John 9:13-17: a reflection

13They brought him who had been blind to the Pharisees. 14It was a Sabbath when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15Again therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he received his sight. He said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, I washed, and I see.” 16Some therefore of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, because he doesn’t keep the Sabbath.” Others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” So there was division among them. 17Therefore they asked the blind man again, “What do you say about him, because he opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”

When the man born blind, now healed, is questioned by the Pharisees, his understanding of who Jesus is grows even as they press him. At first he speaks simply of the man they call Jesus, describing what happened: He put mud on my eyes, I washed, and I see. But pressed to say what he thinks of the one who opened his eyes, he goes further: He is a prophet. His grasp of who Jesus is deepens as he holds to and reflects on what Christ has done for him; and it will deepen further still, until he worships Jesus as Lord.

Notice how the man's understanding of Jesus grew as he held to what he knew. He did not begin with a full understanding; he began simply with what had happened to him, that a man called Jesus had healed him. But as he held to this, and reflected on it under questioning, his understanding grew: this one must be a prophet. He did not have it all at once; but holding to what he knew of Christ, and reflecting on it, his faith and understanding deepened step by step. What he knew for certain, that Christ had opened his eyes, became the seed of a growing understanding of who Christ is.

That growing understanding is worth taking to heart, for our own grasp of who Christ is can grow as we hold to and reflect on what we know of him. We may not begin with a full understanding of Christ; but as we hold to what we do know of him, what he has done for us, and reflect on it, our understanding can grow and deepen, as the healed man's grew from the man called Jesus to he is a prophet and beyond. Do not despise a small or growing understanding of Christ, thinking you must have it all at once; hold to what you know of him, reflect on what he has done for you, and let your understanding grow, as the healed man's grew step by step. Begin with what you know of Christ, and hold to it, letting your grasp of who he is deepen over time, as the man born blind grew from describing what Jesus had done to confessing him a prophet, and would come at last to worship him as Lord.

Lord Jesus, when the man born blind, now healed, is questioned by the Pharisees, his understanding of who you are grows even as they press him. At first he speaks simply of the man they call Jesus, describing what happened: he put mud on my eyes, I washed, and I see. But pressed to say what he thinks of the one who opened his eyes, he goes further: he is a prophet. His grasp of who you are deepens as he holds to and reflects on what you have done for him; and it will deepen further, until he worships you as Lord. Show me how the man's understanding grew as he held to what he knew. He did not begin with a full understanding; he began simply with what had happened to him. But as he held to this, and reflected on it, his understanding grew: this one must be a prophet. He did not have it all at once; but holding to what he knew of you, his faith and understanding deepened step by step. Take that growing understanding to my heart, for my own grasp of who you are can grow as I hold to and reflect on what I know of you. I may not begin with a full understanding of you; but as I hold to what I do know, what you have done for me, my understanding can grow and deepen. Keep me from despising a small or growing understanding of you, thinking I must have it all at once; help me hold to what I know of you, reflect on what you have done for me, and let my understanding grow, Lord, as the healed man's grew step by step.