John 9:13-16 - Here's mud in your eye

9:13,14

The Pharisees were out to get Jesus and His “working” on the Sabbath provided the ideal opportunity from their perspective. They are of course completely blind to the fact that the man who was physically blind from birth could now see, no thought of rejoicing in this matter. Sin blinds us totally, and completely distorts our thinking.

It says “they brought” the man. Why did the acquaintances of the man bring him to the Pharisees? Maybe they wanted to present them with evidence of the power of Jesus, or perhaps they wanted to keep in with the Pharisees. When evil people rule there will always be those who kowtow to them.

Verse 14 makes it clear that it is the mud making that was the crucial issue in the eyes of the Pharisees.

9:15,16

So the Pharisees asked the man how he had received his sight. The man gave a very basic and perfunctory explanation of what had happened.

The Pharisees were not completely united. There were those who followed what we think of as the typical Pharisee line, being totally obsessed with the “working” on the Sabbath. But there were others who could not see how miraculous healings could be the work of a “sinner”. In the Pharisees defence, Deut 13:1-5 does warn that if someone claims to be a prophet, even if their words come true, but they lead them to worship false gods, then they must follow that prophet. Jesus, of course, was not leading people to worship idols, but to true worship of God.