Yeshua heals blind man

Yeshua heals a blind man
Hello! I’m Danny and I was an active Latter-day Saint for 60 years.
In the Holy Land, at the Meridian of Time around 30 A.D., life was very difficult, and mortality rates were high due to occupational hazards, poor sanitation, lack of medical attention, scarcity of food, and deadly disease.
If you want to follow along in your Bible …
Beginning with John chapter 9 we find Yeshua and His disciples in Jerusalem. Verse 1, we read “And as Yeshua passed by, he saw a man which was blind from birth.” People in those days believed the false notion that physical illness or defect in general was caused by sin. Verse 2 “And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
This passage in Mormonism is frequently used by LDS to defend their teaching of a pre-mortal existence. They claim the disciples’ question in verse 2 revealed that they believed in the premortal existence, a doctrine that was lost to Christianity during the Great Apostasy but restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith. Mormonism that claims to be Christian, is the only religion that believes in a pre-earth life. It all came from the evolved theology of Smith.
I find it interesting that not only is the doctrine of pre-existence not found anywhere in the Old or New Testaments, but neither is it mentioned in the Book of Mormon. That’s because only Yeshua, the Son of God, came from above – from the presence of the Father. Yeshua, Himself declared it.
In response, “who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind?” Yeshua quickly dispels any question related to blame. Verse 3 “Yeshua answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.”
Of course, this man’s physical disability is a picture of spiritual blindness – the result of sin and having the light obscured from the realization of their need for a Messiah – and waiting for the light and salvation of the world to be made known to them. In general, this man is a picture of all human beings because we are born blinded by our fallen nature and needing a Redeemer.
Then in Verses 4 and 5 Yeshua states, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Yeshua is the light in a darkened world that we are born into. Again, this healing is but a physical representation of the spiritual light He shines into the blind hearts of all people. It is interesting to note that Yeshua never asks the man born blind if he believes before He heals him. Yeshua chose him – to be healed. It seems the blind man was completely unaware of Yeshua and who He was.
Now, picture the disciples watching as Yeshua kneels on the ground, scoops up some dirt with his hands and spits in it. Then, he kneads the clay into two patties. It says Verse 6 “When he (Yeshua) had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay.” He then instructs the man to go wash in the pool of Siloam, which he did. And at that moment the blind man could see for the very first time in his life. But why did He heal him with mud? He could have said, “Eyes open,” and they would have opened. I believe the reason Yeshua used this technique is because it was Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath. One of the many interpretations of the Pharisees as to what it means not to work on Shabbot was that you can’t knead dough. Like kneading dough, when Yeshua kneaded the clay, He was violating the Sabbath. He knew what He was doing for all to see. Because He’s the “Lord of the Sabbath,” and He wants to show that He is — or to show what the point of the Sabbath is, which is to rest from labors. Why? Why do we need rest? For healing and recovery. Remember what Yeshua taught in Matthew 11:28-29 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
This event is symbolic of us washing our spiritual eyes with the living water of Christ or the Holy Spirit. Also, using basic elements of the earth like clay – is pointing to Yeshua being the Creator of all things. Speaking of Yeshua as the Word of God, It says in Colossians 1:15-17 “ Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” It says in Genesis that He created the man Adam, forming him from the earth’s dust and breathed “into his nostrils the breath of life” (Genesis 2:7).
This was a HUGE miracle since it was firmly established, by the proof of many years, that this man was certainly blind – from birth. But neighbors of his family questioned if this was the same guy. He assured them that he was. They asked him how it happened. He explained that a man named Yeshua healed him. But he didn’t know where this Yeshua went.
Next, the neighbors brought him to the Pharisees of the Sanhedrim. Probably because this healing took place on the Sabbath, which was against the Mosaic law. When interrogated by the religious leaders, the man recounted the whole experience. They reacted by saying this man Yeshua was not of God. They questioned, how could He do miracles if He was violating the Sabbath? The miracle must have been done through an evil source. The healed man was asked – by the Pharisees who this Yeshua guy was? And the man, not aware of the Lord and His divinity plainly tells them in his opinion, He is a prophet – simply meaning He is from God.
Well, the man had gone too far by saying Yeshua was a prophet. The Pharisees then, called in the man’s parents and wanted verification from them that their son had been born blind. Perhaps, he had been faking it all along to beg in the streets instead of having to work. The parents must have been shocked that their son could see. They confirmed he was their son and that he was born blind. But they didn’t know how or by whom he received his sight. They really didn’t want to get involved and have anything to do with this matter for fear that the religious leaders would excommunicate them and bar them from the synagogue for mentioning anything about the Messiah. So, they said our son is old enough – you can ask him to explain how this happened.
The religious rulers were in a predicament. A miracle had occurred at the hands of the man Yeshua who they either saw as a sinner, or they knew He was the Messiah but sought to destroy Him anyway. So, they cross-examined the healed blind man once again, saying to him, Verse 24 “Give God the praise: we know that this man (Yeshua) is a sinner.” They called Yeshua “a sinner” because He healed on the Sabbath. And how does the healed man reply? In one of the most beautiful statements in biblical scripture: Verse 25 “He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I do know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.”
But these Jewish leaders kept pushing the man about what Yeshua did to heal him. Then comes a great verse to show how emboldened the man had become in such a short time from being a blind beggar in the streets to now putting this church counsel in their place. This man, after all that he has been through in his life – was becoming fearless. I have to chuckle here at what he said. Verse 27 “I have told you already, and ye did not hear: (people hear what they want to believe) wherefore would ye hear it again? Will ye also be his disciples?” Sarcastically, he asks the Pharisees – “why! are you interested in following this prophet?”
You can imagine – his response was not well received. Angered, the Pharisees reviled him. Meaning they despised him. How dare he teach THEM! They replied, Verse 28 “You are his disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples. Verse 29 “We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow (Yeshua), we know not from whence he is.” That’s because they were spiritually blind and didn’t recognize Him as the true Messiah.
Verse 31 “Now we know that God doesn’t hear sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and does his will, him he heareth.” They are claiming that God doesn’t interact with sinners. Because Yeshua was a sabbath-breaker, God would never have used Him to heal especially on God’s holy day.
The healed man reminded the Pharisees that such a miracle had never been accomplished. Verse 32-33 “Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.”
The Jews were fully aware of a prophecy in Isaiah 35:5-6 which foretold of the miracles which would be performed by the coming Messiah, “Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped. Then the lame man will leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute will sing; for waters will break out in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.”
In fulfillment of that prophecy, we read in Matthew 15:29-31 “Yeshua departed from there and came near to the Sea of Galilee; and he went up into the mountain and sat there. Great multitudes came to him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, crippled, and many others, and they put them down at his feet. He healed them, so that the multitude wondered when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healed, the lame walking, and the blind seeing — and they glorified the God of Israel.” Those religious leaders were probably aware of these miracles and were threatened by Yeshua’s power and jealous of His fame.
Offended, the Pharisees reacted Verse 34 “They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.”
To be cast out means not only did they remove him from their presence – from the synagogue – it meant he was excommunicated in an, attempt to silence him. This was a horrible penalty to suffer as it would result in him being an outcast from society from that point on. No one would want to associate with him, marry him, trade with him, or hire him. Many Jews like him would move to Samaria where they could find refuge – like we learned from my video on Yeshua revealing Himself as the Messiah to the Samaritan woman at the well.
There are many today, who lose their community of friends and family because they chose a relationship with Yeshua over religion. I’ve seen it right here in Utah among the Latter-day Saint community. Sometimes people are rejected or shunned by family and friends and other associates.
There are strong parallels here in Scripture. The people who are blind in this story are the people who think they can see. They believe they are right and have the truth. They exercise their leadership status over those who are honest at heart.
The man had been cast out. He had sought the light, was blessed, and refused to turn on the very One who healed him. And yet he remained unaware of the identity of this Healer. But look what happens next – another act of unsolicited grace.
Just as we struggle in our faith – being under the bondage of religion – God seeks us and saves us. Verse 35 “Yeshua heard that they had cast him out; and when he (Jesus) had found him, he said unto him (the man), Dost thou believe on the Son of God?” Jesus was offering the free, gift of eternal life – if the man was ready to accept it. “Do you believe on the Son of God?” Verse 36 “He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?”
I love this – Verse 37 “And Yeshua said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.” Here is where the trust of letting go of religion and entering a relationship with Christ began. Verse 38 “And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.” Beautiful! I imagine the man embracing Yeshua in humble gratitude.
This man could not only see with his physical eyes – the incarnate God – who he worshipped, but he now perceived in his heart and understood with his spiritual eyes who the Son of God was. As a result, he was born of the Spirit.
I confess that I had been blind for 60 years – spiritually blind to the truth. I had been programmed in a religion created by man. God was calling on my heart for a long time to trust in His Son, alone. Yeshua says in John 6:44 “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” As I was seeking truth, I felt God drawing me to His Son. When, I made a serious study of the Bible starting with the Gospel of John, I experienced the Holy Spirit healing my blindness. With spiritual eyes, I began recognizing the truth of the gospel message. By the time I finished reading this 9th chapter, I clearly saw myself in this story. I had been a blind man from birth, falsely indoctrinated. God was able to open my spiritual eyes to the truth. Like the blind man, I believed on the Son of God. And for the first time in my life, I understood that Yeshua is enough! He is all I need. Yeshua promised “the truth shall make you free (John 8:32).” Faith without religion.
Now, I too, can confidently declare, “One thing I know – I was blind – now I see.”
Thank you for watching! See more videos like this one on You tube or at Talking to Mormons.com.
Until next time – here’s mud in your eye!!! God Bless.