Bible Studies

HE HAD THE UPPER HAND

by Luella Campbell
02/22/14
Not For Sale
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HE HAD THE UPPER HAND

"He replied, 'Whether He is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!'

"Then they asked him, 'What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?' He answered them, 'I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become His disciples too?'" John 9:25-27 NIV.

Cheeky! The blind man had become bold.

He must have realised that the Pharisees found themselves in a very embarrassing situation and capitalised on it. That a miracle had happened (and one that would attract attention because the blind man had been a public figure -- always begging in the street), was something they could not deny. They had no explanation for what had happened except Jesus...and they certainly did not want to acknowledge Him!

It was just too much for them when the man challenged them. (His words seem to imply that he had already become a follower of Jesus). They turned on him with insults and abuse -- the only way they knew how to get out of a tricky situation.

"Then they hurled insults at him and said, 'You are this fellow's disciple. We are disciples of Moses. We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don't even know where He comes from,'" John 9:28 29 NIV.

It's a pity they did not take the trouble to find out. They would have been surprised to learn that Jesus perfectly matched the prophetic fingerprint of Messiah written all over the Scriptures they claimed to revere and follow.

I cannot emphasise enough the importance of weighing up the evidence before dismissing Jesus as a fake. If there was ever a sure way to convince people of the truth of God's Word, it was to write history before it happened so that, when it happened, no one could dispute the truth. And that is exactly what God did!

When Peter stood up on the day of Pentecost to explain the unusual events that were happening under the noses of the visitors in Jerusalem, he turned to the one thing no one could deny - prophecy. When the apostles took the gospel to the Jews scattered across the Roman Empire, their weapon of truth was -- prophecy. That prophecy could be so accurately fulfilled in Jesus was beyond possibility unless it was of God.

The Pharisees were outraged that a mere nobody and a beggar at that, could throw out a challenge to them for which they had no answer. Their claim to be followers of Moses was just as hollow as their accusation that Jesus was a "sinner". Where was the proof? Jesus Himself had exposed their hypocrisy over and over again.

"The man answered, 'Now that is remarkable! You don't know where He comes from, yet He opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does His will. Nobody had ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God He could do nothing.'" John 9:30-33 NIV.

This man had them and they knew it! As unlearned as he was, his logic was more plausible than theirs. For him it was simple. God hears a godly man. He heard Jesus and worked a miracle, therefore Jesus was a godly man. No contest.

Why could the Pharisees not get it? It had nothing to do with their intelligence or ability to reason. It have everything to do with their prejudice and their unwillingness to bow to Jesus as Lord and God. They had chosen to reject Him because it did not suit them to believe in Him. It was up to them to find a logical reason for rejecting Him and that was easier said than done. Their best weapon was abuse which did not solve their problem. It only showed them up for what they were.

Many human beings still follow the way of the Pharisees, It takes honesty and humility to acknowledge that Jesus is right and we are wrong and we need to bow to Him.

Have you done that?