What can we learn from the Pharisees' reaction in John 9:15? The Verse in Focus: John 9:15 “So the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He answered, ‘He put mud on my eyes, I washed, and now I can see.’” (John 9:15) What the Pharisees Revealed About Their Hearts • Suspicion toward a clear work of God rather than joyful celebration • Reliance on second-hand interrogation instead of personal openness to truth • Preoccupation with procedure (how?) rather than praise (wow!) • Fear of losing authority; a miracle threatened their religious control • Spiritual blindness that could stare at undeniable evidence yet refuse to believe (cf. John 9:39-41) Timeless Warnings for Us Today • Miracles do not convince a closed heart; humility is essential for sight (James 4:6) • Tradition is a servant, never a master—when custom eclipses compassion, we mimic the Pharisees (Matthew 23:23-24) • Fixating on “how God works” can drown out gratitude that He worked at all (Psalm 118:23-24) • Intellectual inquiry is healthy, but it must be paired with surrender to revealed truth (Proverbs 3:5-6) • Spiritual pride blinds more effectively than any physical ailment (1 Corinthians 8:1b; Isaiah 5:21) How Other Scriptures Reinforce These Lessons • Mark 7:6-8—honoring God with lips while hearts are far away • 2 Corinthians 4:4—the god of this age blinds unbelieving minds • Isaiah 29:13—ritual without heart engagement • John 3:19-21—people love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil • Hebrews 11:6—without faith it is impossible to please God A Personal Takeaway If God chooses to move in a way that unsettles our expectations, will we interrogate Him like the Pharisees, or will we echo the healed man’s simple testimony: “I was blind, now I see”? Openness to His sovereign work keeps our vision clear and our worship vibrant. |
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