HOST: Ron House
SPONSOR: Start2Finish
They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them. So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.” The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” (His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.) Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
It is amazing to see the hard-hearted refusal of the Pharisees to weigh the evidence and recognize the power and authority of Jesus. They question the healed man, doubted his truthfulness, and even brought his parents before them to testify. But in spite of the overwhelming proof demonstrated by this man’s healing, they still refused to believe. Why? What was it that stood in the way of them believing in Jesus and giving themselves to Him? The gospel accounts spell out clearly the issues that prevented the Pharisees from believing—jealousy, pride, envy, and a dogged determination to maintain their positions of authority within the Jewish system. Their desire for prominence and achievement had taken precedence over the plan of God. Sadly, there are many who fall into that same trap today—those who do not obey the teachings of Christ in the New Testament because they refuse to give up their own desires. May we never have that mindset, but rather submit to the will of God as revealed in His holy Word.
Why do you think the Pharisees had such a hard time accepting Christ?
Don’t forget to pray and have a great day!
