Daily Scripture Reading John 8:48 - 9:12
Throughout human history, people who suffered from deformity or disease often asked God what they did to deserve their disability. People who were free from disability often looked down on those who had a disability, thinking the person did something to deserve their infirmity. This thinking still exists in the 21st century.
Today, we will read in John 9 that the disciples of Jesus had this mentality. Jesus not only refuted their assumption, He also taught the real reason disabilities exist.
Several days ago, we read in John 7:10 that Jesus went secretly up to Jerusalem for the Feast of Booths. The Feast of Booths lasted a week. John 7:14-20 tells us in the middle of the week the crowd accused Jesus of having a demon because Jesus claimed they were trying to kill Him. John 7:37 begins a section that tells us what happened on the last day of the great feast. Jesus made various audacious claims regarding where He was from, being the Light of the world, and going somewhere they could not go.
John 8:48 ¶ The Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?”
John 7:14-20 tells us in the middle of the week the crowd accused Jesus of having a demon because Jesus claimed they were trying to kill Him. There is no indication in the gospel of John prior to John 8:48 that anyone accused Jesus of being a Samaritan. Obviously, this verse indicates they had.
The Jews and Samaritans were enemies. Apparently, in their culture a common insult was to accuse someone of being a Samaritan, just like in today’s middle east it would be an insult for Palestinian to call a fellow Palestinian a Jew or for a Jew to call a fellow Jew a Palestinian.
John 8:49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.
John 8:50 But I do not seek My glory; there is One who seeks and judges.
John 8:51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he will never see death—ever.
Notice the phrase “never see death”.
Throughout chapters 7 and 8, we see that during His time in Jerusalem, Jesus made various audacious claims regarding where He was from, being the Light of the world, and going somewhere they could not go. In verse 51 He went even further and said there is a way to avoid death.
Jesus meant anyone who keeps His word will not see spiritual death, or eternal separation from God.
John 8:52 The Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets also; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word, he will never taste of death—ever.’
The Jews thought Jesus claimed there was a way to avoid physical death. Matthew, Mark, and Luke tell us Jesus often obscured His message by speaking in parables. In the Gospel of John we see Jesus often obscured His message by speaking cryptically, using terms that His audience took one way while His meaning was something different.
John 8:53 Surely You are not greater than our father Abraham who died? The prophets died too; whom do You make Yourself out to be?”
We know that Jesus is God; therefore, we know Jesus is greater than Abraham. The Jews did not accept that truth about Jesus; therefore, they thought it was outrageous for Jesus to claim to be greater than Abraham.
John 8:54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God’;
John 8:55 and you have not known Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you, but I do know Him and keep His word.
Notice the accusations Jesus made in this verse. He claimed the Jews did not know God and that they were liars. Jesus spoke very provocatively. It is almost like He wanted to make the Jews mad at Him.
John 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”
John 8:57 So the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?”
John 8:58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
The personal name of the Creator of the Universe that is used throughout the Old Testament is Yahweh. That is a Hebrew verb that means “He is.” “He is” is the third person version of the verb “To be”. “I am” is the first person version of the same verb. When Jesus said, “I am”, the Jews understood He was claiming to be Yahweh.
John 8:59 Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple.
The Jews did not believe Jesus is God; therefore, when Jesus claimed to be Yahweh, the Jews believed He was blaspheming and should be stoned.
John 9:1 ¶ As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth.
John 9:2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?”
The disciples assumed the man was blind from birth due to sin. Throughout human history, this has been a common assumption. People who suffer from deformity or disease often ask God what they did to deserve their disability. People who are free from disability often look down on those who have a disability, thinking the person did something to deserve their infirmity.
John 9:3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this was so that the works of God might be manifested in him.
Jesus declared very clearly that the blindness was not due to defect.
Pay attention to the second half of the verse where Jesus explained the real reason the man was born blind. It was so the works of God could be manifested in him. We will see in verse 7 that Jesus cured the blindness. In other words, this man spent a lifetime being blind so that Jesus could come along someday and prove His deity by restoring his sight.
When we experience or observe illness or physical deformity, we should remember that the impairment is not necessarily due to sin. The impairment might exist solely to glorify God.
John 9:4 We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work.
John 9:5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
John 9:6 When He had said this, He spat on the ground, made clay of the saliva, and rubbed the clay on his eyes,
John 9:7 and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went away and washed, and came back seeing.
John 9:8 Therefore the neighbors, and those who previously saw him as a beggar, were saying, “Is not this the one who used to sit and beg?”
John 9:9 Others were saying, “This is he,” still others were saying, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the one.”
Restoring sight is so miraculous that many people could not believe it had actually happened.
John 9:10 So they were saying to him, “How then were your eyes opened?”
John 9:11 He answered, “The man who is called Jesus made clay, and rubbed my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash’; so when I went away and washed, I received sight.”
John 9:12 And they said to him, “Where is He?” He said, “I do not know.”
When Jesus and His disciples encountered a blind man, the disciples assumed the man was blind from birth due to sin. Throughout human history, this has been a common assumption. Jesus refuted the assumption. Instead, Jesus taught the disciples that the man spent a lifetime being blind so that He could come along and demonstrate His power by giving sight to the blind man.
What are some obstacles in your life that cause you to ask God what you did to deserve your lot in life?
What are examples you have seen of other people assuming a disability is punishment from God?
How have the obstacles in your life helped you be a better person?
What are some cases you have seen where a person’s disability has brought glory to God?
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”