to sin and they didn’t know it and Jesus says I can’t help you…I cannot do a thing with you if you don’t recognize your blindness.
Well, it’s a tragic thing to meet men and women and young people who don’t understand that they don’t know God, who don’t understand that they’re in sin, who don’t understand that they’re spiritually blind and you can’t show them sight because they don’t even know they can’t see. All the truth they’ve had and they can’t even see it.
So, spiritual blindness receives judgment, refuses to admit its blindness, rejects sight. Lastly, at the end of verse 41, spiritual blindness results in doom … verse 41 in the middle, “But now ye say we see,” ever confident smug, what do you mean we’re blind, we know it all, we see everything. Then this doom, “Therefore your sin remaineth.” Earlier He said to them, “You shall die in your sins and where I go you’ll never come.” He says you keep saying we see, therefore your sin remaineth.
What started out as willful unbelief, this kind of obstinacy became judicial unbelief and Jesus said good bye … your sin remains, I’m through with you.
I’ll show you a verse that will shock you … Matthew 15 verse 12, “Then came His disciples and said unto Him, Knowest Thou that the Pharisees were offended after they heard this saying?” Lord, You are really offending the Pharisees. ” But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up, let them alone.” The saddest words you’ll ever read … Tremendous shocking statement. Forget them, let them go. That’s Jesus…loving, kind, saving, seeking Savior…let them alone.
What do You mean let them alone? Let them alone, they are blind willfully and now judicially. They’re confirmed in their blindness, they’ve chosen it, they are kept in it…let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
I don’t know about you, but those three words “let them alone” are shocking words coming from Jesus Christ. But listen, my friend, that’s how Christ treats willful, obstinate, stubborn unbelief. He’ll just turn away and walk off, let them alone. Compare that with how He treats the eager heart of the blind man who says, “I want to know, please show me.” Light was come into the world but men love darkness rather than light. And they went on in their blindness.
Next week: John 10:37-42
13 comments
October 30, 2011 at 12:59 pm
jameshigham
Interesting but at a tangent – which versions do you consider sound and which less than sound? For example, I’ve always had KJV.
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October 30, 2011 at 8:54 pm
churchmouse
I alternate between the KJV and ESV (English Standard Version) (although some of my earliest Forbidden Bible Verses used the NIV). I read them both then see which will ‘translate’ better. These were three particularly difficult verses, and it seemed that the ESV was easier to understand.
A number of Calvinists in the US use the ESV, as it is easier for evangelisation. KJV can be difficult with non-English speakers and readers.
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November 1, 2011 at 7:36 pm
Pooka
I’ve, just after this weekend’s very humbling lectures on Bible translations and what we can trust, opened my pretentious little eyeballs to the NIV, HCSB and a few others. I have encountered a renewed faith in the Word of God all of a sudden. Most valuable discovery. Praise God.
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November 1, 2011 at 8:17 pm
churchmouse
NIV can be okay, it seems, provided it is the older edition, not the new one from last year. I don’t know much about the Holman Christian Standard Bible.
As you are a Calvinist, Robert, I figured you would be using the ESV. 🙂
Perhaps you can enlighten us on the HCSB (for my British readers, not to be confused with HSBC 😉 ) and its merits as well as what recommends (what we hope is) the older NIV.
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November 1, 2011 at 11:10 pm
Pooka
I do use the English Sanctified Version that No Calvinist Should Go Without.
But After a few lectures from a guy on the board of the NIV translation, I begin to doubt my snobbery and dotage in my High Christianity Lifestyle.
Translate: A second look at the trustworthiness of Bible translation in genera is highly recommended for purists of all ilk.
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November 1, 2011 at 11:17 pm
churchmouse
Ermm, was that someone from the New NIV translation board? If so, remember he is pushing his version against much godly opposition …
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November 1, 2011 at 11:19 pm
churchmouse
Anyway, tell us more about the Holman version. I am unfamiliar with it, and many of my readers might also be.
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November 2, 2011 at 5:53 am
Pooka
Mouse,
Here is a good quick rundown of the HCSB: It’s another dynamic equivalence translation that’s an attempt to bring more modern language into the text. I believe one main advertising bullet they’ve chosen is to eliminate the LORD translation in exchange for YAHWEH. Standard translator lists and numbers. Comparable to NIV: http://hcsb.org/translation-comparison.aspx
When I looked up the TNIV, it appears the thing is discontinued due to numerous complaints: http://www.cbmw.org/Journal/Vol-7-No-2/Scholars-Statement
Our lecturer, Mark Strauss does not present any indication that would lead me to think he supported the corruption of Biblical text that was the purported TNIV. In fact, his speeches were entirely for accurate and faithful translation. He’s on the current NIV Bible Translation Board: http://www.niv-cbt.org/translators/
The New NIV doesn’t appear to be in error to me. What seems to be so controversial is the rendering of gender-neutral placeholders in the language to their modern versions. In other words, instead of using “Man” when talking of any person, they use “One.” As in Luke 9:23 “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me”
So I’m convinced most of all after this past weekend that we have trustworthy translations. And that attempts to corrupt the Word may succeed, but not without the red flags of known, faithful Bible teachers and translators being applied to warn us.
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November 2, 2011 at 9:54 am
churchmouse
The New NIV doesn’t appear to be in error to me.
Here is a retired pastor’s view on the NNIV — a short read and worth your time:
http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2011/10/easy-eight-most-terrible-errors-nniv.html
Thanks for the info on Holman.
I’ll be sticking with KJV and ESV. I don’t trust anything else. It would not surprise me that churches get NNIV lecturers in so they can get approval (‘looks okay to me’), sell their editions in bulk and see them in the pews. They are in sales/marketing roles at this stage.
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November 2, 2011 at 1:15 pm
Pooka
This criticism of NNIV is precisely where I was at last week. By Sunday night, I’d had my mind changed for me. I held to the old language because my upbringing was KJV. I was never a part of the Only Club that said Textus Receptus or AV was The Pure Word of God, but since I knew the language and the “richness” of that Elizabethan terminology, there couldn’t be anything better.
I had thought I was cured when I slipped on over to the NKJV and then again upon discovering the ESV (Reformed Piety Version) 🙂 but there was something entirely more to be fixed.
When I got, shoved into my head, the concept of dynamic equivalence, things really changed. It means bringing the thousands of Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic texts into the modern English. We were reminded all through the conference that no translation is perfect (a smack in the face for those of us who were essentially reading as if our version was actually inspired ).
So in looking at this Ichabod article, I’m seeing classic arguments in favor of the vestiges of KJV-hugging. The meaning of these verses is either unchanged or actually improved in most of the cases cited. For instance, if I handed 1 Peter 3:20-21 in either version to a reader, it would require a good bit of explanation. People are still pondering that passage today. I don’t see where KJV or ESV would do any better.
You’re right about marketing. I think marketing drives these new editions but, at the same time, the men and women on the translation and editing boards for these Bibles come from the most reputable backgrounds and though we can’t vouch for every single one, there’s critical (and careful) work being done to render faithful language from the difficult originals. And there’s faithful criticism watching over the work from the outside (see that link about the Scholars Statement on TNIV).
Not only do I think we’re safe – but I think having these newer translations can enrich the understanding of the masses who don’t read and work with the original languages (which I hope to learn one day).
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November 2, 2011 at 1:29 pm
churchmouse
It seems that we’ll have to agree to disagree on this. However, I do appreciate your input!
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November 2, 2011 at 2:51 pm
Pooka
No worries! We still have a Gospel in common!
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November 3, 2011 at 8:44 am
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