In Yerushalayim for Feast of Sukkot (Tabernacles) ~ Part 11
In our last post, we learned that Yeshua Declares His External Existence. In this post, we continue to learn about The Healing of the Man Born Blind.
As in our last several posts, Yeshua is still speaking on the last day of Sukkot, Hoshana Rabbah.
The Healing of the Man Born Blind ~ Part 2
The P’rushim Question the Blind Man
13 They took the man who had been blind to the P’rushim. 14 Now, the day on which Yeshua had made the mud and opened his eyes was Shabbat. 15 So the P’rushim asked him again how he had become able to see, and he told them, “He put mud on my eyes, then I washed, and now I can see.”
The blind man’s first response is precisely what we need to do when we give our testimony. He gave them the facts. (We will learn more about his testimony in the next post.) We were spiritually blind to our own sin, but now we see through belief in Yeshua as the Son of God.
16 At this, some of the P’rushim said, “This man is not from God because He doesn’t keep Shabbat.” But others said, “How could a man who is a sinner do miracles like these?” And there was a split among them.
He (Yeshua) doesn’t keep Shabbat. A false accusation, which the accusers take as a fact. So there was a split among them, as before in Yochanan 7:43.
17 So once more, they spoke to the blind man: “Since you’re the one whose eyes he opened, what do you say about him?” He replied: “He is a prophet.” [1]
He is a prophet and more – see the man’s response to additional information about Yeshua (vv. 35–38).
The P’rushim Question the Blind Man
18 The Judeans (identified in verse 13 as the P’rushim), however, were unwilling to believe that he had formerly been blind but now could see until they had summoned the man’s parents.
They summoned the parents to verify the identity of the man and corroborate that he had, in fact, been born blind. It is unlikely their investigation was conducted on the Shabbat.
19 They asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?” 20 His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind; 21 but how it is that he can see now, we don’t know; nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him -he’s old enough; he can speak for himself!” 22 The parents said this because they were afraid of the Judeans, for the Judeans had already agreed that anyone who acknowledged Yeshua as the Messiah would be banned from the synagogue. 23 This is why his parents said, “He’s old enough; ask him.” [2]
He will speak for himself! The parents try to excuse themselves from a further inquiry by disclaiming legal responsibility for their son. They feared they would be expelled from the synagogue, equivalent to being excluded from the community. The synagogue was the community gathering place.
In our next post, we continue with our new series on Yeshua’s Journey to Yerushalayim for the Feast of Sukkot. In our next post, we continue to explore: The Healing of the Man Born Blind.
My Heart is for Israel 