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Then, Jesus said: “For [the purpose of] judgment I came into the world of humanity,1 so that those not seeing may see,2 and those seeing should become blind.”3
| 1 | For [the purpose of] judgment I came into the world: Or, NOR: I came into the world to bring judgment; TCN: to put men to the test; PME: my coming into this world is itself a judgment. Some will not like this phrase from Jesus as they have become totally focused on salvation, a word Jesus only uses twice in the Gospels. [Luke 19:9; John 4:22] The word group judg(ment) occurs often in the teachings of the Nazarene, and most often in John’s Gospel. [Compare Matthew 7:2; 10:15; 11:22, 24; 12:3, 6, 41, 42; 22:30; 23:33; Mark 12:40] Note that when Jesus promises to send the Pneumatic Helper it speaks about three subjects, and one of them is judgment, and neither is “salvation.” [John 3:19; 5:24, 29, 30; 8:16, 26; 16:8, 11] |
| 2 | Those not seeing may see: Or, KNX: those who are blind should see; MOF: make the sightless see; PME: those who cannot see have their eyes opened. [John 12:46; Luke 4:18] |
| 3 | Those seeing should become blind: Or, PME: those who think they can see become blind. [Isaiah 29:14; Matthew 11:25; 13:13; Acts 28:26; 2 Peter 1:9] |
Dear Friends of the Nazarene,
We choose John 9:39 as the theme verse of chapter nine – The Unseeing Blind and the Blind Seeing. Jesus heals a man who had been blind from birth. [1-7] The formerly blind man testifies regarding a man he does not know. [8-12] The Jewish religious hierarchy challenge and accuse Jesus of being a sinner. [13-17] Fear of being excommunicated spreads among the crowds. [18-23] The “blind” man testifies further that Jesus must be from God. [24-34] Finally Christ himself testifies regarding his purpose in coming – Judgment. [35-41] He adds that he has come so that those who have the responsibility for seeing in spiritual matters become blind, and those blind because of them will see.
Abba our Father bless the blind who now see.
[7 December 2002]
The coming of Christ, the Light, reveals human hearts. Publicans and sinners were made to see, while “Jews” and Pharisees, who claimed to be enlightened, were left in darkness, because they closed their eyes. Those blinded are those who would not see.
