John - Week 28

Difference of Opinion 

READ 

John 9:16-17 

16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man Jesus is not from God, for he is working on the Sabbath.” Others said, “But how could an ordinary sinner do such miraculous signs?” So there was a deep division of opinion among them. 

17 Then the Pharisees again questioned the man who had been blind and demanded, “What’s your opinion about this man who healed you?” 

The man replied, “I think he must be a prophet.” 

The Pharisees had a litmus test: anyone who worked on the Sabbath could not possibly be from God. Today there are those who make one day of the week so special that they judge others about how they treat that day. The Pharisees were so baffled they asked a person obviously unqualified to know what his opinion was of the one who healed him. This untrained previously blind man gave a better answer than the respectably religiously trained Pharisees: He must be a prophet, he said. 

REFLECT 

How do you determine whether one is telling you the truth about God? There must be a basis for one’s opinion. What is your basis? 

RESPOND 

Read Colossians 2:16-19 that was written by a former Pharisee. What do you think the apostle Paul would have told the Pharisees who were interrogating the man born blind? 

Talk to the Parents 

READ 

John 9:18-20 

18 The Jewish leaders still refused to believe the man had been blind and could now see, so they called in his parents. 19 They asked them, “Is this your son? Was he born blind? If so, how can he now see?” 

20 His parents replied, “We know this is our son and that he was born blind…” 

When one’s mind is closed, the individual refuses to believe what is obvious. Not believing the man, they called his parents. Notice that they are asked not only if this was their son but also if they knew how the miracle took place. His parents were suspicious of the trap they were setting so all they claimed to know is that he was their son and that he was born blind.  

REFLECT 

Are you aware that sometimes when you are sharing your faith with an unbeliever, the individual may be trying to lead you into a trap by asking something you are not able to answer? Think ahead of time about what you will say when that time comes.  

RESPOND 

Read James 1:5 and Proverbs 1:1-7. Count the number of times the word “wisdom” is mentioned and how to get it. Are you passing on to someone else what you are learning? Have that person look at these verses with you. 

Intimidated 

READ 

John 9:21-23 

21 “…but we don’t know how he can see or who healed him. Ask him. He is old enough to speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who had announced that anyone saying Jesus was the Messiah would be expelled from the synagogue. 23 That’s why they said, “He is old enough. Ask him.” 

The parents could acknowledge the one born blind was their son but they had no way of knowing how he was healed. John, the writer of the Gospel, gave the reason the parents would give as little information as possible to the Pharisees. This indicates that perhaps the parents had believed in Jesus as Messiah and were afraid of what the Jewish leaders might do to them.  

REFLECT 

Have you had some restrictions placed on you after others learned you are a Christ-follower. Are you prevented from going to some places you would like to go? 

RESPOND 

Read 1 Peter 4:12-19. What comfort does this give you for what you may be experiencing? 

Reinterviewed by the Pharisees 

READ 

John 9:24-25 

24 So for the second time they called in the man who had been blind and told him, “God should get the glory for this, because we know this man Jesus is a sinner.” 

25 “I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!” 

The Jewish leaders had their minds closed about Jesus. To them, He had to be a sinner. In this short passage is seen the essence of a good testimony for Christ. It is not what you think but what you have experienced. All the man knew is that once he was blind but now he could see. Other comments could be disputed by the Pharisees, but none could deny what he had experienced.  

REFLECT 

Have you spent sufficient time emphasizing to those you are discipling that the most important testimony they can give is that of a changed life? And how does this apply to you? 

RESPOND 

The fourth Gospel was written by the apostle John. He also wrote three shorter letters. He was an eyewitness during the time Jesus was on earth. Read 1 John 1:1-4 and notice that John was testifying to what he had seen and heard. Christ-followers today cannot physically see Jesus but they can tell others what they have learned from eyewitnesses and other God-inspired writers who wrote about Him in the Scriptures. Believers today can also share what they have experienced as a result of trusting in Him as Savior. None can argue with your experience. 

Losing Patience 

READ 

John 9:26-29 

26 “But what did he do?” they asked. “How did he heal you?” 

27 “Look!” the man exclaimed. “I told you once. Didn’t you listen? Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?” 

28 Then they cursed him and said, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses! 29 We know God spoke to Moses, but we don’t even know where this man comes from.” 

Because the Jewish leaders could not get the miraculously healed man to agree about who Jesus was, they tried to debate the method of his healing. The one now seeing was losing patience and asked if they wanted to hear it again so they could become the followers of Jesus. That hit the Pharisees where it really hurt. They said he was a disciple of Jesus, which he was not because he hardly knew at that time who Jesus was. And these Jewish leaders boasted about being disciples of Moses. According to common Jewish count, there are 613 commandments in the law of Moses. They, however, were primarily concerned about keeping the Sabbath and blaming Jesus because He did something good on that day. 

REFLECT 

Have you had some criticize you for doing a particular activity on a certain day? Previously did you read what the apostle Paul wrote in Colossians 2:16-19? Read it again in the light of the criticism Jesus got for doing a good deed on the Sabbath.  

RESPOND 

Read James 2:10 and see what James wrote about those boasting of keeping the law of Moses. Then read Romans 3:19-20 and make use of what it says as you talk to those who think you can be saved by keeping the Old Testament law. No one could perfectly keep it other than the Lord Jesus Christ. That’s why all have to turn to Him in faith in order to become right with God.