Our Sight Restored
John 9:35-41
Take a moment to read the entirety of chapter nine, as it will help us understand the context behind this passage.
In verse thirty-nine, Jesus poses a difficult statement. “For judgment, I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind” (v. 39). But didn’t Jesus say that He came not to judge and condemn the world? What about verses like John 12:47 or John 3:17, which says, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” What must be understood is that the forthright intention of Jesus’ ministry on earth was not to condemn the world but rather to offer a means to salvation through His sacrifice on the cross.
Sometimes, a doctor has to perform surgery. The doctor's intention is not to bring pain but healing to those under affliction. From time to time, however, a doctor is required to, for example, amputate a patient's arm. It doesn’t mean that they want to, but they need to. Similarly, Jesus recognizes those who will not accept Him as Savior and judges them accordingly. He longs for them to be with Him, but many reject the gift of salvation through Him and must face the consequences of their broken sinfulness.
After boldly speaking to the man healed from blindness in verse thirty-nine, some Pharisees nearby posed an important question. “What? Are we blind too?” (v. 40). Remember that these men would have been prestigiously religious in their time. Responding in wisdom, Jesus spoke to their heart. To understand what Jesus meant from His reply, let’s break down verse 41.
“Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains” (v. 41).
It appears that the Pharisees understood blindness as a condition of the mind where, when you are oblivious to the sin you commit, you are not guilty. Jesus acknowledges their perspective and redefines what it means to understand our sin. The truth is that all fall short of the glory of God. No matter how hard we try, our greatest efforts will never amount to the righteousness required for us to be made right with God. Though these men strove for personal holiness, they would never be truly saved unless they turned to Jesus to receive true forgiveness and appeasement from God, they would never be truly saved. Because they did not understand their need for a Savior, they were actually blind.
Jesus is looking for men who, like the man born blind in this story, understand their need for spiritual sight. Once we understand the bleak state of our sin, we can accept the gift of grace that Jesus freely offers. Jesus offers spiritual sight when He reveals a sinner’s need for a Savior. To see our Lord in all His glory and to humbly kneel at the foot of His cross is our greatest position.
Where do you find yourself today? Are you leaning on your personal righteousness to be made right with God? This is not enough to appease Him. The only thing that may appease our God is the blood of Jesus that was shed for us on the cross. He was the perfect sacrifice made on our behalf. He is the Son of Man foretold in the Old Testament–the fulfillment of prophecy. He was and is and is to come. Today, remember His glorious love and accept the continual restoration that He pours upon us as we are made more into His likeness every day that we walk with Him. He came to give you sight.
