John 9:35-41 (ESV)

³⁵ Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” ³⁶ He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” ³⁷ Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” ³⁸ He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. ³⁹ Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” ⁴⁰ Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” ⁴¹ Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.

Jesus heard about the man he had healed and his interrogation by the Pharisees. Jesus also learned that this man was cast out of the synagogue for his courageous testimony. The man had never actually seen Jesus. When Jesus put the clay on his eyes and told him to wash in the pool of Siloam, he was still blind. It wasn’t until after he washed that he could see. But by then, Jesus was gone. Jesus found him and asked him if he believed in the Son of Man. The healed man asked who the Son of Man was, so that he could believe in him. Then Jesus revealed himself. Hundreds of years earlier, the prophet Daniel saw a vision of the Son of Man. The Son of Man was presented to the Ancient of Days and given an everlasting dominion and a kingdom that would never be destroyed. Daniel saw all people groups of the world serving the Son of Man. This title happened to be Jesus’ favorite designation of himself. It is a unique term because it conveys Jesus’ humanity along with his mission to redeem mankind. When Jesus disclosed who he was, the healed man believed and worshipped him as the Lord. Jesus then revealed that he came to pronounce judgment on the actions of the ungodly. He would cause the blind to see and the sighted to grow blind because the blind admit their need, whereas the seeing think they have no need.

Evidently, this conversation occurred in a public place, because the Pharisees asked Jesus if they were blind. Jesus answered that if they were honestly blind, they would not be guilty of rejecting him. But they had the opportunity to see, and because they didn’t believe in the Son of Man, they remained guilty. The healed man faced rejection for his alliance with Jesus. His parents, concerned about what others thought, also left him on his own. Then Jesus showed up. Jesus made the first move and found this man. Jesus revealed himself so that the man could see physically and spiritually. God has promised that even if those closest to us reject us, he will never leave us. Not only does he stay with us, but he is the one who takes the initiative in seeking us out. Stop and thank Jesus for loving you first and gracing you with the faith to love him in return.