Unlearning Tradition, Relearning Scripture

Tag: Deuteronomy 18:15

  • Flock of Cult

    While “cult” is often defined as a misplaced or excessive admiration for a particular person or thing, this dynamic can sometimes appear in unexpected places. For instance, it can be easy to rely entirely on the teachings of a leader rather than engaging directly with the text. When we take every word as absolute truth without exploring the Scripture ourselves, we might unintentionally prioritize a person’s interpretation over the Word of God.

    For instance, Jesus declared before His disciples and said:

    “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom” (Matthew 16:28).

    It was obvious Jesus was telling His immediate audience – His immediate disciples “Peter, James, John and the rest,” not us – that His Return would be within their lifetime. Go tell pastors or any other Christians about this statement from Jesus Christ. I have seen a lot just shrugging it off, not realizing that if we doubted Jesus’ promise here, how then do we believe John 3:16, also a promise of Christ Jesus our Lord?

    For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

    It is worth considering why many choose to embrace the comforting parts of faith while sometimes overlooking the more challenging aspects of the complete message.

    The apostle Paul in his letter to the Galatians spoke of Christians deserting the grace of Christ and turning to a different gospel (Galatians 1:6-7). To the Corinthians, Paul warned against people preaching another Jesus (2 Corinthians 11:4). It is therefore important that we are believing the Jesus Christ of the Bible and understand the Gospel as presented by the Scripture.

    So Paul made it clear and said:

    Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the Gospel I preached is not of human origin. For I did not receive it or learn it from human source; instead I received it by a revelation of Jesus Christ. (Galatians 1:11-12)

    Paul was an apostle of Jesus Christ; he authored almost half of the New Testament writings of the Bible. Every book within the New Testament was authored by an apostle of Jesus Christ.

    Paul wrote the epistles of Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon. I believe Hebrews also. Luke, on the other hand, was a traveling companion of Paul. He wrote the Gospel of Luke and Acts.

    Peter was behind the epistles of 1 & 2 Peter. Mark, on the other hand, derived his authority to write a Gospel (Mark) from Peter.

    John authored the Gospel of John, Revelation and lastly, the epistles of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd John.

    James, the brother of Jesus, who became an apostle and leader of the Jerusalem church (Acts 15:13-20), wrote the epistle of James.

    Jude is the same person as Judas (Not Iscariot) mentioned in John 14:22. He was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ, brother of James the son of Alphaeus, also known as Thaddaeus in Matthew 10:3. If you have doubts, do a comparison of Matthew 10:2-3 with that of Acts 1:13. But bear in mind that in the Greek, it’s “Judas of James, and James of Alphaeus.” The words “the son” were added by translators, meaning James and Judas were brothers. The same may be said of Luke 6:15-16. See Jude 1:1.

    Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, to those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ.

    Finally, the apostle Matthew wrote one of the three synoptic Gospels (Matthew) of the Bible. Thus, all 27 books of the New Testament Bible written under the authority of an apostle of Jesus Christ. And they all agreed and preached the same Gospel, so Paul made it clear that no one should preach a different gospel but the Gospel that was from the Lord Jesus Christ. See Galatians 1:6-12.

    I am astonished that you [the Galatians] are so quick deserting Him [God] who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel – not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we [the apostles] or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

    For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

    For I would have you know, brothers, that the Gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

    The truths about Jesus Christ and the Gospel may only be determined from within Scripture, both New and Old Testament writings of the Bible – Scripture alone. The 66 books of the Bible were the only inspired writings of men who spoke from God (2 Peter 1:20-21), inerrant and the sole source of truth.

    Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:20-21)

    The apostles of Jesus Christ may no longer be with us, but by God’s divine providence, we have the authoritative writings of men who spoke from God written down, preserved, and available for us to know the truthful teachings of God’s Word.

    If you treasure the Bible and your salvation, let us not be part of a cult. Challenge yourselves to read the Bible. Join Bible studies that teach people how to properly read and study the Scripture, not simply seeking to hear comforting words from the preacher or pastor. The apostle Paul, in his last letter to Timothy, commanded him saying:

    I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by HIs appearance and His kingdom: Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

    Those words were spoken to Timothy when the last few living apostles were still around, and yet the danger of straying away from the truth was already present. How much more today, living about two millennia away from the immediate disciples of Jesus Christ? Shouldn’t we be more careful of what to believe or not?

    Listen to the exhortation of Peter for pastors/elders:

    So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker of the glory that is going to be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you, not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. (1 Peter 5:1-4)

    The apostle Paul states:

    Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you. (1 Timothy 4:16)

    Lastly, Jesus Christ states,

    What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of My Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. (Matthew 18:12-14)

    Those were the words of Jesus Christ to His disciples, and it continues to resonate today through the Scripture, the Word of God. It was, and still is, the desire of Jesus Christ our Lord that we all be under His flock. Listen then to the words of the Bible, not the pastor if it isn’t according to the inerrant Word of God. Seek true under-shepherds (1Pe 5:1-4; Acts 20:28) of Christ Jesus; those who hold only to the Words of Christ and rightly handles the truth (2Tim 2:15).

    The Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-5) and the Promise of Matthew 16:28

    After Jesus declared to His disciples in Matthew 16:28, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom,” the next event recorded was His Transfiguration. Jesus’ face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as light—glimpses pointing to His post-resurrection glory at the Right Hand of God.

    Consider the supporting Scriptures:

    Acts 26:13-15 recounts Paul’s encounter with the risen Christ: “At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me… And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.’”

    Revelation 1:10-18 similarly describes Jesus with eyes like fire, feet like burnished bronze, and a face shining like the sun in full strength—confirming His divine majesty.

    > This affirms that Jesus’ declaration was true. He cannot lie, for He is God.

    Next, the Transfiguration also portrays Jesus speaking with Moses and Elijah—representing the Law and the Prophets. Luke 9:30-31 clarifies that they “appeared in glory and spoke of His departure” (literally, “Exodus”) to be accomplished in Jerusalem. Moses led Israel out of Egypt; Jesus leads God’s people out of the bondage of the Law, the sting of death (1 Corinthians 15:56). Paul further explains in 1 Corinthians 15:22-26 that Christ’s coming brings resurrection, deliverance, and the ultimate destruction of death.

    Salvation would remain only a promise if Jesus had not returned in glory to fulfill His mission. Hebrews 9:28 confirms that His second appearance brings the completion of salvation for those awaiting Him.

    Thus, contrary to Albert Schweitzer’s suggestion and C.S. Lewis’ own admitted struggle with Matthew 24:34, Jesus was neither mistaken nor a false prophet. The misunderstanding lies in failing to grasp His true mission: “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). His Transfiguration demonstrates the transition from the Old Covenant to the New, established by faith in Him alone.

    > Luke 9:30-31 states, “Suddenly, two men were talking with Jesus — Moses (Law) and Elijah (Prophet). They appeared in glory and were speaking of His departure (Exodus), which He was about to accomplish in Jerusalem.” Jesus came to lead His people in Exodus, out of bondage from the Law to Grace (Galatians 3:22-29).

    > Finally, the divine voice declared: “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased. Listen to Him” (echoing Psalms 2:7 and Deuteronomy 18:15). This affirms Jesus is the Son of God, God’s anointed King and the true Prophet (John 6:14; Acts 3:22-23). If His promise had failed, Deuteronomy 18:19-20 would have justified His condemnation—but His glory and fulfillment of all His promises proved His words true.

    Jesus Christ cannot be mistaken in Matthew 16:28; His Transfiguration validates His promise, His mission, and His divine authority.

    Peter, in the words of Acts 3:6, declared, “I possess neither silver nor gold, but in the name of Jesus Christ, I offer you what I have.” Share this article freely, for you freely receive. Take note, underlines and highlights are clickable links for definitions or Bible references. Stay updated by heading to our about page and subscribe directly to receive notifications in your inbox. Blessings!

  • Jesus Christ, Our Righteousness

    Psalms 34 and 35, both written by David, should be recognized as a single unit. They were composed after he fled from Saul and following his humiliating encounter with Achish, the king of Gath. You can find an explanation of their background in my previous blog post, “Immanuel, Our Confidence.” This post serves as a continuation. These two psalms express deep trust and confidence in God, even while David was still being hunted by Saul.

    > David’s cry for God’s help may be seen through Psalm 35:1-3.

    Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me! Take hold of the shield and buckler and rise for my help! Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers! Say to my soul, “I am your salvation!“

    David continued to seek the Lord’s deliverance, and Psalms 34 and 35 were likely written before Saul’s death. The account reminds us that God does not need earthly weapons to bring rescue. As seen in Exodus, He parted the Red Sea, allowing Israel to cross safely, and then let the waters fall back, destroying the Egyptians who pursued them. David, being a man of war, expressed his prayers using the battle imagery of his era, calling upon God to rise and fight against his enemies on his behalf.

    > Next, David justified his call for God’s help – he was innocent of any wrongdoings, yet his enemies wanted him dead. See Psalm 35:4-8.

    Let them be put to shame and dishonor who seek after my life! Let them be turned back and disappointed who devise evil against me! Let them be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them away! Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them! For without cause they hid their net for me; without cause they dug a pit for my life. Let destruction come upon him when he does not know it! And let the net that he hid ensnare him: let him fall into it – to his destruction!

    > Actually David wasn’t simply calling for God’s help, he sought God’s justice. See Psalm 35:9-16.

    Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD, exulting in His salvation. All my bones shall say, “O LORD, who is like you, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, the poor and needy from him who robs him?

    Malicious witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I do not know. They repay me evil for good; my soul is bereft. But I, when they were sick – I wore sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting; I prayed with head bowed on my chest. I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my brother; as one who laments his mother, I bowed down in mourning.

    But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered; they gathered together against me: wretches whom I did not know tore at me without ceasing; like profane mockers at a feast, they gnash at me with their teeth.

    Background: The lad David first served as armor-bearer for Saul (1 Samuel 16:21), while also tending his father’s flock in between (1 Samuel 17:15). Later, he sought Saul’s permission to confront Goliath, at a time when no soldier in Israel dared to face the mocking Philistine champion (1 Samuel 17:31-37). After his victory, David continued to fight Saul’s battles and succeeded, earning the people’s song: “Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands” (1 Samuel 18:7). This stirred Saul’s jealousy, and he began to seek David’s life (1 Samuel 18:7-8, 18:25). As a result, David fled from Saul (1 Samuel 20:1). Clearly, David had done no wrong against the king. It was in the face of this injustice that he cried out for God’s urgent deliverance (Psalm 35:17-21).

    How long, O Lord, will you look on? Rescue me from their destruction, my precious life from the lions! I will thank You in the great congregation; in the mighty throng I will praise You.

    Let not those rejoice over me who are wrongfully my foes, and let not those wink the eye who hate me without cause. For they do not speak peace, but against those who are quiet in the land they devise words of deceit. They open wide their mouths against me; they say, “Aha, Aha! Our eyes have seen it!”

    You have seen, O LORD; be not silent! O Lord, be not far from me! Awake and rouse Yourself for my vindication, for my cause, my God and my Lord!

    Hebrews 2:12 cites Psalm 35:18, a reference to the perfect church of Jesus Christ, as noted in Hebrews 12:22–24; similar to Psalm 111:1, Scripture says, Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation.

    Psalm 111 speaks of the Work of the LORD:

    > “Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them. Full of splendor and majesty is His work, and His righteousness endures forever. He has caused His wondrous works to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and merciful.” (Psalms 111:2-4)

    > “The works of His hands are faithful and just; all His precepts are trustworthy; they are established forever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness. He sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His covenant forever. Holy and awesome is His name!” (Psalms 111:7-9)

    Jesus Christ, in the Gospel, speaks of God’s work: “My Father is working until now, and I am working (John 5:17).” What, then, have the Father and Jesus been working on? They are engaged in the New Heaven and the Earth, His New Covenant Creation, as seen in Genesis 2:1–3: “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished His work that He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work that He had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that He had done in creation.”

    Continuing on with Psalm 35, David calls on God against his foes in Psalm 35:19–21. In Psalm 35:22, LORD appears first in full capitals as “YAHWEH/YHWH,” Hebrew Strong #H3068, noted initially in Genesis 2:4; this name connects to the LORD God who created the first heaven and earth through Adam’s account. Then, Lord is “Adonay, H136,” in Hebrew.

    “Let not those rejoice over me who are wrongfully my foes, and let not those wink the eye who hate me without cause. For they do not speak peace, but against those who are quiet in the land they devise words of deceit. They open wide their mouths against me; they say, “Aha, Aha! Our eyes have seen it!” You have seen, O LORD; be not silent! O Lord, be not far from me! Awake and rouse yourself for my vindication, for my cause, my God and my Lord!” (Psalms 35:19-23)

    Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of the Old Testament suggests Adam likely recognized God by a personal or covenantal name from the beginning, which the English Bible renders as “LORD” in all caps to convey the Covenant Name of God.

    In Psalms 34 and 35, David uses the LORD’s covenant name twenty-five times. Within Psalm 35 alone, the word “Lord” appears three times as “Adonay” (Hebrew Strong’s #136). According to the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Definitions, Adonay serves as a reverential title for YHWH (translated “LORD” in all capital letters) in Jewish tradition. This distinction is evident in Psalm 35:23, where David calls out, “my God and my Lord!”—a phrase echoed in the New Testament when Thomas addresses Jesus in John 20:28, saying, “My Lord and my God!”

    Similarly, the Septuagint’s Greek translation of Psalm 35:23 uses the same words for “Lord and God” found in John 20:28. This suggests David was seeking more than just physical deliverance from his enemies; he was appealing for vindication on the Day of Judgment. As he writes in the following verse, “Vindicate me, O LORD, my God, according to Your righteousness, and let them not rejoice over me!” (Psalm 35:24).

    I noted earlier that David appeared to link Hebrews 12:22–24, the perfected Church of Jesus Christ, with Psalm 35:18. Scripture in Hebrews 10:30 declares, “For we know God who said, ‘Vengeance is mine; I will repay.’ And again, ‘The Lord will judge His people.’” Paul addresses who will judge His people in 2 Corinthians 5:10, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.”

    David’s appeal extended beyond physical rescue. As Jesus remarked to his contemporaries, “Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see My day. He saw it and was glad (John 8:56).” David sincerely pursued God’s salvation and deliverance in Christ Jesus.

    In Psalm 35:24-26, David uttered:

    “Vindicate me, O LORD, my God, according to Your righteousness, and let them not rejoice over me! Let them not say in their hearts, “Aha, our heart’s desire!” Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.” Let them be put to shame and disappointed altogether who rejoice at my calamity! Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me!”

    David’s appeals for justice rested not on his own righteousness but on Christ’s through faith in Him. In Psalm 35:27, Jesus Christ answered, “Let those who delight in My righteousness shout for joy and be glad and say evermore, ‘Great is the LORD, who delights in the welfare of His servant!’”.

    Have you personally encountered the fullness of God’s grace in your life?

    Many Christians often miss how Christ Jesus speaks through the Scriptures, particularly the Old Testament. Job is introduced as a man who is blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil (Job 1:1). He suffered greatly due to Satan’s attacks, yet not because of any sin. When his friends insisted that his pain was caused by wrongdoing, Job defended himself passionately and questioned God (Job 3-31).

    God’s response was to point Job toward the wonders of creation, revealing His power and sovereignty (Job 38-41). This humbling encounter led Job to declare, “I had heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You” (Job 42:5). Similarly, David’s relationship with the Lord deepened as he realized his human limitations and God’s ability to save and deliver. Finally, despite Paul’s power to heal and even raise the dead, he confirms in 2 Corinthians 12:9 that God’s grace suffices for every weakness, because His strength is clearest when we are weak.

    Likewise, for us Christian workers or pastors, Paul states in the amplified Bible version: “We Christian workers hold this precious treasure—the divine Light of the Gospel—in fragile, human vessels of earth, so that the grandeur and exceeding greatness of the power may be seen as coming from God rather than from ourselves.” (2 Corinthians 4:7)

    David’s distress toward his enemies led him to foresee in Psalm 35 the salvation found through faith in Christ Jesus. By Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension, He took His place at the Right Hand of God’s power (Matthew 26:64; Hebrews 1:1-3). This idea aligns with Jesus’ remark in John 2:19: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” John clarified Jesus talks about the temple of His body, the Church (John 2:21; Colossians 1:18) In this context, Jesus refers to His church founded upon His resurrection (Matthew 16:18), so the gates of Hades or death will not overcome it.

    David therefore rightly ends his Psalm, saying: “Then my tongue shall tell of Your (Christ Jesus’) righteousness and of Your praise all the day long.” (Psalms 35:28)

    Where would David sing His praise in Psalm 35:28? Scripture states, “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel. (Hebrews 12:22-24, NASB)

    Jesus Christ is the Lord of lords and King of kings described in Revelation 17:14 and 19:11-16.

    Christ Jesus’ Day of Judgment then encompassed people who have passed away and were waiting in Hades, the place of death for both the righteous and the wicked, just as it was illustrated by the Lord through His parable of the “Rich Man and Lazarus” (Luke 16:19-31).

    It was a mistake to teach that the righteous would go straight to heaven after death even before Jesus Christ’s return at His Second Coming. See John 14:3; Jesus Christ told His disciples, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may also be.”

    Then in John 14:6, Jesus assured the disciples saying, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

    Despair not, for Jesus also told Peter with regards to John, “If it is My will that he [John the apostle] remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!” (John 21:22)

    Jesus Christ hinted that His return would be during the lifetime of the apostles (Matthew 10:23; 16:28; Mark 9:1; Luke 9:27), specifically while John was still alive. If Jesus Christ failed on His words, then He can’t be the Great Prophet Moses spoke about; see Deuteronomy 18:15. “The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from among you, from your brothers – it is to Him you shall listen.” Would you rather listen to your pastors or follow the traditional teaching concerning the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, or believe Jesus Christ our Lord and our God?

    The apostle Peter, preaching in the Temple area, confirmed that Jesus Christ indeed was the prophesied Great Prophet of God, see Acts 3:19-23.

    Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets long ago, Moses said, “The Lord God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to Him in whatever He tells you. And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that Prophet shall be destroyed from the people.”

    Here is the challenge: Should we rely on Jesus Christ and His Word, or on modern Christian teachings that imply Jesus is arriving soon?

    In the face of such profound questions, we can look to the enduring faith of those who came before us. David, for instance, could have easily lost faith in God when Saul pursued him and when he suffered humiliation before Achish, king of Gath. Although he was known as a mighty warrior of Israel, he pretended to be insane before Achish out of fear (1 Samuel 21:12–15). Yet, David did not give up; he held firmly to his faith.

    Our life’s journey will always have its ups and downs. There will be times that we may lose control of our lives, tossed to and forth by the waves of our circumstances. In the midst of great storms or great waves of the sea, the sun remains but is covered by darkness. Similarly, Jesus Christ our Lord is not missing in moments of uncertainty or despair. Trust God, especially when all seems to have been lost.

    In conclusion, David sought the justice of God rather than the judgement of men. It is far better to appear wrong in the sight of people yet remain righteous before the Lord. We must not seek human approval but God’s, for ultimately, it is Him to whom we are accountable. David’s confidence lay not in his own righteousness, but in the righteousness of Christ Jesus our Lord, whom he foretold in Psalm 35.

    Note: We haven’t explored Psalm 34. Lord willing, that shall be my next blog writing.

    Peter, in the words of Acts 3:6, declared, “I possess neither silver nor gold, but in the name of Jesus Christ, I offer you what I have.” Share this article freely, for you freely receive. Take note, underlines and highlights are clickable links for definitions or Bible references. Stay updated by heading to our about page and subscribe directly to receive notifications in your inbox. Blessings!

  • Spiritual Blindness: Concluding Thoughts on John 9

    In my previous post, I noted, “The healed blind man did not only experience restored eyesight, but more importantly recovery from spiritual blindness.” Notably, John 1 also suggests the concept of spiritual blindness. Consider John 1:10–11:

    He [Jesus] was in the world, and the world was made through Him, yet the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him.

    We will examine the first chapter of John’s Gospel to see how the apostle outlined his summary in the opening verses, then compare it with John 9. Before proceeding, we should refresh our grasp of the continuing context in John 9, which immediately follows the intense conflicts of the previous chapter.

    In John 8, Jesus delivered a lengthy critique of the Pharisees and scribes. In fact, friction between Jesus Christ and the Sanhedrin appears as early as John 7:32. The Sanhedrin functioned as the supreme religious authority and court among the Jewish people during Jesus’s era. It included both Sadducees and Pharisees under the High Priest, totaling 71 members. After Jerusalem’s destruction in AD 70, the Sanhedrin was dissolved.

    Pharisees and scribes were regarded as the leading interpreters of Scripture. Their encounter with Jesus may have started near the temple (John 8:2) and probably ended within its grounds, since John 8:59 records, “So they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple.” The exchange became tense because Jesus claimed divinity by stating, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58). Did Jesus err in taking the title “I am” from Exodus 3:14? The LORD God identified Himself to Moses in Exodus 3 as the great “I Am,” calling him to guide Israel from Egypt. In 1 Corinthians 10:1–4, Paul retells the Exodus and identifies Jesus Christ as the Rock that guided Israel. Let us now consider John 1:1–5:

    In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

    Then, in John 1:14,16-18, the apostle wrote:

    “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth … For from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has even seen God; the only God who is at the Father’s side, He had made Him known.”

    Psalm 33:6,9 says, “By the Word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host … For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, it stood firm.”

    Both John and the Psalmist spoke of the Word; that is, Christ Jesus, the only Son of the Father. He spoke, then everything came to exist. Therefore, Jesus Christ is indeed the Great “I am,” the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, God.

    Consider how this reality is reflected in the events of John 9:30-33:

    The man answered, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where He comes from, and yet He opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshipper of God and does His will, God listens to Him. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.”

    Remarkable, isn’t it? The formerly blind man echoed what John stated in John 1:1–5: Jesus Christ is of divine origin. This matches what Jesus told the Pharisees and scribes, prompting their desire to stone him (8:58–59). It is ironic that the Pharisees, who should know Scripture better, seemed less perceptive than the man. This appears to be a case of spiritual blindness, don’t you think?

    Spiritual blindness, therefore, does not mean ignorance of the Scripture, but rather having false beliefs.

    Again in John 1:9-13:

    The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, yet the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him. But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

    The former blind man answered the inquiry from his fellow Jew, “The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash,’ So I went and washed and received my sight.” (John 9:11)

    The man born blind encountered Jesus, the True light that illuminates everyone, which explains why he could perceive Jesus’s origin more clearly than the Pharisees. He also gained his sight—a welcome addition, I might add.

    So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put mud on my eyes and I washed, and I see.” Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them. So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a Prophet.” (John 9:15-17)

    The blind man recognized the signs and declared, “Jesus is the Prophet of God.” Because he believed Jesus, Christ granted him the right to become a child of God. Coincidence? Certainly not—everything arises through God’s divine providence. Scripture noted,

    But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13)

    The formerly blind man did not choose to know Christ Jesus; instead, Jesus stated, “But that the works of God might be displayed in him” (John 9:3). Likewise, the “work of God is for people to believe in Jesus Christ, whom the Father has sent” (John 6:29). The mission is complete.

    The blind man accurately identified Jesus as the Prophet of God, because the “Son of Man”—the Messianic title of Christ—implies He is the Anointed One of God the Father; consequently, Jesus should fulfill all three roles: Prophet (Deuteronomy 18:15), Priest (Psalm 110:4), and King (Psalm 2:6–9).

    However, the Pharisees had also met Jesus Christ, yet they challenged him within the temple area. In fact, the parents of the man born blind declined to speak about Jesus Christ, particularly to acknowledge him as the Christ, because the religious leaders—including the Pharisees—had already agreed to expel anyone who confessed faith in the Son of Man (John 9:22).

    True enough, the former blind man was only able to confess faith in Jesus, for in the fullness of Christ he had received grace upon grace (John 1:16). Indeed, such an amazing grace was displayed by Christ Jesus in John 9:35–38:

    Jesus heard that they had cast him [the former blind man] out, and having found him He said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered, “And who is He, Sir, that I may believe in Him?” Jesus said to him, “You have seen Him, and it is He who is speaking to you.” He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped Him.’“

    The blind man was literally in darkness, and we may say he actually personified the whole nation of Israel in the story— blind spiritually. The healing of the man born blind indeed was an impossible task humanly speaking— exactly what the healed blind man said to the Pharisees: “Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind” (John 9:32). See Isaiah’s prophecy concerning Jesus Christ, the Anointed One of God the Father:

    Behold My Servant, whom I uphold, My Chosen, in whom My soul delights; I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations. (Isaiah 42:1)

    Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it: “I am the LORD; I have called You in righteousness; I will take You by the hand and keep You; I will give You as a Covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. I am the LORD; that is My name; My glory I give to no other, nor My praise to carved idols. Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.” (Isaiah 42:5-9)

    The Pharisees, aware of the scriptural prophecies regarding the Christ, likely recognized the signs; nevertheless, many others declined to accept Christ and labeled Him a sinner because He healed on a Sabbath. See John 9:16:

    Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them.

    Because the Pharisees upheld the Law of Moses, Jesus said to them,

    For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words? (John 5:46-47)

    The Pharisees failed to see Christ in Scripture due to their self-centeredness, believing that no matter what they do, they would always be God’s children. A false assumption. In Matthew 3, John the Baptist was baptizing in the Jordan River, and the Pharisees came to him. John said to them,

    And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. (Matthew 3:9)

    So again John 1:12-13:

    But to all who did receive Him [Jesus Christ], who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

    Spiritual blindness can be deadly. The Pharisees comprehended all prophecies in Scripture. It was not that they couldn’t see the signs; they did. They were not victims of unbelief; rather, they were enslaved by their false beliefs. See Mark 7:8–9, 13:

    You leave the commandment of God and hold to tradition of men. You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! Thus making void the Word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.

    The Pharisees asserted they upheld Moses’s teachings (John 5:46–47). They may have done so in part, yet in reality they constructed their own traditions. These human-made customs kept them from recognizing that Jesus Christ, “the Son of Man — is the Lord of Sabbath” (Matthew 12:8).

    Similarly, the only way for anyone seeking or studying Scripture to find the True Christ of the Bible is to allow the Word of God to speak to us. Do not allow traditions or creeds of men to be our guide; rather, Scripture alone!

    The story of John 9 should inspire us to see it’s all by God’s grace that anyone can come to know Jesus Christ, the Son of Man. The former blind man, humanly speaking, lost a lot when he received his sight. He may have lost or was severed from his parents and the community, since he had been cast out of the synagogue. Yet, it is amazing how people who seemed to have lost a lot found it easier to find Christ.

    Although much remains to discuss in John 9, I have chosen to end my blog post on “Spiritual Blindness” here. If the Lord permits, I may add a follow-up post later.

    Peter, in the words of Acts 3:6, declared, “I possess neither silver nor gold, but in the name of Jesus Christ, I offer you what I have.” Share this article freely, for you freely receive. Take note, underlines and highlights are clickable links for definitions or Bible references. Stay updated by heading to our about page and subscribe directly to receive notifications in your inbox. Blessings!