An ill person, or one who is physically incapacitated, would not quibble about the day of the week they'd gotten healed. They were healed and they'd be glad and rejoice, I should think. Even their families would be glad; at least, normally speaking.
But when Jesus healed the man who had been blind from birth on the Sabbath Day, it radicalized the day. The religious leaders were affronted and it set them into a frenzy of interrogation.
The neighbors couldn't believe it and questioned whether it was the same man or not. Worse still, in fear of the Jews, his parents bailed on him, telling the Pharisees to go and ask him himself because he was "of age." The man eventually gets cast out of the community.
This should have been the best day of that man's life but how awful it had become! Yet Jesus in His compassion finds the man after hearing he'd been cast out. Ironically, the man was now at the point of utmost need. And Jesus meets him.
In verse 7 of this 9th chapter of John we read that the "once blind" man went to wash in the pool of Siloam as Jesus had instructed him to do.
"So he went and washed and came back seeing."
What a miracle!
Isn't it a truly amazing and astounding happening!?
But the Pharisees' quibble was the day of the week Jesus had healed the man - the Sabbath. Oh they were legalistic defenders of the Law and no matter the case, they would hypocritically, not bend the rules for Jesus.
Jesus really liked to get under their skin. He was surely earning their attention. He wanted to show them a better way. The way of grace and mercy and a leading towards His purpose in coming to earth. It also showed that He was no ordinary man. If they would only stop and ponder on this amazing miracle and who it was who had performed it and who it was who was in their midst!
But they didn't and so the leaders became callously heartless.
So when Jesus meets up with the cast out, once blind, now seeing man, He asks,
"Do you believe in the Son of Man" (vs 35)?
The man asks who that would be so that he could believe. Jesus answers,
"You have see Him, and it is He who is speaking to you" (vs 37).
Wow! Among the first things for this once blind man to see, is Jesus Himself, His Healer. Jesus had allowed,
"the works of God to be displayed in him" (vs3)
How awesome is that!
Now he could see physically as well as spiritually,
"Lord, I believe" (vs 38).
he declared. His day had had a wondrous ending after all and it caused the man to worship Jesus (vs. 38).
Meanwhile the seeing Pharisees were still blind.
Let's overcome legalistic chains and see the heart of God and His Son Jesus Christ. 'Open the eyes of our hearts,' as a line of a song goes. Let's see Jesus for who He is, believe in Him and believe Him, no matter the day of the week.
Father God, may the eyes of our hearts be opened to You that we may see you. Give us clear spiritual sight to see and know You and to believe in Your Son Jesus. Then we can bow down and worship You. Use us then to display Your works. In Jesus' name we ask, Amen.
~ ERC October 2025 ~
Based on John 9:7 & 37 ESV.
Sing, Open the Eyes of My Heart (I Want to See You), along with Michael W. Smith.
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