Sunday School Lesson
June 14
Lesson 2 (KJV)
Value Wisdom
Devotional Reading: Proverbs 2:12–22
Background Scripture: Genesis 39; Proverbs 2
Proverbs 2:1–11
1. My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
2. So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
3. Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
4. If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
5. Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.
6. For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
7. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
8. He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.
9. Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.
10. When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;
11. Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee.
The Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.—Proverbs 2:6
Lesson Aims
After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:
1. State promises and blessings associated with godly wisdom.
2. Compare and contrast uses of the words wisdom, knowledge, understanding, treasure, and discretion.
3. Begin keeping a journal of occasions when godly wisdom has “preserved” him or her.
HOW TO SAY IT
| Colossians | Kuh-losh-unz. |
| Corinthians | Ko-rin-thee-unz (th as in thin). |
| Hebrews | Hee-brews. |
| parallelism | par-al-lel-ism. |
| Phelps | Fehlps. |
| Solomon | Sol-o-mun. |
Introduction
A. More Valuable Than Gold
Swimmer Michael Phelps electrified the sports world when he won a record eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. But he had made a different kind of impact in the 2004 games in Athens, Greece. There Phelps, who had earned a spot in the 4×100-meter medley relay, decided to give up his spot to Ian Crocker. Crocker was swimming in what he thought was his final Olympics, and he had yet to earn gold thus far in Athens.
The American team won the relay, and Crocker received the gold medal that had eluded him. Phelps’s gesture of withdrawing from a race for the sake of a teammate identified him as a gold medalist in more than swimming. It made him a champion of a different kind in the eyes of many.
Olympic athletes are known for their highly disciplined training in pursuit of world-class excellence and of winning the gold medal that distinguishes them as the best. In today’s Scripture, Solomon encouraged his son (and all readers of his words) to pursue something far more valuable than any precious medal.
B. Lesson Context
Proverbs often uses a form of Hebrew poetry called parallelism. This is where two or more lines of text make the same point by using synonyms or near synonyms. For example, Solomon says of wisdom in Proverbs 3:17:
| her ways are | ways of pleasantness |
| ↓ | ↓ |
| all her paths are | peace |
In other words, all of wisdom’s ways are the same as her paths, and the pleasantness of those are peaceful. The effect of this literary technique is to emphasize the point being made. Parallelism occurs frequently in today’s lesson.
Today’s lesson continues the appeal from the father to the son (Proverbs 1:8, 10, 15; see lesson 1). Though the son could find many other enticing treasures to seek, the father impresses on the young man the superiority of finding wisdom.
I. Earthly Father’s Plea
(Proverbs 2:1–5)
A. Search for Wisdom (vv. 1–4)
1a. My son, if thou wilt receive my words.
The father offers a conditional invitation. If the son will accept his father’s words, then a certain reward will follow (see commentary on Proverbs 2:5 below). The second clause (in 2:1b below) clarifies what it means to receive these words. If the son will not listen to his father, he cannot expect to receive these blessings.
1b. And hide my commandments with thee.
Sometimes we hide objects to protect them from being used or harmed. The hiding of Scripture is for the purpose of having those items available to use whenever needed to provide the wisdom that only God’s Word can supply (compare Psalm 119:11). Hiding the father’s commandments will ensure that the son can refer to them at any time and so find his way in any situation.
2a. So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom.
The thought begun in Proverbs 2:1 continues. To incline one’s ear creates an image of actively listening to whoever is speaking (Proverbs 4:20; 5:13). In other Scriptures, the same Hebrew word is used to ask the Lord to “attend” to the praying person (examples: Psalms 17:1; 86:6; 142:6). Other passages tell how God’s people failed to “hear” His teaching and for that reason came under His judgment (example: Zechariah 1:4). Here the son is encouraged to listen closely so that he will miss nothing that wisdom has to say.
Proverbs 9:10 teaches that wisdom begins with “the fear of the Lord.” Does this mean that the wisest person is the one who cowers most in terror before God? Not exactly. It means that the wise person is the one who respects God to the point of obedience. We are on the path of wisdom when we hear and heed God’s directions. This is the path that Solomon desperately wants his hearers to find and follow.
2b. And apply thine heart to understanding.
Becoming wise involves more than just one’s ears. The heart must be included as well. Biblically, the heart describes our ability to reason, think, and consider spiritual matters (example: the stubbornness of Pharaoh in Exodus 7:13; 8:15). Each person must “keep [his or her] heart with all diligence” (Proverbs 4:23). Both wisdom and understanding have already been cited as part of the purpose for which the proverbs have been compiled (1:2, 3, 5; see lesson 1).
| What Do You Think? How do we go about being more receptive to wisdom? Digging Deeper |
Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding.The son is now challenged to engage his voice in the pursuit of knowledge and understanding. His crying out will represent an intensifying search; the son is to be consumed with a desire for wisdom.
Again, Solomon uses a couple of vivid metaphors to describe the necessary quest for understanding. We are to bellow for it, raising our voices and clamoring for it. Previously, Wisdom was pictured as crying out in the public arenas (Proverbs 1:20–23). She longs to be heard, and she is looking for those who are desperate to follow after her (compare James 1:5). Now it is we who are to call out for her.4. If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures.
To illustrate how passionate the son’s desire for wisdom must become, a comparison is introduced: he must become as earnest in his quest for wisdom as many are for the material wealth of silver and hidden treasures (compare Matthew 13:44–46).
Indeed, the drive for material wealth often drains the desire for wisdom. Jesus warns us to “beware of covetousness” (Luke 12:15) and tells a parable to illustrate how the obsession with material wealth and success can blind us to the things of God (12:16–21). People “trust in uncertain riches” (1 Timothy 6:17) when their trust should be in God. He is the source of wealth that riches cannot provide: wisdom.
Job uses a similar comparison when he describes man’s quest for wisdom (Job 28:1–11). The chapter concludes with a declaration that echoes Solomon’s words: “Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding” (28:28; compare Proverbs 9:10).
We also are to go on a treasure hunt for wisdom, seeking and searching. Wisdom is available but must be sought. We are not born wise. Wisdom is not intuitive; in fact, the wisdom of God is sometimes counter intuitive because it goes against our impulses of self-preservation, self-importance, and greediness.
| What Do You Think? Who could be your role model as one who lives out the implications of Proverbs 2:4? Digging Deeper |
Find Wisdom (v. 5)5a. Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord.
This verse gives the conclusion (note the word then) to the previous four verses. There the interest in obtaining wisdom has been described with increasing desire. If the son will dedicate himself fully to the search for wisdom, he will come to understand the fear of the Lord.
It bears noting that this is the third time the phrase “fear of the Lord” has been used in the first two chapters of Proverbs. It first appears in the opening verses of the book, introducing the reader to the “beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7). The second time is when Wisdom herself cries out and urges passersby to heed her voice and not be among those who reject the fear of the Lord (1:20–29).5b. And find the knowledge of God.
Having understood the fear of the Lord, the son will discover the key to knowledge (Proverbs 1:7). Wisdom and knowledge are not, biblically speaking, found through mastery of a body of facts or data. They are found in a relationship with the Lord that acknowledges Him as their source. Neither wisdom nor knowledge is an end in itself; the Lord himself is the end of the quest.
| What Do You Think? How would you explain to a new believer the relationship between fear and knowledge as those terms are used in Proverbs 2:5? Digging Deeper |
In another sense, however, the quest has only begun. There are always new adventures and insights to receive as one learns to trust the Lord with all one’s heart and acknowledge Him in all one’s ways (Proverbs 3:5, 6).
Such a discovery as this may seem foolish and hardly worth the effort in the eyes of the world. Secular culture fails to consider God at all when searching for the source of wisdom. But God’s wisdom has always been scorned by the unbelieving world. This truth adds to the wonder of the gospel message, particularly as seen in the cross of Jesus (1 Corinthians 1:18–31).
II. Heavenly Father’s Word
(Proverbs 2:6–11)
A. Source of Wisdom (v. 6)
6. For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
God’s wisdom results in fulfillment by leading people to develop the qualities emphasized as being necessary for a good life. Knowledge and understanding signify far more than intellectual prowess (see commentary on Proverbs 2:5 above); apart from God, these are often used for violent, destructive purposes. Both knowledge and understanding have to do with learning God’s character and recognizing what He desires.
The reference to the mouth of the Lord highlights His spoken and written Word as the source of wisdom. (Psalm 119:72 offers a similar comparison.) God’s inspiring our Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:16, 17) gives them authority that mere humans writing on their own cannot achieve, no matter how wise. Jesus countered one of the devil’s temptations with the words, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Certainly, we need physical sustenance. But without knowledge from God, we are spiritually starving to death.
B. Protection for the Wise (vv. 7, 8)
7a. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous.
The idea of laying up may bring to mind Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount about laying up treasures in Heaven (Matthew 6:20). Whereas Jesus will call His disciples to lay up for themselves, here the Lord himself is the one who lays up sound wisdom as a treasure for the righteous (compare Psalm 84:11).
These are riches that one can draw from at any age and stage of life. One never outgrows the need for the Lord’s wisdom. But a person must be willing to admit that need and express a humble dependence on what the Lord has provided in His Word.
7b. He is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
A buckler is a shield (example: Genesis 15:1). It is usually buckled around the arm of the soldier to provide a means of defense against a sword, a spear, or an arrow. The soldier is then able to use his free hand to carry his own weapon into battle.
The Hebrew word translated uprightly may in noun form be rendered “integrity” (example: 1 Kings 9:4). Such a person is not half-hearted or superficial regarding devotion to wisdom. The individual has set foot on a path from which he or she does not intend to deviate (see Proverbs 4:25–27).
8. He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.
To keep in this context means that the Lord watches over the paths of judgment. The word judgment refers to God’s righteous standards. In the older language of the King James Version, judgment is often equivalent to our modern word justice, and that is the case here. The Lord never abandons the way of his saints; He guides and keeps them in His care in every circumstance. Numerous assurances provide strength and endurance to God’s people who suffer because of the brokenness of the world (Psalm 91:1–4; Isaiah 40:31; Hebrews 13:5, 6).
The word saints is often associated with holiness or being set apart in some way (1 Samuel 2:9; Psalm 97:10). Here it signifies those who are distinguished by their commitment to live by the wisdom that comes only from the Lord (compare Joshua 24:15; Acts 14:23; 1 Peter 4:19).
| What Do You Think? What steps can we take to acknowledge more consistently the reality of God’s constant protection? Digging Deeper |
Information That Protects
Some information is essential for large groups of people to know. But how does one get them to listen? British actor and producer Richard Massingham offered one solution.
Massingham saw that many major problems in Great Britain could be avoided by an informed public’s taking simple precautions. After much thought, Massingham left his first career in medicine and started his own company, Public Relationship Films, in 1938. In his films, Massingham played an absent-minded, ordinary man whose lapses in judgment allowed his audience to laugh at him and at themselves reflected in him.
This character suffered the consequences of his nonsensical decisions, thus demonstrating the importance of looking both ways before crossing the road, sneezing into a handkerchief to avoid spreading disease, and so on. In this way, the genre that became known as Public Information Films (PIF) in the United Kingdom was born.
Massingham’s lighthearted but informational messages became a new standard for being heard by the public. Solomon knew that God-given wisdom would help his countrymen in their everyday affairs. Such wisdom would invite God to be their protection. What does God want wisdom to teach you?
—J. E.
C. Preservation in Wisdom (vv. 9–11)
9. Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.
As an individual follows the Lord’s direction and receives His help in life, he or she gains experiential understanding of the qualities the Lord views as good: righteousness, and judgment, and equity. All three recall the stated purpose for the book (Proverbs 1:3; see lesson 1).
Understanding these three virtues allows the people to pursue right and just relationships (example: Deuteronomy 1:16). Such a path is far different from the one that sinners entice people to travel, of which the son has already been warned (Proverbs 1:10–19).
10. When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul.
Heart and soul are difficult to distinguish in terms of what they specifically designate. In this poetic verse, they are intended to be parallel terms (see Lesson Context). The differences between the terms are less important than the similarities: both refer to the inner person, to his or her motivations.
Wisdom and knowledge must be internalized to the point that they impact the spiritual makeup of an individual. Accepting biblical wisdom is not solely a mental exercise, though the heart in Scripture is associated with the mind, as previously noted (see Proverbs 2:2 above).
11. Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee.
The promise of preserving and keeping the person who lives by godly wisdom uses the same verbs to describe the Lord’s keeping and protecting His saints (see Proverbs 2:8). The father will find nothing more satisfying personally than to see his son walk in a way that marks him as one of those saints.
| What Do You Think? Should you set a goal to gain more discretion so that understanding may result, or should you set a goal to gain more understanding so that discretion may result? Digging Deeper |
Proverbs 2:12–22 (not in our printed text) continues the father’s description of the benefits of wisdom, especially in keeping the son from two individuals in particular. One is the “evil man” whose “paths” and “ways” travel in the opposite direction from the way of wisdom (2:12–15). The other is the “strange woman” whose words are seductive and flattering but whose path leads to certain death (2:16–19). The chapter concludes with another appeal to the son to “walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous” (2:20) and with a contrast between the upright and wicked (2:21, 22).
Well Preserved
Across cultures, one fact remains: we all need to eat. But food begins to spoil as soon as it is harvested. For that reason, throughout history people have developed several methods of food preservation. Exactly what methods were adopted originally varied according to climate.
For instance, in cold climates, keeping food on ice was convenient. Freezing impedes the growth of bacteria that spoils a harvest. Cool temperatures above freezing slow decay, so cellars, caves, and cool streams also were used for preservation.
In tropical areas, drying was the preferred preservation method. The sun and wind would dry foods naturally. Evidence shows that Eastern cultures preserved fish, wild game, and other meats this way.
These and other preservation techniques are still used today. Fermentation, pickling, canning, and more allow food to be preserved for later consumption. Solomon spoke of wisdom as the ultimate method for guarding freshness and preserving usefulness of spiritual food. Solomon explained how God-given wisdom preserves us for His purposes. How do you experience God’s preservation of the good in your life?
—J. E.
Conclusion
A. Seekers for Life
The challenge in today’s text to find wisdom is expressed in terms of an intense search, not just a casual or passing interest. One must cry out for knowledge and lift up his or her voice for understanding, not whisper. One must be as passionate for wisdom as many are for material wealth. An individual must seek for the Almighty himself, not the almighty dollar.
For some, however, the seeking spirit—the passion for wisdom and for the God who is its source—diminishes with time. In the Western world especially, we settle into routines and expectations at church and in our faith. We become comfortable with where we are spiritually. We lose the hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matthew 5:6). We may not be guilty of any blatant wrongdoing against God or against others, but neither do we maintain our sense of seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (6:33). Our cry for wisdom is reduced to a whimper.
Ultimately, addressing this matter requires that we undergo a serious self-examination. This is particularly so with regard to our relationship with God. Since “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7), then maintaining a strong bond with the Lord and a reverence for Him is pivotal to sustaining passion and growth. The spiritual disciplines of prayer, Bible study, and meaningful fellowship with other Christians dare not be neglected (Hebrews 10:24, 25; etc.).
Our lesson text also highlights the necessity for a human teacher to convey to students the value of wisdom and thus of the knowledge of the Lord. True, reading insightful works can be of great benefit; but nothing teaches wisdom better than a consistent personal example.
The best personal example is the one that a person sees daily in the home setting. Both mothers and fathers are to urge their children to receive their words and take to heart their commandments (Proverbs 1:8) so that wisdom and understanding can be theirs.
The responsibility then falls on the children to continue to cultivate their own desire for wisdom. They must cry out for it with raised voices. They must look for it as though seeking hidden treasure. Parents can model wisdom as they encourage their children to seek it, but each individual must do the seeking personally. The parents can put wisdom into a child’s head. But the journey those few inches from head to heart is the task of the growing child.
B. Prayer
Father, in a world where so many mock and scorn You and Your Word, You are still the only wise God. May we keep our thoughts, words, and deeds in tune with Your wisdom and not allow the many distractions around us to quell our seeking spirit. May we pant and thirst for You even as the psalmist did. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
C. Thought to Remember
God’s wisdom never depreciates in value.
KID’S CORNER
Playing the Blame Game
Sunday 14, 2020
John 9:1-12
John 9:1-12
(John 9:1) As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth.
John does not tell us if Jesus saw the blind man immediately after He left the temple at the end of John chapter 8, or later. But in John’s gospel we see the marked contrast between spiritual blindness and physical blindness. Jesus came to heal both types of blindness, but spiritual blindness can only be healed when a person believes in Jesus Christ and does what Jesus says. As the other gospels report, Jesus had healed other blind men previously, but this is the only written record of Jesus healing a man blind from birth. As we learned in John chapter 5, when Jesus healed a man who had been ill for 38 years, the man’s illness was most probably the consequence of his sins, for Jesus told him later, “do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you” (John 5:14). As we study chapter 9, notice the different responses of the men Jesus healed in John chapter 5 and John chapter 9. By his behavior after Jesus talked to him, it seems the man Jesus healed in John chapter 5 remained spiritually blind. John does not tell us the rest of his story, and he probably never learned whether the man returned to his sins or turned to God after Jesus healed him. In John chapter 9, we see how Jesus healed the man born blind man physically and spiritually.
(John 9:2) And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?”
Perhaps for thousands of years, up to and including today, many have assigned sin as the cause of every sickness and misfortune. Some have assigned God as the cause of all sickness and misfortune, while saying God does not commit sin when He causes sickness and misfortune. But Jesus’ disciples wanted to know how sin played a part in this blind man having, as we would call it today, an obvious genetic disorder from birth. In this fallen world, every person is born with some type of genetic disorder—some obvious and debilitating and some not so obvious. Some Jews in Jesus’ day thought birth disorders were the result of the parents’ sins. Other Jews thought a baby could sin while in the womb. Some religions account for the cause of genetic disorders by saying the person sinned in a previous life and deserves to be sick and have other misfortunes. Some people think that everyone is born a sinner before they ever commit a sin.
(John 9:3) Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him.
Jesus answered His disciples’ question by denying sin was the cause of the man’s genetic disorder—his blindness from birth. Jesus refused to assign the cause of the man’s blindness to sin. The man had not sinned before his birth. Though all have sinned, Jesus said that this man’s blindness was not the result of his parents having sinned. In 1 John 3:4, the Bible carefully defined sin: “Everyone who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.” Or, as the King James Version reads, “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” No one can transgress the law of God or be guilty of lawlessness in the womb or before they are born. Jesus’ teaching and example here may teach us not go beyond what the Bible clearly teaches and speculate about such matters or make an effort to assign sin to people before they are born or to parents who have a child born with a disability. The scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ day built their religious teachings on efforts to know and describe the unknowable, Jesus did not. Our many temptations are enough to explain why everyone will eventually sin. Jesus has commanded us not to sin, and Jesus does not give people any excuse for committing sin, such as, “I was born a sinner” or “The devil made me do it.” The Bible truthfully describes our marvelous formation as children in the womb. Read Psalm 139:13-17, about how God works in everyone’s creation in the womb. Especially consider these words in Psalm 139:13-15, “For it was you (the LORD) who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.” Jesus’ reply to His disciples corresponds to Psalm 139. God creates every person in His image so His works might be revealed in them. When we hold a newborn baby, we should rejoice that God created every baby and God created them that “God’s works might be revealed in them.” As Christians, as Christian parents, we should do all we can, the Lord Jesus being our Helper, so God’s works might be revealed in every person, including newborn babies: that’s the work Jesus did when He conducted His ministry as the light of the world, and that is what He has called Christians to do.
(John 9:4) “We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work.
No matter what our situation, God’s good works can be revealed in us, in our loved ones, and in others we meet. Jesus expects us to intentionally work the good works of God the Father and Him. People can passively reveal the works of God, as the healed man began to do after Jesus healed him. Then, he actively revealed God’s works when people questioned him. Christians need to concentrate their efforts on praying and learning from God in the Bible, so they can intentionally and actively do works that will reveal the works of God in their lives and the lives of others. Christians must be open to God working through them by His Spirit, so their works are truly His works through them and not their works done in the flesh.
(John 9:5) “While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.”
There are special times when God gives us special opportunities to do special works for Him. These times come and go, along with their special opportunities. We will go some places only once. We will see some people only once. The disciples only saw Jesus everyday face-to-face, but only for three years. There will also be times when no one can work, other than by doing the work of prayer, because a situation has changed. Jesus is the light of the world. The religious leaders that John described in chapter 8 rejected Jesus as the light and life of the world. They rejected the truths Jesus taught, and there would come a time when they would look for Him and not be able to find Him (as Jesus foretold them). After Jesus’ death of the cross, His light was only temporarily put out. After Jesus rose from the dead three days later, His light and life came back into the world. Today, His light and life show forth in His followers. In Matthew 5:14, Jesus explained to His disciples, “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid.” Immediately after Jesus’ crucifixion, other than pray, no one could do the works of God in the world. After Jesus ascended into heaven, on the Day of Pentecost Jesus gave His Spirit to His disciples so they (and all who believe in Him) could serve as His faithful witnesses and do His works.
(John 9:6) When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes,
Through Jesus, the Word made flesh, God created humans in His image from the dust of the ground. To do the work of God, Jesus took dust from the ground and with His saliva He made mud to heal the man born blind. Jesus healed the blind man without the man knowing who Jesus was. Similarly, Jesus healed the sick man at pool in John chapter 5, without the man knowing who He was. Their healings ultimately depended on Jesus, not on their faith, but each in their own way responded to Jesus in faith. When Jesus made the mud, Jesus made a medicine for the man’s eyes. Until Jesus comes again, through faith, with and without using medicines depending on the illness, Christians now do the works of God on earth in the power of the Holy Spirit as Jesus commanded.
(John 9:7) and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went away and washed, and came back seeing.
Jesus began a work of God when He applied medicine to the man’s eyes. If the blind man wanted to see, he had to believe Jesus, believe Jesus’ medicine would be effective, obey Jesus’ command to go to a pool, do as Jesus instructed, and wash in the pool of Siloam. As John explained to his Gentile readers, the name “Siloam” means “Sent.” The name “Sent” may come from the fact that water was “sent” through a tunnel to provide water to the pool. The tunnel was especially dug so water “sent” to the pool would meet the needs of the people of Jerusalem during a siege, if necessary. Notice, the Father “sent” Jesus to do His works. Jesus intentionally and specifically “sent” the man to the pool to wash so he could see. The medicine of the Great Physician worked as Jesus intended after the man obeyed as Jesus intended.
(John 9:8) Therefore the neighbors, and those who previously saw him as a beggar, were saying, “Is not this the one who used to sit and beg?”
Typically, in Judea, blind people had to beg to survive. After the man returned home, his neighbors (who knew him well) called him “a beggar.” The man was so transformed with the ability to see that they could hardly believe he was the same man. After Jesus gave him vision, no doubt he wanted to stop begging and find meaningful work. He could not stop rejoicing because he was seeing for the first time in his life. No one had ever heard of a man born blind gaining the ability to see. It could only be explained as a work of God. So his neighbors wanted to learn how it happened.
(John 9:9) Others were saying, “This is he,” still others were saying, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the one.”
Some believed and some disbelieved that the man who could see was the same man as the one they knew who had been born blind. No matter how much evidence some people are given they simply refuse to believe in God or believe in Jesus as the Bible reveals the Father and His Son. The man kept repeating, “I am the man.” He testified that a work of God had been done in him. Similarly, no matter how many works of God Jesus did, the religious leaders and others would not believe in Him as the One sent from God. Their sinful choices blinded them to the truth many saw in Jesus.
(John 9:10) So they were saying to him, “How then were your eyes opened?”
Some with and without belief asked the man repeatedly how his eyes were opened. Because it was so extraordinary, the miracle was apparently beyond belief. As with all miracles, some rejoiced to hear the man retell his story repeatedly. No matter how often they heard his story, others simply would not believe that he was the same man, even as some would not believe in Jesus no matter what He did—such was the case of the religious leaders in John chapter 8 and later chapters in John’s gospel. No matter what they see and hear, some choose to remain spiritually blind.
(John 9:11) He answered, “The man who is called Jesus made clay, and anointed my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash’; so I went away and washed, and I received sight.”
As a good and faithful witness to the works of Jesus Christ, the man told them exactly how he came to see. Jesus put mud on his eyes and obeying Jesus, he went, he washed, and he saw. He only knew the name of Jesus and called Him a “man.” Though he knew little about Jesus, he had enough faith in Jesus to do what Jesus commanded. Jesus inspired faith within him, and in faith the man obeyed Jesus and completed his healing. The man indicated that after he obeyed Jesus’ command he was healed. He left no doubt that after he did what Jesus said, Jesus healed him completely. Though he had washed as Jesus said, he gave Jesus all the glory for his healing.
(John 9:12) They said to him, “Where is He?” He *said, “I do not know.”
The man obviously did not know what Jesus looked like and he had no idea where Jesus went. Notice, Jesus did not wait for the man to come back to Him so He could receive glory from the man He healed. Seven days a week, Jesus went on to do the works of God whenever God gave Him the opportunity. Jesus did not wait around to be thanked by those He helped; rather, Jesus went on looking for more ways to do the works of God. Jesus continues to be an example for all His followers who seek to do the works of Jesus and His Father as Jesus commanded.
Playing the Blame Game
Sunday 14, 2020
John 9:1-12
And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? (John 9:2— KJV). And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” (John 9:2— NASB). His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:2—NRSV). Humans often spend a lot of time trying to assign blame for the diseases, misfortunes, and horrible evils in our world. Some blame God. When bad things happen, some say God is evil or not much of a god. Others say God causes every evil that happens, but He does not sin when He does evil. Similarly, when Jesus’ disciples met a man born blind, they wanted to know if he or his parents had sinned and caused his blindness. Jesus said neither. Jesus looked at people from God’s point of view. Jesus saw every person as created in the image of God, and in some mysterious way Jesus is involved in the creation and birth of every person. Rather than look for someone to blame when He saw an evil, a misfortune, sin, disease, or genetic disorder, Jesus looked for ways to solve problems and help those in need when given the opportunity. By helping those in need, by healing people, by telling people the truth, by dying to save sinners, Jesus did the work of God and those He helped revealed the work of God. Jesus told His disciples and everyone who wants to follow Him that they have God’s work to do. Rather than always trying to assign blame for all the bad things that happen, Jesus expects His followers to do as He did. Jesus prayed fervently every day for opportunities to help others, even those who wanted to kill Him. Jesus expects Christians to pray, study the Bible, learn the will of God, use God’s special gifts to them, prepare themselves, and look for opportunities to help others.
Thinking Further
Playing the Blame Game
Sunday 14, 2020
John 9:1-12
Name __________________________________
- Who sinned that the man was born blind?
- 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?
- How did Jesus explain our responsibility to do the works of God?
- What did Jesus do to heal the man? Why do you think Jesus healed him this way?
- What did the man do to receive his sight? If he had disobeyed Jesus, do you think he would have been able to see?
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.
Word Search
Playing the Blame Game
Sunday 14, 2020
John 9:1-12
Name __________________________________
S Z S B T U N S R D R U I W Z
H P F G O S H E Z K E O F M L
B U A K I R Q Y J B L N R H B
W Z P T B G N E H A M P E N T
V E A I D E L A E V E R L P Y
M C R N R A Y J M J F N S D O
H Q E J E B E X A O Y H C E C
D I N U R I L G N V F M I H K
U J T J N S T I W K I E Y S X
S P S A U X Y H N U M K N A H
Q F M Y F H T J E D Q F B W D
D K S I L O A M G R L G I U M
X U S K R O W E O N S U S E J
Z I M L Q P R X I M T H G I L
B P V A V S I N N E D V K B W
Man
Born
Blind
Parents
Sinned
Neither
Works
Revealed
Light
Spat
Mud
Siloam
Washed
Eyes
Opened
True and False Test
Playing the Blame Game
Sunday 14, 2020
John 9:1-12
Name ______________________________
Circle the True or False answers. Correct the False statements by restating them.
- The disciples of Jesus saw a man blind from birth and asked Jesus who sinned. True or False
- Jesus said that the man’s parents had not sinned, but the man had sinned before he was born. True or False
- Jesus spent the Sabbath teaching His disciples who they could blame for people’s diseases and other misfortunes. True or False
- Jesus said that the man was born blind so God’s works might be revealed in him. True or False
- To please God, Jesus said Christians need to work night and day. True or False
- Only Jesus can do the works of God. True or False
- Using His saliva, Jesus made mud from the ground and used it as medicine to begin healing the man’s blindness. True or False
- The blind man received his sight after he washed his hands, his face, and his eyes at the pool of Bethesda. True or False
- Some thought that the man who could see was not really the man who had been born blind. True or False
- Rather than grumble for having to do something to help himself, the blind man obeyed Jesus, went to the pool of Siloam, washed, and received his sight. True or False
True and False Test Answers
- True
- False
- False
- True
- False
- False
- True
- False
- True
- True
Prayer
Father, in a world where so many mock and scorn You and Your Word, You are still the only wise God. May we keep our thoughts, words, and deeds in tune with Your wisdom and not allow the many distractions around us to quell our seeking spirit. May we pant and thirst for You even as the psalmist did. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.