I’m thinking…
That’s what the start of the week is for.
On Monday mornings at Morning Prayers we explore the scripture passage from the day before and shed more light on it having had time to reflect and digest. When I get home I read the passage for this week and the process of thinking starts again.
I’m going to start sharing some of these initial thoughts, just in case you want to do some thinking too!
It’s Transfiguration Sunday. Usually we would read the story of Jesus on the mountaintop where he changes and is joined by Elijah and Moses. Instead we’re exploring a different kind of transfiguration…
John 9:1-41 – A man born blind receives sight
We take a big jump this week from chapter 4 to chapter 9 (you should read the bit in between!).
On Sunday our story of the Samaritan woman happened at midday, in contrast to Nicodemus’ nighttime visit. Now we are plunged back into darkness and light in this story of a blind man. There is loads going on and much of it reflects where John’s community find themselves; Thrown out of the synagogue, at odds with the religious authorities because they can see while others are blind.
As always, John is writing in several levels at once. There are some issues that jump out:
- Sin and questions about who is to blame.
- A healing that echoes back to the Genesis 2 creation story involving both seeing/light and water.
- Religious rules that hinder rather than help. Is healing on the Sabbath ‘work’?
I like that the man can see but doesn’t know who did it, or at least what Jesus looks like, and that his friends don’t recognise him now that he can see! It’s like partial illumination… something that for the man is completed in his second encounter with Jesus.
Lots to think about. What do you see???
Always found some of these text difficult to understand in that so often the stories are layered…I have read the bible through twice in its entirety and was more confused the second time! Like the blind….we have eyes but sometimes fail to see the signs, we have ears but sometimes fail to or don’t want to hear the truth, just as we have the power to speak the truth but too often sit in silence. I have no doubt such miracles happened but for what purpose….why give man (or woman) sight, in the knowledge that this gift might be abused or misunderstood….or were such ‘healings’ simply a gesture of Gods power? ….as for Religious rules (mans rules that is)….I suspect my tongue best be kept in a closed mouth.