Daily Prayer 23rd March

John 9:18-41 (f0r text see here:John 9:18-41)

The text reads like there are some serious undercurrents between John and the Pharisees. In the words of the parents of the healed blind man, the Pharisees have already made their mind up to remove anyone following Jesus from the synagogue. Fear of excommunication prevents them from even standing up for their own son. The blind man hmself is cagey and aggressive in his answers. He has a 'what's the point' attitude towards the Pharisees. There is nothing he can say to make them change their minds. But he is bold enough to have a dig, undermining their authority through their confession of ignorance. It is of course a little aggressive an interpretation of their claim to know Moses and where he came from but not to know where Jesus came from. The confrontation escalates and the blind man, left with the unavoidable miracle of vision, can do nothing but stand his ground. The Pharisees with their burdens of leadership feel they can only do likewise. The blind man is kicked out.

But the final paragraph of this reading provides the explanation through the words of Jesus. This is simply the way it must be as those who see what Jesus is saying can not "unsee" their revelation. Likewise, the same barriers to believing today still remain - who is He to say these things? Where does his authority come from and how can anyone really know?

This is the dilemma of faith and Jesus provides no way out. Rather, he forces the choice.