What could he see that they couldn’t? What did he have after a few moments with Christ that they did not possess after a lifetime of religion?
From John 9.24-27 (NIV) Entire Chapter of John 9
24A second time they summoned the man who had been blind.
“Give glory to God,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.”
25He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know.
One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”
26Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”
27He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?”
He could still believe, not fanciful, jumping to conclusions “faith” as some would strain for, but he could still believe. So when a stranger came up to him and healed his eyes, he was open to suggestion. Ignoramus that he was (as the religious folk would consider him) he could at least recognize God in front of him.
He could see who Jesus was; they couldn’t. Why? Because they already had him pegged – “We know this man is a sinner.”
Look at the contradiction of their entire statement: “Give glory to God,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.” Giving glory to God and calling God a sinner in the same breath.
I remember Chuck Swindoll several years ago speaking of the “insanity of depravity.”
Don’t have to go far to see it, do we? Usually don’t have to look past ourselves even.
