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y　the　Jews　in　their　rejection　of　Christ。

The　belief　of　the　Jews　in　regard　to　the　relation　of　sin　and　suffering　was　held　by　Christ's　disciples。　While　Jesus　corrected　their　error；　He　did　not　explain　the　cause　of　the　man's　affliction；　but　told　them　what　would　be　the　result。　Because　of　it　the　works　of　God　would　be　made　manifest。　〃As　long　as　I　am　in　the　world；〃　He　said；　〃I　am　the　light　of　the　world。〃　Then　having　anointed　the　eyes　of　the　blind　man；　He　sent　him　to　wash　in　the　pool　of　Siloam；　and　the　man's　sight　was　restored。　Thus　Jesus　answered　the　question　of　the　disciples　in　a　practical　way；　as　He　usually　answered　questions　put　to　Him　from　curiosity。　The　disciples　were　not　called　upon　to　discuss　the　question　as　to　who　had　sinned　or　had　not　sinned；　but　to　understand　the　power　and　mercy　of　God　in　giving　sight　to　the　blind。　It　was　evident　that　there　was　no　healing　virtue　in　the　clay；　or　in　the　pool　wherein　the　blind　man　was　sent　to　wash；　but　that　the　virtue　was　in　Christ。

The　Pharisees　could　not　but　be　astonished　at　the　cure。　Yet　they　were　more　than　ever　filled　with　hatred；　for　the　miracle　had　been　performed　on　the　Sabbath　day。

The　neighbors　of　the　young　man；　and　those　who　knew　him　before　in　his　blindness；　said；　〃Is　not　this　he　that　sat　and　begged？〃　They　looked　upon　him　with　doubt；　for　when　his　eyes　were　opened；　his　countenance　was　changed　and　brightened；　and　he　appeared　like　another　man。　From

472

one　to　another　the　question　passed。　Some　said；　〃This　is　he；〃　others；　〃He　is　like　him。〃　But　he　who　had　received　the　great　blessing　settled　the　question　by　saying；　〃I　am　he。〃　He　then　told　them　of　Jesus；　and　by　what　means　he　had　been　healed；　and　they　inquired；　〃Where　is　He？　He　said；　I　know　not。〃

Then　they　brought　him　before　a　council　of　the　Pharisees。　Again　the　man　was　asked　how　he　had　received　his　sight。　〃He　said　unto　them；　He　put　clay　upon　mine　eyes；　and　I　washed；　and　do　see。　Therefore　said　some　of　the　Pharisees；　This　man　is　not　of　God；　because　He　keepeth　not　the　Sabbath　day。〃　The　Pharisees　hoped　to　make　Jesus　out　to　be　a　sinner；　and　therefore　not　the　Messiah。　They　knew　not　that　it　was　He　who　had　made　the　Sabbath　and　knew　all　its　obligation；　who　had　healed　the　blind　man。　They　appeared　wonderfully　zealous　for　the　observance　of　the　Sabbath；　yet　were　planning　murder　on　that　very　day。　But　many　were　greatly　moved　at　hearing　of　this　miracle；　and　were　convicted　that　He　who　had　opened　the　eyes　of　the　blind　was　more　than　a　common　man。　In　answer　to　the　charge　that　Jesus　was　a　sinner　because　He　kept　not　the　Sabbath　day；　they　said；　〃How　can　a　man　that　is　a　sinner　do　such　miracles？〃

Again　the　rabbis　appealed　to　the　blind　man；　〃What　sayest　thou　of　Him；　that　He　hath　opened　thine　eyes？　He　said；　He　is　a　prophet。〃　The　Pharisees　then　asserted　that　he　had　not　been　born　blind　and　received　his　sight。　They　called　for　his　parents；　and　asked　them；　saying；　〃Is　this　your　son；　who　ye　say　was　born　blind？〃

There　was　the　man　himself；　declaring　that　he　had　been　blind；　and　had　had　his　sight　restored；　but　the　Pharisees　would　rather　deny　the　evidence　of　their　own　senses　than　admit　that　they　were　in　error。　So　powerful　is　prejudice；　so　distorting　is　Pharisaical　righteousness。

The　Pharisees　had　one　hope　left；　and　that　was　to　intimidate　the　man's　parents。　With　apparent　sincerity　they　asked；　〃How　then　doth　he　now　see？〃　The　parents　feared　to　compromise　themselves；　for　it　had　been　declared　that　whoever　should　acknowledge　Jesus　as　the　Christ　should　be　〃put　out　of　the　synagogue；〃　that　is；　should　be　excluded　from　the　synagogue　for　thirty　days。　During　this　time　no　child　could　be　circumcised　nor　dead　be　lamented　in　the　offender's　home。　The　sentence　was　regarded　as　a　great　calamity；　and　if　it　failed　to　produce　repentance；　a　far　heavier　penalty　followed。　The　great　work　wrought　for　their　son　had　brought　conviction　to　the　parents；　yet　they　answered；　〃We　know　that　this　is　our　son；　and　that　he　was　born　blind：　but　by　what　means　he　now

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seeth；　we　know　not；　or　who　hath　opened　his　eyes；　we　know　not：　he　is　of　age；　ask　him：　he　shall　speak　for　himself。〃　Thus　they　shifted　all　responsibility　from　themselves　to　their　son；　for　they　dared　not　confess　Christ。

The　dilemma　in　which　the　Pharisees　were　placed；　their　questioning　and　prejudice；　their　unbelief　in　the　facts　of　the　case；　were　opening　the　eyes　of　the　multitude；　especially　of　the　common　people。　Jesus　had　frequently　wrought　His　miracles　in　the　open　street；　and　His　work　was　always　of　a　character　to　relieve　suffering。　The　question　in　many　minds　was；　Would　God　do　such　mighty　works　through　an　impostor；　as　the　Pharisees　insisted　that　Jesus　was？　The　controversy　was　becoming　very　earnest　on　both　sides。

The　Pharisees　saw　that　they　were　giving　publicity　to　the　work　done　by　Jesus。　They　could　not　deny　the　miracle。　The　blind　man　was　filled　with　joy　and　gratitude；　he　beheld　the　wondrous　things　of　nature；　and　was　filled　with　delight　at　the　beauty　of　earth　and　sky。　He　freely　related　his　experience；　and　again　they　tried　to　silence　him；　saying；　〃Give　God　the　praise：　we　know　that　this　Man　is　a　sinner。〃　That　is；　Do　not　say　again　that　this　Man　gave　you　sight；　it　is　God　who　has　done　this。

The　blind　man　answered；　〃Whether　He　be　a　sinner　or　no；　I　know　not：　one　thing　I　know；　that；　whereas　I　was　blind；　now　I　see。〃

Then　they　questioned　again；　〃What　did　He　to　thee？　how　opened　He　thine　eyes？〃　With　many　words　they　tried　to　confuse　him；　so　that　he　might　think　himself　deluded。　Satan　and　his　evil　angels　were　on　the　side　of　the　Pharisees；　and　united　their　energies　and　subtlety　with　man's　reasoning　in　order　to　counteract　the　influence　of　Christ。　They　blunted　the　convictions　that　were　deepening　in　many　minds。　Angels　of　God　were　also　on　the　ground　to　strengthen　the　man　who　had　had　his　sight　restored。

474


The　Pharisees　did　not　realize　that　they　had　to　deal　with　any　other　than　the　uneducated　man　who　had　been　born　blind；　they　knew　not　Him　with　whom　they　were　in　controversy。　Divine　light　shone　into　the　chambers　of　the　blind　man's　soul。　As　these　hypocrites　tried　to　make　him　disbelieve；　God　helped　him　to　show；　by　the　vigor　and　pointedness　of　his　replies；　that　he　was　not　to　be　ensnared。　He　answered；　〃I　have　told　you　already；　and　ye　did　not　hear：　wherefore　would　ye　hear　it　again？　will　ye　also　be　His　disciples？　Then　they　reviled　him；　and　said；　Thou　art　His　disciple；　but　we　are　Moses'　disciples。　We　know　that　God　spake　unto　Moses：　as　for　this　fellow；　we　know　not　from　whence　He　is。〃

The　Lord　Jesus　knew　the　ordeal　through　which　the　man　was　passing；　and　He　gave　him　grace　and　utterance；　so　that　he　became　a　witness　for　Christ。　He　answered　the　Pharisees　in　words　that　were　a　cutting　rebuke　to　his　questioners。　They　claimed　to　be　the　expositors　of　Scripture；　the　religious　guides　of　the　nation；　and　yet　here　was　One　performing　miracles；　and　they　were　confessedly　ignorant　as　to　the　source　of　His　power；　and　as　to　His　character　and　claims。　〃Why　herein　is　a　marvelous　thing；〃　said　the　man；　〃that　ye　know　not　from　whence　He　is；　and　yet　He　hath　opened　mine　eyes。　Now　we　know　that　God　heareth　not　sinners：　but　if　any　man　be　a　worshiper　of　God；　and　doeth　His　will；　him　He　heareth。　Since　the　world　began　was　it　not　heard　that　any　man　opened　the　eyes　of　one　that　was　born　blind。　If　this　Man　were　not　of　God；　He　could　do　nothing。〃

The　man　had　met　his　inquisitors　on　their　own　ground。　His　reasoning　was　unanswerable。　The　Pharisees　were　astonished；　and　they　held　their　peace；spellbound　before　his　pointed；　determined　words。　For　a　few　moments　there　was　silence。　Then　the　frowning　priests　and　rabbis　gathered　about　them　their　robes；　as　though　they　feared　contamination　from　contact　with　him；　they　shook　off　the　dust　from　their　feet；　and　hurled　denunciations　against　him；〃Thou　wast　altogether　born　in　sins；　and　dost　thou　teach　us？〃　And　they　excommunicated　him。

Jesus　heard　what　had　been　done；　and　finding　him　soon　after；　He　said；　〃Dost　thou　believe　on　the　Son　of　God？〃

For　the　first　time　the　blind　man　looked　upon　the　face　of　his　Restorer。　Before　the　council　he　had　seen　his　parents　troubled　and　perplexed；　he　had　looked　upon　the　frowning　faces　of　the　rabbis；　now　his　eyes　rested　upon　the　loving；　peaceful　countenance　of　Jesus。　Already；　at　great　cost　to　himself；　he　had　acknowledged　Him　as　a　delegate　of　divine　power；　now　a　higher　revelation　was　granted　him。

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To　the　Saviour's　question；　〃Dost　thou　believe　on　the　Son　of　God？〃　the　blind　man　replied　by　asking；　〃Who　is　He；　Lord；　that　I　might　believe　on　Him？〃　And　Jesus　said；　〃Thou　hast　both　seen　Him；　and　it　is　He　that　talketh　with　thee。〃　The　man　cast　himself　at　the　Saviour's　feet　in　worship。　Not　only　had　his　natural　sight　been　restored；　but　the　eyes　of　his　understanding　had　been　opened。　Christ　had　been　revealed　to　his　soul；　and　he　received　Him　as　the　Sent　of　God。

A　group　of　Pharisees　had　gathered　near；　and　the　sight　of　them　brought　to　the　mind　of　Jesus　the　contrast　ever　manifest　in　the　effect　of　His　words　and　works。　He　said；　〃For　judgment　I　am　come　into　this　world；　that　they　which　see　not　might　see；　and　that　they　which　see　might　be　made　blind。〃　Christ　had　come　to　open　the　blind　eyes；　to　give　light　to　t