The sixth Sign... part 1...

A lot happens between Signs 5 and 6, and we'll get to some of that in a later discussion.  For now, we're going to move into the sixth Sign, because this one is just as rich as the the rest, but has some deep lessons that one can learn from it.

Sign #6 - Healing a Man Born Blind

The very concept seems a little farfetched, honestly.  I mean, to heal someone from blindness?  that's just not heard of.  Even today, once the eyes are gone, they are pretty much gone, and nothing turns that around.  The 12 question how it came to be that the man was born this way, seeking out the purpose and the reason for it all, and as we've seen before in this study, there is a purpose... and it will be fulfilled!

"As He was passing by, He saw a man blind from birth.  His disciples questioned Him: 'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?'"

John 9:1-2, HCSB

The first thing that we must point out here is that He knew that the man was blind from birth.  This would be of great impact, because all of his friends and family would now become witnesses to something truly unbelievable.  They are the people who have held this man, led this man, walked alongside this man for his entire life.  They have fed him, bathed him, clothed him, cared for him and protected him constantly, because he could not see to do these things for himself.  Imagine that burden, and the freedom of it being lifted.

Secondly, let's just focus on what this all really means on the simplest plane possible.  He found a man that could not see.  A man.  That could not see.  The man was blind... and could not see.  And Jesus found this man, and opened his eyes, literally, for the first time.  Hmm...

Before I go too deep into that, though, I must back up a step.  There is a purpose to this, as I said before, and that purpose is the glorification of the Father, through the Sign performed by the Son.  One man will be blessed with an unthinkable gift, and that man will sing praises to the Father for the rest of his life.  From this man, a community will see that they, too, need their eyes opened... even if it is more figurative than literal.  From that community, who knows what could happen?  Maybe one day, a couple thousand years later, some guy will be typing about it as being one of the clear Signs that point to Jesus' Divinity.  Anything could happen.

Expanding on that purpose, we have to look at the question the 12 asked about where the sin came from.  These men have a misinterpreted view of things, always assuming that God is issuing punitive things for sins of the family or for sins of the person.  Naturally, as this man's parents are human, they are sinners.  Further, as this man was conceived in sin, and born into a sin nature, he, too, is a sinner.  What the 12 don't see, though, is that this man was born blind and allowed to live blind so that the Sign to come in his life would be that much more powerful... not only for him, but for those who know him, as well. 

God bless you all!!!