John 9: 13-41

(John 9: 13-41)

They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind. And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.  Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.  Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.  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.  Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner. He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.  Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes?  He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples?  Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses' disciples.  We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.  The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.  Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.  Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.  If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.  They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out. Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?  He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?  And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.  And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.  And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.  And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

The man, who was blind from birth, met Jesus and opened his eyes. Surprised neighbors and acquaintances took this man to the smart Pharisees. The Pharisees began to investigate the truth of the incident as to how the blind man opened his eyes. They first discovered that the day this event took place was the Sabbath. They tentatively concluded that doing the labor of medical practice on the Sabbath is contrary to the law of resting on the Sabbath, and that the person who healed the blind must be a sinner.

 Rather than the fact that the blind man opened his eyes, it is a logic that shifts the issue to the fact that he has violated the Sabbath. Even among the Pharisees, this problem seems to have brought about a sharp conflict. So, they call the blind again and do another investigation. However, it was obvious that the man had been blind from birth, and he suddenly opened his eyes.

Why didn't they take the facts as facts even though they saw the obvious facts with their eyes and heard them with their ears?

 『 Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses' disciples. We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.』
The Pharisees were those who claimed to be disciples of Moses. They were people who thoroughly studied the law received by Moses and practiced the details. But, rather than being preoccupied with the fear of God through that law, they were convinced that they knew it more and kept it better than others, so that they eventually became prejudiced as better believers. So, they stigmatized people as sinners in the name of keeping the law and became the most terrifying idolaters who acted as God in the name of God themselves.

They kept the law, realizing that they were sinners, knew that God's righteousness could not be attained by the law, and they should have found Christ, which resulted in a loss of Christ in their own righteousness. "And Jesus said, For judgment I. am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. At that time, the Pharisees were those who knew the law better than anyone else. However, they fell into their own righteousness and did not know about the righteousness, cause, and gods of the law.