E-pistle for July 23, 2010
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E-pistle
Dr. Dan Hite, President FreeWay Foundation July 23, 2010
Blind spots
(John 8:1-59)
Dr. Curt Scarborough
I. Concentration: on the contents of this chapter
1. Jesus dealt mercifully with the woman caught in adultery, vv. 1-12.
2. Jesus defended His self-witness and predicted His departure; He
taught that "the truth shall make you free," vv. 13-36.
3. Jesus contrasted Abraham's seed with Satan's seed, saying that the
Jews were children of their father, the devil, vv. 37-47.
4. Jesus claimed that He was God, existing before Abraham, vv. 48-59.
II. Observations: on the Jewish leaders who could not and would not see
"You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free, John 8:32.
But these Jewish opponents of Jesus had "blind spots" . . . not "seeing"
. . . not perceiving the truth; therefore, they were not free.
III. Meditation: on some of their "blind spots"
1. "We have never been in bondage to anyone," v. 33.
2. "Abraham is our father," . . . v. 39 . . . "We have one Father – God,"
v. 41.
3. Refusing to recognize Jesus as the "truth," they slandered Him as :
1) Illegitimate, v. 41
2) Half – breed, v. 48
3) Demon-possessed, v. 48
4) Blasphemer, v. 58
4. They did not believe in immortality: "Abraham is dead, and the
prophets are dead," v. 52.
IV. Revelation: on giving sight to their "blind spots"
1. They had been in bondage to Egypt and Babylon . . . in fact, as they
spoke these words, they were living in bondage to Rome.
2. They confused human ancestry and/or national identity with spiritual
relationship. (See Galatians 3:7, 26 – 29)
3. They failed to recognize their Messiah; rather, they later crucified Him.
4. They didn't know the truth that "God is not the God of the dead but of
the living," Matthew 22:31.
V. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. See my former position as a slave to sin . . . and my present position as
having been set free by the Son, vv. 34-36.
2. Recognize that spiritual relationship with God is personal, not familial.
3. Understand the unbreakable link between what Jesus taught and Who He
claimed to be, v. 53. If He is not the Son of God, then His teachings are false
and invalid . . . and our salvation is merely an illusion. If He truly is divine,
then how dare we disobey Him!
4. Believe there is another life after this one, and act accordingly. Rejoice!
Death is not a closing coffin, but an opening door into heaven. Knowing
Jesus and these truths He taught changes our perspective (heals our "blind
spots"), and makes us free, indeed, v. 36.
"Though I was blind, now I see"
(John 9:1-41)
Dr. Curt Scarborough
I. Concentration: on the contents of this chapter
1. Jesus healed a blind man, vv. 1-12.
2. The Pharisees questioned the healed man about Jesus; they also
questioned his parents, vv. 13-23.
3. Again the Pharisees interrogated the former blind man, who testified that
Jesus must be a man from God; the religious leaders excommunicated
that man who had been healed, vv. 24-34.
4. Jesus revealed Himself to the healed man as the Son of God; the man
believed and worshipped Him; Jesus taught about spiritual vision and
spiritual blindness, vv. 35-41.
II. Observations: on some of the spiritual implications seen here
1. Sickness and handicaps are not necessarily signs of sin by the afflicted
person nor by his parents, vv. 1-3.
2. Jesus taught that He is the light of the world; then He illustrated this truth
with an acted-out parable, vv. 4-7.
3. Jesus performed this miracle differently from other cases of healing blind
eyes, vv. 6-7.
4. The neighbors and the Jewish religious leaders asked him how he was
healed, vv. 8-10.
III. Meditation: on the blind man's progressive revelation (spiritual perception)
1. "He is a prophet," v. 17.
2. "He is a worshiper of God," v. 31.
3. "He is from God and empowered by God," v. 33.
4. "He is the Son of God," v. 35.
IV. Revelation: on how Jesus gradually gives us spiritual enlightenment
1. First, we come to realize that His teachings are true and valid.
2. Second, we come to see His dependence upon His Father, whom
Jesus worships and honors, and to whom He prays.
3. Third, we come to recognize that Jesus comes from God the Father,
and is empowered by Him.
4. Fourth, we come to understand that Jesus is more than a prophet, a
worshiper, and a miracle-worker . . . He is the divine Son of God.
V. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Study God's word of truth . . . hearing and obeying.
2. Relate intimately to the Father as Jesus did: in worship and prayer.
3. Depend on God for my mission and the power to accomplish it.
4. Kneel and confess that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is Lord!
"A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg
even though he knows that you are slightly cracked."
--Bernard Meltzer
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