Read
35When Jesus heard what had happened, he went and found the man. Then Jesus asked, “Do you have faith in the Son of Man?”
36He replied, “Sir, if you will tell me who he is, I will put my faith in him.”
37“You have already seen him,” Jesus answered, “and right now he is talking with you.”
38The man said, “Lord, I put my faith in you!” Then he worshiped Jesus.
39Jesus told him, “I came to judge the people of this world. I am here to give sight to the blind and to make blind everyone who can see.”
40When the Pharisees heard Jesus say this, they asked, “Are we blind?”
41Jesus answered, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty. But now that you claim to see, you will keep on being guilty.”
Reflect
We never get to know the blind man’s name, but we do learn some revealing things about his character.
Just as Jesus is seeking him out, the blind man is seeking greater knowledge of God. When the Lord asks him whether he believes in the “Son of Man,” he is eager to know who that is, not just out of curiosity, but out of a genuine desire to worship the Son of Man. He says: “I will put my faith in him” (v 36). The seeking … it is mutual.
I wonder if there is a hint that this man has been seeking in his own way, for a long time. Recall his answer to the Pharisees (v 32) that never since the world began has a person born blind had their sight restored. How did he know that? (Apparently, he was right or the Pharisees would have corrected him.) Perhaps he had wanted to have his eyesight restored all along and listened in synagogue to the teachings … it’s not a stretch to assume he had wanted a better life; he wanted to see.
“Ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you” (Matthew 7:7). There isn’t just one verse like this; mutual seeking is a theme throughout scripture (Deuteronomy 4:29, Proverbs 8:17, Matthew 6:33, Hebrews 11:6 and many more).
This is exciting to think about. Jesus is seeking us, just as we seek him. He came to open our eyes!
There is a warning too, for those who refuse to open their eyes and to seek earnestly after Christ. “If you were blind, you would not be guilty. But now that you claim to see, you will keep on being guilty” (v 41).
Sobering. We have a choice to make.
Respond
Dear Heavenly Father, You sent Christ so that we may find you. Thank you for seeking us, and we pray you will give me a heart that seeks after you daily. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Jo Lynne Duck (Sheane)
Once found on the national airwaves as a reporter, Jo Lynn Duck (Sheane) now lives in Windsor, Ontario joyfully living as a wife and mom of two school-aged children. She also completed a Master of Theological Studies at Tyndale Seminary. She taught journalism at St. Clair College and worked as a local producer until she switched gears completely. She is now the Admissions and Marketing Coordinator for Maranatha Christian Academy in Windsor.