The Scripture begun with a question of the people.
- It is a question that was pondered for centuries before Jesus and continues to be centuries after Jesus.
- It is a question that influences not only the human-God relationship, but also the human-human relationship.
- It is a question rooted within Theodicy, the ‘fancy’ language for
‘Why does God allow suffering?’ or ‘why does suffering exist?’.
The people had presumed (and we often continue to presume) that suffering is caused by God as a punishment for sin, or even for a lack of faith. Therefore, the people inquire if the man born blind was punished for his own sins or those of his parents.
It is significant to note, Jesus denounces that the blindness was a result of sin, whether his own, his parents, or even his ancestors.
Jesus heals the man, in order to demonstrate the glory and the power of God.
Unfortunately, the man and his parents are extensively questioned by the religious elite. According to John, the religious elite are seeking an answer or witness that would condemn Jesus as a demonic and not the Messiah. Their argument is that Jesus must not be from God, because a holy man would never heal on the Sabbath in accordance with the law, or teaching.
Jesus shifts the dialogue in the Scriptures from physical sight to spiritual sight. Read the rest of this entry »
