Sunday School Lesson
June 28
Lesson 4 (KJV)
Feast with Wisdom
Devotional Reading: Psalm 119:97–104
Background Scripture: Proverbs 9
Proverbs 9:1–6, 8–10, 13–18
1. Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars:
2. She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table.
3. She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city,
4. Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,
5. Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled.
6. Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.
8. Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.
9. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.
10. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
13. A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing.
14. For she sitteth at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city,
15. To call passengers who go right on their ways:
16. Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,
17. Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.
18. But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.
Lesson Aims
After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:
1. Summarize the two lifestyles personified by the two women.
2. Compare and contrast the appeals personified in the two women.
3. Role-play planning a dinner party both to seek and honor wisdom.
HOW TO SAY IT
| Apollos | Uh-pahl-us. |
| Aquila | Ack-wih-luh. |
| Carnegie | Car-nay-ghee. |
| De Wallen (Dutch) | Deh Wall-ehn. |
| Laodicea | Lay-odd-uh-see-uh. |
| Priscilla | Prih-sil-uh. |
| Rembrandt | Rehm-brandt. |
| van Gogh | van Gof or van Go. |
Introduction
A. Life-Changing Meals
Has a dinner ever changed your life? Examples of meals that changed a person’s life abound. For instance, without a dinner party during a ferocious storm in Switzerland in 1816, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein would never have been written. The name Henri Rousseau might mean nothing to the art world if not for the dinner thrown by Pablo Picasso in 1908. Without a meal at Dooky Chase’s Restaurant in 1960, we may never have seen the brave example of the men and women who participated in the sit-ins that furthered the cause of the Civil Rights Movement in the USA. Most of all, without the Passover there would have been no precedent for the Lord’s Supper, which continues to be the most important meal for Christians.
In today’s Scripture text, Wisdom invites us into her house; her meal is prepared, and she is ready to give a party to change your life. Folly is also ready. The choice is yours to make: Who will be your hostess and change your life?
B. Lesson Context
Today’s lesson concludes our studies from the book of Proverbs. It is drawn from the final chapter in the opening section of Proverbs (chapters 1–9), in which Wisdom (personified as a woman; see Lesson Context in lesson 3) presents her case for being embraced—and followed as a way of life—by the hearer or reader (see Proverbs 9). From Proverbs 10 on, the book consists primarily of brief sayings and statements of advice covering a wide range of topics, often contrasting the life of wisdom with the life of folly.
I. Wisdom’s Home
(Proverbs 9:1–6)
A. Preparations (vv. 1, 2)
1. Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars.
The imagery of a house to represent wisdom is alluded to, from the close of the previous chapter (see Proverbs 8:34). Here Wisdom is described as having completed her house.
Pillars suggest stability and a degree of magnificence or stateliness. That Wisdom herself has worked to carve them out shows her to be associated with hard work. Seven is a number representing completeness or perfection throughout the Bible (examples: Genesis 2:3; Leviticus 25:8; Revelation 5:6), and it may be viewed so here. Wisdom’s house has no flaws or defects; it is the ideal dwelling place.
2. She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table.
Wisdom has prepared a sumptuous meal for her guests (compare Isaiah 25:6). Wine is something to be enjoyed (Genesis 27:28; Isaiah 55:1), though the Scriptures also warn of its abuse (Proverbs 23:29–35; 31:4, 5). Here it is part of what Wisdom has prepared to show that she has put forth her best efforts to prepare her table. All that is missing now are the guests (compare Luke 14:16–23).
B. Invitation (vv. 3–6)
3. She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city.
Wisdom publicizes her invitation using two means. First, she sends forth her maidens. Second, Wisdom herself goes out to invite people to come to her feast, which may represent the second and more urgent invitation since it comes directly from her. She utters her cry at prominent points where she can be both seen and heard (Proverbs 8:1–3). The setting is similar to that in chapter 1, where Wisdom cries out to passersby in public places to get their attention (1:20, 21).
| What Do You Think? What is one specific lifestyle change you can make to reduce the “noise” that interferes with your hearing Wisdom’s call? Digging Deeper |
Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him.Wisdom’s appeal is aimed at the simple, a group mentioned at the outset of Proverbs as those who can benefit from the book’s contents (Proverbs 1:4, 22). Those who lack understanding parallel the simple. The wording describes people who may be viewed as “neutral” in terms of wisdom vs. foolishness. These individuals could be considered naïve or immature, people who clearly can benefit from what Wisdom has to offer but haven’t yet chosen to do so.
5. Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled.
The invitation from Wisdom begins by asking those invited to take part in the meal that she has prepared. Sharing bread in the biblical world is considered the epitome of intimate fellowship with another person (compare Psalms 42:2; 63:1; 143:6; Isaiah 44:3; John 7:37, 38).
The implied fellowship is why, for example, the Jewish Christians were initially so upset with Peter for having eaten with uncircumcised Gentiles (Acts 11:2, 3). Jesus uses the language of intimate fellowship in appealing to the church at Laodicea to give Him the opportunity to eat with them (Revelation 3:20). His desire is for such warm fellowship to end the “lukewarm” condition of the church (3:16). Wisdom desires a similar intimacy with those who respond to her call.6. Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.
For a person to accept Wisdom’s invitation, the individual must abandon the path of the foolish. In so doing he or she will also turn from foolish people who would hinder a person’s ability to follow wisdom consistently. One cannot walk on both a wise and a foolish path any more than a person can serve both “God and mammon” (Luke 16:13). What Wisdom offers, though, is life (Proverbs 3:1, 2, 18; 8:35).
| What Do You Think? What types of relationships should we sever, if any, to avoid ungodly influences? Digging Deeper |
Becoming Wise
(Proverbs 9:8–10)A. Accepting Instruction (vv. 8, 9)
8. Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.
One way in which a scorner and a wise man demonstrate how different they are is in how each accepts criticism. Scornful or contemptuous people reject any attempt to correct their behavior or to show the error of their ways (see Proverbs 15:12; Matthew 7:6). Pride usually lies at the root of such people’s conduct. On the other hand, the wise person will appreciate any correction and express that to the person who conveys it.
| What Do You Think? What are some ways to make it safe for fellow believers to give us constructive criticism? Digging Deeper |
Just because a person is wise does not mean that he or she knows everything; indeed, genuine wisdom is characterized by humility and a teachable spirit. David, the man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22), was not too pious to say, “Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head” (Psalm 141:5).
9. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.
This expands on the second part of the previous verse. A truly wise individual admits that there is always more to learn (see Proverbs 1:5). He or she is not insulted by the person who offers instruction; the individual is grateful for whatever new insight or information is received (compare 12:15; 15:31; 19:25).
Apollos exhibited such an attitude when he was willing to receive the corrective teaching of Aquila and Priscilla. And Aquila and Priscilla demonstrated wisdom in the way they took Apollos aside in private in order to instruct him (Acts 18:24–26).
Winning Them Over
We all want others to see things our way. But how is that done? Since 1936, many have found answers in a best-selling book that promises to tell How to Win Friends and Influence People.
Dale Carnegie (1888–1955), American writer and developer of self-improvement courses, was the author of this manual for building interpersonal skills. Carnegie believed that it is possible to change other people’s behavior by changing one’s behavior toward them.
Carnegie encouraged leaders to become good listeners and to take a genuine interest in others. By taking a real interest in another person’s well-being, it becomes easier to suggest changes that the receiver can consider and accept as being his or her own conclusions. By building nurturing relationships, a successful leader can grow personally while helping others do likewise.
Solomon also advised how to influence others. Trading insults with a scorner will only feed antagonism. Helping someone who wants to be just will allow the relationship to flourish and improvement to continue. What kind of relationships are you nurturing?
—J. E.
B. Fearing the Lord (v. 10)
10. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
The truth expressed in the first part of this verse has been encountered already in the book (Proverbs 1:7). The knowledge of the holy likely refers not to holy objects, practices, or teachings, but to the knowledge of the holy one, the Lord (compare 2 Kings 19:22; Psalm 78:41; Isaiah 1:4; 43:3).
To many, the word holiness implies a life that is removed from the practical concerns of this world and is thus unable to relate to it properly and live within it. But holiness implies a separation in a spiritual sense: being set apart for God. Though secular living (as the opposite of holy living) may seem fun, it detracts from a meaningful or enriching life. The best way to journey through life in a broken, sin-filled world is to follow the Creator’s guidelines.
Lady Wisdom concludes her invitation (Proverbs 9:11, 12, not in our text) with the promise of rewards (not to be enjoyed by the scorner). These include a longer life (which is a general principle, not an ironclad guarantee).
III. Folly’s Home
(Proverbs 9:13–18)
A. The Woman (v. 13)
13. A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing.
This verse introduces a foolish woman to contrast with the woman known as Wisdom. For this reason, the foolish woman is often referred to as Folly. She is described as clamorous: noisy, loud, obnoxious (compare Proverbs 7:11).
Whereas Wisdom sends her appeal to the simple (9:4), Folly herself is simple (that is, unfocused or wandering: compare 5:6). Though one gets the impression that she likes to sound knowledgeable, in reality she needs wisdom for she knows nothing.
B. The House (v. 14)
14. For she sitteth at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city.
While Wisdom has built her house (Proverbs 9:1), nothing is said about Folly’s efforts to build her own. Nor does the text indicate that she has prepared any meal as has Wisdom (9:2). Folly simply sits idly at the door of her house (contrast 9:4).
Folly, like Wisdom, locates herself at a prominent point in the high places of the city. Some suggest that because of the way in which high places are often associated with pagan worship in the Old Testament, it may be that Folly is inviting passersby to join her in such worship (compare Ezekiel 16:24, 25). If so, that adds to the suspect nature of her appeal. But since Wisdom also resides on a high place (Proverbs 9:3), Folly’s character more than her location is what makes her suspicious as a good hostess.
| What Do You Think? How can we work to turn down the volume on foolishness in our surroundings without denying the right to free speech? Digging Deeper |
Folly is contrasted with Wisdom in a manner that calls to mind the parables of Jesus. The house imagery anticipates how Jesus will conclude His Sermon on the Mount, with an illustration of two houses built on two different foundations: rock and sand. Both houses are subject to the same circumstances (rain, floods, and wind). The house built on sand collapses, while the house built on a foundation of solid rock remains intact.
The two houses, as Jesus will explain centuries later, stand for two different ways of living. The one built on rock represents the life lived in obedience to His teachings; the one built on sand represents the person who hears His teachings but refuses to obey them (Matthew 7:24–27; Luke 6:48, 49).
C. Temptation (vv. 15–17)
15. To call passengers who go right on their ways.
Folly provides a distraction from Wisdom’s call; she is trying to lure people away from the course they are on (contrast Proverbs 1:20–23). Her intentions are questionable, to say the least.
16. Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him.
Folly words her invitation in a manner similar to Wisdom’s (Proverbs 9:4, 5). In that regard, Folly’s invitation is to the same naïve population to which Wisdom calls. In this case, wanteth understanding means that a person lacks discernment, not that the person desires it.
17a. Stolen waters are sweet.
Here, however, we see the difference between the two invitations. And the two potential hostesses cannot be more distinct! Folly has nothing of her own to offer as she brazenly refers to her provision of waters as stolen (contrast Proverbs 9:5). She further has the audacity to boast of how sweet such fare is to taste (compare 20:17).
There is no sense of shame or remorse in how Folly has acquired what she is offering. Quite the opposite—there is an unmistakable sense of perverse pride!
17b. And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.
One can assume that the bread to be eaten in secret is also stolen. That is why it is devoured where no one can discover the theft of the ones who enjoy it.
D. Departing Gift (v. 18)
18a. But he knoweth not that the dead are there.
Hebrews 11:25 describes the pleasures of sin as lasting only “for a season”—they do not endure. This is illustrated by the but statement of the verse before us as it follows the seductive appeal of the previous verse. What Folly has made to sound so enjoyable and so satisfying leads to a dead end (compare Proverbs 2:18; 7:26, 27). Instead of being a lifestyle of pleasure, her path produces a “death-style.”
One is reminded of the lie posed by the serpent in the Garden of Eden. The serpent promised much to the woman (and to the man through her) but could only deliver death, as God had warned (Genesis 2:17). Satan continues to be the master of deception. Jesus refers to the devil as the father of lies (John 8:44). One of his disguises by which he deceives is to appear as “an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). There is nothing sweet or pleasant in following his counsel. Only Wisdom offers the tree of life (Proverbs 3:18).
18b. And that her guests are in the depths of hell.
The Hebrew word translated hell can also be translated “the grave” (examples: Genesis 37:35; 1 Kings 2:6). It refers to the abode of the dead (Job 11:8; Psalm 139:8), not necessarily to a place of punishment. The concept of Heaven and Hell as we understand today wasn’t fully revealed by God when Solomon wrote. To grasp that entirety, one must consider the teaching of the entire New Testament. Only there is to be found the ultimate clarity on the subject of the afterlife (examples: Matthew 10:28; Mark 10:21; 12:25; 2 Peter 2:4; Revelation 21; 22).
The focus of the warning in the verse before us is that heeding Folly’s invitation is a sure path to ruin. The clear contrast is found in Wisdom’s appeal, which promises long life (Proverbs 3:16; 9:11). A life lived with wisdom, even one tragically cut short, is a good life. Since true wisdom begins with the fear of God, any such life, whether long or short, is the path to everlasting life with the Lord. In that way, a person can be said to have found the Old Testament’s understanding of abundant life (compare John 10:10). And what has been avoided is the way of trespasses and sins, which leads to death (compare Ephesians 2:1).
| What Do You Think? Which Scriptures do you find most helpful in strengthening your resolve to make wisely measured decisions? Digging Deeper |
Tourist Trap
Amsterdam is a city with a rich history. For instance, the city claims that the Amsterdam Stock Exchange is the oldest in the world. Similarly, the Natura Artis Magistra is one of the oldest zoos in Europe and includes a planetarium and an aquarium. Museums display the works of renowned Dutch artists such as Rembrandt and van Gogh.
While these cultural sites attract their share of sightseers, one of the largest draws in Amsterdam is the neighborhood known as De Wallen, home of the famous red-light district. Prostitutes offer their services from behind the siren songs of windows illuminated with red lights. Beyond prostitution, the area also lures visitors with drug-related activities.
Wisdom offers a rich feast in all cities, even Amsterdam. But the call of unrestrained sensuality is strong. Although Wisdom is built on a solid foundation of truth, Folly appeals to people’s basest instincts. Whose call do you follow?
—J. E.
Conclusion
A. Only Two Choices
When I was growing up in the 1950s and 1960s, the choice of breakfast cereals was limited. Today many grocery store aisles are filled with nothing but cereals. In fact, almost anything we buy today involves selecting from a huge (and often confusing) array of choices. Truly we live in a world with an abundance of choices in a variety of areas.
However, as today’s lesson from Proverbs has pointed out, the essentials of life and eternity come down to a single choice. The first psalm concludes with a contrast of this choice: “The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish” (Psalm 1:6). The prophet Ezekiel urged the people of his day to turn from the way leading to death and thereby live (Ezekiel 18:23, 32). All this is reinforced by the teaching of Jesus concerning the good way leading to life versus the evil way (Matthew 7:13, 14), the two builders (7:24–27), and the two groups at the final judgment (25:31–46).
Throughout the book of Proverbs, the choices are presented as wisdom and folly (or foolishness) dozens of times. Following wisdom leads to life (Proverbs 9:6), folly to death (9:18). Today’s Scripture text from Proverbs 9 uses the illustration of two houses and two hostesses to present the choice that we all face. This is consistent with the choice that Moses gave the Israelites:
I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live (Deuteronomy 30:19)
The same options are reflected in the choice that Joshua later gave to the Israelites as to whom they would serve: other gods or the true God (Joshua 24:15). Then as today, it’s either/or, not both/and.
Despite the many who advocate that there are many paths to life from many different (and even contradictory) religions, the Scriptures still offer the only possibility. Jesus is the only way to life (John 14:6); every other path leads to death. This is why responding to the gospel with acceptance remains so crucial. It is a matter of great urgency because it makes all the difference between life and death.
Two houses stand, but one will fall. Two meals are offered, but one is poisoned. Two hostesses extend invitations, but one is deceptive. It is up to each individual to decide which house to enter, which meal to eat, and which invitation to accept. Choose wisely!
B. Prayer
Father in Heaven, thank You for Jesus, who reveals His treasures of wisdom and knowledge to those who seek Him. Thank You for the holy Scriptures, which are able to make us wise concerning salvation. Grant us grace and strength to follow the way of wisdom, knowing that it is the way to life. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
C. Thought to Remember
The path of folly is not a lifestyle; it’s a death-style.
KID’S CORNER
Manmade Rules and Spiritual Blindness
Sunday, June 28, 2020
John 9:13-23
John 9:13-23
(John 9:13) They *brought to the Pharisees the man who was formerly blind.
“They” were the neighbors of the “beggar” Jesus healed. We have no evidence that his neighbors praised God for his healing, but they were curious to learn how he had regained his sight. They showed no regard for the man personally and only regarded him as a blind man who used to beg (see John 9:8). Knowing that the religious leaders had determined that anyone who confessed Jesus would be put out of the synagogue, his neighbors brought the man to the Pharisees (see John 9:22). Their actions remind us of the man Jesus healed in John chapter 5. As soon as the man Jesus healed learned Jesus was the one who had healed him, he went immediately and told the religious leaders: “Therefore they began persecuting Jesus” (John 5:16).
(John 9:14) Now it was a Sabbath on the day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes.
Even though Jesus suffered persecution for doing good, Jesus continued doing His Father’s work on the Sabbath (John 5:17). The Pharisees had many manmade rules that they had added to the Law of God or the law given to Moses. They expected everyone to obey their rules, and they refused to even listen to other points of view or interpretations of the Hebrew Scriptures. As the Son of God, Jesus expressed different interpretations of the Law of God from theirs and violated their self-centered rules, so they became furious with Jesus.
The Pharisees’ interpretations of God’s law violated the intention of God when He gave the law to Moses. God’s law requires people to love their neighbor as themselves, the Law of Love (see Mark 12:31). According to the Pharisees’ interpretation of God’s law, a person could help keep a person from dying on the Sabbath, but it violated their Sabbath rule to make the person better. They considered making a person better a work. Thus, their interpretation made the Law of Love invalid. They considered it a sinful work to knead on the Sabbath, such as kneading bread, for that violated their Sabbath law. They forbid a person from rubbing their eyes with their spit on the Sabbath to make their eyes feel better or perhaps to remove dust, for that too was considered a work that violated their Sabbath law.
On the Sabbath, Jesus violated at least three and perhaps four or more Pharisaic rules. First, Jesus made the man better when He gave sight to the man who had been born blind. Second, Jesus kneaded when He took dust and spit and made mud to use as medicine for the man’s eyes. Third, Jesus worked when He used His spit to make medicine. Fourth, Jesus may have violated a Pharisaic rule when He told the man to wash in the Pool of Siloam on the Sabbath, which may have been more than a “legal” (according to the Pharisees) Sabbath day’s journey. The Pharisees considered a Sabbath day’s journey to be less than a mile (though they found “legal” ways to extend the distance on the Sabbath to benefit themselves). From where the man met Jesus (and John does not tell us where Jesus met him) he may have had to walk more than a ½ mile, and we know this too would have concerned the Pharisees, who were very particular about criticizing anyone who did not obey all their laws (see Acts 1:12, for the distance of a Sabbath day’s journey).
(John 9:15) Then the Pharisees also were asking him again how he received his sight. And he said to them, “He applied clay to my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”
The man who could now see clearly, bravely answered the Pharisees truthfully and succinctly. He probably knew that telling them much more than the basic facts would only get Jesus and him in more trouble with the Pharisees. Jesus had practiced medicine on the Sabbath and had made him better, for Jesus had healed him. Since putting spit on your own eyes to wash them on the Sabbath was considered sinful by the Pharisees, we can only imagine all the Pharisaic laws Jesus and the man probably broke when Jesus told him what he needed to do to be healed.
(John 9:16) Therefore some of the Pharisees were saying, “This man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others were saying, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And there was a division among them.
Like the man’s neighbors, none of the Pharisees praised and thanked God for the miraculous healing of the man who had been born blind. He continued only as an object for debate and a means to attack Jesus. Some of the religious leaders did not praise God because they said Jesus could not be from God, for Jesus had violated their Sabbath rules. They believed anyone who did not adhere to their strict rules of conduct could not be from God (even as they looked for an opportunity to kill Jesus: see John 7:1). Others thought Jesus could not be a sinner because Jesus had performed this and other signs that showed He was doing God’s work. Both groups acknowledged that Jesus had probably healed the man, but one group wanted more evidence. They showed no concern for the man who revealed “God’s work in him” (see John 9:3). The Pharisees remained divided. The more objective group of Pharisees did not say much in defense of Jesus, because they knew the consequences of confessing Jesus as the Messiah. At some point, a Pharisee named Nicodemus (and other unnamed Pharisees) came to believe in Jesus as the Messiah (John 19:39).
(John 9:17) So they *said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes?” And he said, “He is a prophet.”
The man Jesus healed revealed the work of God in him up to the level of his understanding. The Pharisees knew what they would do to the man (and so did the man) if he confessed Jesus. But the man who could see for the first time would not deny the One who had healed him. So, based on the sign Jesus had performed when He healed him, the man said he believed Jesus was a prophet. Jesus, who said He is the light of the world, healed the man, and the man could see light with first time in his life. Jesus gave the man physical light and spiritual light beyond the spiritual light of the Pharisees, who were spiritually blind.
(John 9:18) The Jews then did not believe it of him, that he had been blind and had received sight, until they called the parents of the very one who had received his sight,
After admitting that all the evidence pointed to the fact that the man had been born blind and Jesus had healed him, some of the religious leaders still refused to believe the man or that Jesus was a prophet. After they called his parents, they all believed Jesus had healed him, because the parents gave irrefutable proof the man born blind was their son. According to the Law of God, the Pharisees only needed two witnesses to prove something was true. They had the testimony of the man on trial before them who could see. They had the testimony of the man’s neighbors. They would soon have his parents’ testimony. They had more than enough witnesses to confirm that what the man told them was true. But some still refused to acknowledge that Jesus was from God because Jesus would not teach as they wanted Jesus to teach. Jesus did not endorse their religious views or rules, so they looked for more reasons to kill Jesus.
(John 9:19) and questioned them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? Then how does he now see?”
Looking for anyone who would dispute the man’s story about who healed him and how, the Pharisees called in the man’s parents. They asked them the same questions. His parents would not deny their own son and that he had been born blind, but they could not serve as eyewitnesses regarding how he could now see. They only had the word of their son, but they could have been character witnesses for their son and told the Pharisees that their son always told the truth.
(John 9:20) His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind;
The parents affirmed what everyone knew. Their affirmation took some courage because the Jews of that day thought that the parents of blind or disabled people were sinners. Their acknowledgment that the man born blind was their child would have confirmed for the judgmental Pharisees that they were sinners and worthy of condemnation. (Remember the disciples’ question about sin and the cause of the man’s blindness in John 9:2). By answering as they did, his parents opened themselves up to ridicule when they claimed the man was their son. Eventually, the Pharisees told the man (and his parents), “You were born entirely in sins” (John 9:34).
(John 9:21) but how he now sees, we do not know; or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself.”
After admitting he was their son, they could truthfully say they had no firsthand knowledge of how he could see or who healed him. They quickly said, “Ask him,” for he was of age to answer the questions of the Pharisees. Without coercion or fear, the man did speak for himself when he spoke the truth about Jesus, but his parents were afraid of the Pharisees.
(John 9:22) His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed Him to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.
John explained that his parents were afraid of the religious leaders for they (as well as their neighbors) knew that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah (and their son’s healing pointed to the fact that Jesus was the Messiah) would no longer be considered a part of the Jewish community (the synagogue). Not only would they no longer have access to God (as they supposed) for they could no longer worship in the synagogue or enter the temple, but they would also be shunned by their neighbors. Whatever they did to earn a living would be destroyed, for their neighbors would no longer be their customers. If they were put out of the synagogue, they would need to move away and hope no one discovered that they had been put out. Their son would no longer be able to beg and receive alms; of course, he would want to do meaningful work, but no one in their Jewish community would hire him for he too would be cast out of the synagogue (see John 9:34).
(John 9:23) For this reason his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
John carefully explained why the man and his parents answered the Pharisees with as few words as possible. On the one hand, we see the courage of the man who received his sight, and on the other hand we see the fear that the powerful Pharisees could instill in those who disagreed with them and their rules. Throughout the Gospel of John, we see the courage Jesus displayed when He always told the truth and looked for opportunities to always do the loving and merciful works of God.
Manmade Rules and Spiritual Blindness
Sunday, June 28, 2020
John 9:13-23
Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them (John 9:16—KJV).
Therefore some of the Pharisees were saying, “This man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others were saying, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And there was a division among them (John 9:16—NASB).
Some of the Pharisees said, “This man (Jesus) is not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And they were divided (John 9:16—NRSV).
No one in Jerusalem had ever heard of a man born blind being healed, but when Jesus met a man born blind, He gave him physical and spiritual sight. Despite their knowledge of the Scriptures, many Pharisees did not have spiritual sight, so they became divided over Jesus whenever He healed on the Sabbath. The Pharisees made rules on how to keep the Law of God, but many of their rules radically departed from the Law of God and made the Law of Love almost impossible to obey, especially when it came to loving God and your neighbor. For example, according to their rules, it was legal to keep
someone from dying on the Sabbath, but it violated their laws to make a person better on the Sabbath. Some Pharisees believed Jesus did not observe the Sabbath because He healed on the Sabbath and claimed to do the work of God. Because of their rules, when Jesus made someone whole on the Sabbath, they could not see Him revealing God through His healing work. Many Pharisees showed no interest in the people Jesus healed other than to seek reasons to kill Jesus for disobeying their rules. The Pharisees knew, and the Bible teaches, that not every miracle is a sign someone is from God. But, by what Jesus taught and did, those with spiritual sight recognized
Jesus was the Light of the world. Some Pharisees, such as Nicodemus, loved God and their neighbors; therefore, they praised and thanked God whenever Jesus healed anyone.
Thinking Further
Manmade Rules and Spiritual Blindness
Sunday, June 28, 2020
John 9:13-23
Name ________________________________________
- What was the problem with Jesus healing someone on the Sabbath?
- How did the man born blind describe His healing?
- In what way were people divided after Jesus healed the man born blind?
- When asked, what did the man born blind say about Jesus?
Why did this take courage?
- When questioned, why were the parents of the man Jesus healed afraid?
Discussion and Thinking Further
- Who sinned that the man was born blind? No one.
- In what special way did Jesus look upon the man who was born blind? How do you look upon people who have a genetic disorder? He saw the man as a person He and the Father had created in a marvelous way when in the womb (see Psalms 139). He did not see him as a sinner when in the womb. Jesus knew the man would glorify God as He did God’s works in him. As someone God can bless and work with and through to reveal His marvelous work. God will sometimes use us to do His work with and in people with all sorts of disorders.
- How did Jesus explain our responsibility to do the works of God? We need to do the works of God while it is day; in other words, at every opportunity, because there will come a time when we will no longer have certain opportunities.
- What did Jesus do to heal the man? Why do you think Jesus healed him this way? He used His spit and dust from the ground to make mud, which He put on the man’s eyes. Then, He told him to go wash in the pool of Siloam. Jesus completed what He had begun when He was involved in the man’s creation in the womb to bring glory to God and show the works of God that He might bless the man and his family and lead others to faith in Him by His sign.
- What did the man do to receive his sight? If he had disobeyed Jesus, do you think he would have been able to see? He obeyed Jesus’ command and went to the pool of Siloam exactly as Jesus told him to do. No, because he would not have fulfilled the conditions that Jesus set for him to receive his sight. Jesus gave him the opportunity and responsibility to believe and do or disbelieve and disobey. He did as Jesus intended.
Manmade Rules and Spiritual Blindness
Sunday, June 28, 2020
John 9:13-23
Name ________________________________________
Manmade Rules and Spiritual Blindness
Sunday, June 28, 2020
John 9:13-23
Name ________________________________________
Prayer
Father in Heaven, thank You for Jesus, who reveals His treasures of wisdom and knowledge to those who seek Him. Thank You for the holy Scriptures, which are able to make us wise concerning salvation. Grant us grace and strength to follow the way of wisdom, knowing that it is the way to life. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.