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“How to develop your Listening Ear ” No. 4 by Rev. Toru Asai
We have looked at some stories in the gospels, especially in John, in which people had no ears to hear and could not understand what Jesus said. And by using those specific cases, we have discussed the specific reasons why they were deaf or blind. When we know that, we can check ourselves, and correct the same mistakes that we might be making. The following scriptures give two basic reasons for our spiritual blindness:
For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith (Heb 4:2).
And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe (1 Thess 2:13).
The story in John 9 is another example of those who are spiritually deaf and blind. This one is especially interesting because the healing of a blind man is metaphorically used to point to the opening of his spiritual eyes as well: he came to see Jesus as the Son of Man! The story begins as follows:
As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind (John 9:1-2)?"
The disciples asked Jesus what caused this man to be blind. Their assumption was that some kind of a sin caused it: this man’s sin or his parents’ sin. But since he was born blind, how could he sin before that? Look at Jesus’ answer:
Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life (v. 3).
The disciples’ assumption was denied, and Jesus told them that it was for the work of God to be manifested. The bad result of sin was turned into a good purpose of God through Jesus.
Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. "Go," he told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.
Why did Jesus make mud with his saliva, and put it on this man’s eyes? Why did he tell him to go and wash in the Pool of Siloam? Why not in the pool of Bethesda? We don’t know, and do we need to know? A miracle happens when we do what we are told to do. So, as this man did what he was told to do, he came to see, and went home.
But it was a Sabbath day, and it caused a lot of discussions and arguments among the people:
Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath." But others asked, "How can a sinner do such miraculous signs?" So they were divided (v. 16).
The Bible commands that no one can work on the Sabbath, but Jesus was breaking that commandment. So it was not easy for them to justify his actions, and it caused them to be blind spiritually: they could not see Jesus. We might be blind in the same way.
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By Davar Kingdom of GodWe have looked at some stories in the gospels, especially in John, in which people had no ears to hear and could not understand what Jesus said. And by using those specific cases, we have discussed the specific reasons why they were deaf or blind. When we know that, we can check ourselves, and correct the same mistakes that we might be making. The following scriptures give two basic reasons for our spiritual blindness:
For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith (Heb 4:2).
And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe (1 Thess 2:13).
The story in John 9 is another example of those who are spiritually deaf and blind. This one is especially interesting because the healing of a blind man is metaphorically used to point to the opening of his spiritual eyes as well: he came to see Jesus as the Son of Man! The story begins as follows:
As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind (John 9:1-2)?"
The disciples asked Jesus what caused this man to be blind. Their assumption was that some kind of a sin caused it: this man’s sin or his parents’ sin. But since he was born blind, how could he sin before that? Look at Jesus’ answer:
Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life (v. 3).
The disciples’ assumption was denied, and Jesus told them that it was for the work of God to be manifested. The bad result of sin was turned into a good purpose of God through Jesus.
Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. "Go," he told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.
Why did Jesus make mud with his saliva, and put it on this man’s eyes? Why did he tell him to go and wash in the Pool of Siloam? Why not in the pool of Bethesda? We don’t know, and do we need to know? A miracle happens when we do what we are told to do. So, as this man did what he was told to do, he came to see, and went home.
But it was a Sabbath day, and it caused a lot of discussions and arguments among the people:
Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath." But others asked, "How can a sinner do such miraculous signs?" So they were divided (v. 16).
The Bible commands that no one can work on the Sabbath, but Jesus was breaking that commandment. So it was not easy for them to justify his actions, and it caused them to be blind spiritually: they could not see Jesus. We might be blind in the same way.