Overflowing with Gratitude
Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.” Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.” Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshipped him. Jesus said, “For judgement I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind” John 9:35-39
Who has the right to divide the world into those who are seeing clearly and those who aren’t? Here, as throughout John’s gospel, it is Jesus. After He leaves, it is the Holy Spirit, making Jesus continually present, and bringing His clear judgement to bear on the world (16:8-11). But during Jesus’ ministry, it is His own presence, coming as light into the world (9:5) that causes the world to be divided into two. Jesus’ presence divides the world into those who come to the light and allow it to change, heal and direct their lives, and those who resist the light and choose to remain in darkness (even while sometimes boldly declaring they see everything clearly).
‘Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.” The man really wants to know. He has already declared that Jesus is a prophet (9:17). Now he is invited to take a further step: Jesus is not just a prophet, not just a unique healer, but is the one through whom God’s light, searing with truth and holiness, has come into the world. He believes – one of many throughout John’s story who make the final step that John wants every reader of his gospel to make (20:31).
John has already presented Jesus as the Son of Man: the one in whom God reveals Himself (1:51), who has come down from heaven (3:13), the one upon whom God has set His seal of approval (6:27), who will ascend again to heaven from where He came (6:62), and later in the gospel he will speak of the Son of Man as the one who will return to His place of glory having gone through death and resurrection ( 12:3; 13:31).
‘Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshipped him.’ Because the word here translated ‘worshipped’ strictly means ‘to prostrate oneself,’ ‘worshipped’ might be going further than the text. The man acknowledged God in the man Jesus and bowed in some way before Him. He might have associated the term ‘Son of Man’ with the glorious Son of Man figure in Daniel 7:13,14, exalted and seated next to God Himself and given the task of bringing God’s judgement to the nations. We simply don’t know. But we do know this man had spiritual sight as well as physical sight.
Does understanding the depths of Christ, of His cross and the deeper purposes of God cause you to ‘prostrate’ yourself before Jesus? I hope so. This formerly blind man was doubly blessed, earthly sight and spiritual sight. He responded out of a heart overflowing with gratitude. When did your heart last overflow with gratitude?
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