Division!

A division arose among the people in our Bible passage today from John 9, when we find that the blind man who had been healed by Jesus was brought before the Pharisees. Upon questioning him, the Pharisees discovered that Jesus had healed him.

13 They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind.
14 And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.
15 Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.
16 Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.
(John 9:13-16, King James Version)

In our Bible passage today from John 9, we find that the blind man who had been healed by Jesus was brought before the Pharisees. Upon questioning him, the Pharisees discovered that Jesus had healed him. Immediately a problem arose among the people. Upon seeing such a miracle, how could this not be of God? Yet, how could it be of God because the "man" who healed him was a sinner because he healed on the Sabbath Day?

It is easy for us to look back at this Bible passage and wonder how the Pharisees could be so foolish. How could it possibly be wrong to heal someone on the Sabbath? Even the Old Testament allowed for an ox to be pulled out of a ditch on the Sabbath, so how much more should a person be allowed to heal someone on the Sabbath?

Do we see the same problems among the religious of our day? I know that is a rather silly question. We only have to look far enough to see the thousands of churches and denominations who call themselves Christians, and yet are afraid to acknowledge anyone outside of their own group as bona fide Christians.

Yes, we should be concerned that we are faithful to God in our teachings, but we must be careful to not cross the line so that we begin to look down at other Christians. How quickly love and faithfulness for the Lord can turn to pride that we alone have the complete truth.

As we look upon this story of the blind man and see the resultant division, let us pray for wisdom that we do not do the same thing! Let us be zealous for the Lord, and be faithful to spread the Word of God so that faith might be multiplied, rather than divided.

Next: Because They Feared - John 9:7-23