Isn’t it sad when people live in fear of religious leadership (18-23)?
The man born blind was much more forceful and antagonistic than his parents, probably because he could now see! In fact, He throws some of the leaderships assumptions about Jesus back in their faces, and has some Biblical support to do so:
Psalm 66:18 “If I had harbored sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.”
Proverbs 15:29 “The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.”
The leadership is so upset that they apparently excommunicate the man, which is just what his parents were afraid of (34, 22).
Jesus then comes to the man, reveals Himself as the Son of Man (which is Messianic), and the man worships Him. Jesus then says two of the most profound statements in Scripture. He first says:
“For judgment I have come into this world, so that those who do not see may gain their sight, and the ones who see may become blind.”
The Pharisees, perhaps suspecting that Jesus is talking about them, ask, “We are not blind too, are we?” Jesus responds by saying:
“If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin, but now because you claim that you can see, your guilt remains.“
They were satisfied that their darkness was light, so they were guilty. If they could admit that they were in spiritual darkness, then their guilt would be removed and they would see!
Thank God if you have recognized your blindness (sin), and believed in Jesus Christ as your Savior. That means that your guilt has been removed. Hallelujah!
Amen! Amen!