Bible Text: John 9: 1-41 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes
Mr. Robinson was born in September, 1930 in Albany, Georgia but was soon moved to Greenville, Florida. After a tragic accident when his younger brother drowned. Mr. Robinson ended up blind by the age of 7. He was sent to a state-sponsored boarding school in St. Augustine, Florida. The school ended up being the best thing that happened to him because it was there that he not only learned to read and write Braille but he also learned to arrange music in Braille and excelled in playing the piano, saxophone, clarinet and trumpet. His love for and of music led him into an amazing career in music. In fact, through his blend of gospel, blues and jazz he is thought to have pioneered the genre of soul music. He is called the “Father of Soul” by many people. Now, Mr. Robinson did decide early on that using his full name was not really appropriate and so instead he decided to be known by his first and middle name, Ray Charles. In 1960 Ray Charles won his first Grammy for “Georgia on My Mind.” In many ways, without the loss of his eye sight Ray Charles would not be the Ray Charles we know today. In fact, without the loss of his eyesight Soul music may not exist! This is not to rejoice in any tragedy that Ray’s life had but rather to acknowledge that sometimes suffering has a purpose much greater than we realize. I once heard a story about a certain now infamous comedian who went to visit Ray. As this comedian entered the hotel room all the lights were out and it was pitch black. He asked, “Ray, where are you?” and Ray responded, “I’m in the bathroom shaving.” The comedian than said, “Why are you shaving with the lights out? You’re going to cut yourself!” “Brother,” Ray replied, “I’ve been shaving in the dark all my life.” I use Ray Charles’ story not to compare Ray to the blind man in the Bible but rather to explain that even in darkness there is hope and teaching. It is also important to note that even in suffering- transformation is possible.
In this two part passage from John we hear the ever common images of light and darkness. In fact, John really sets the tone right off the bat in his first chapter when he says, “The light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not overcome it.” In our passage the most amazing thing is that Jesus, the light of the world, gives light to someone who has lived in darkness for his entire life. But there are some key conversations that happen in the process.
Within our world today there is still a strong belief that bad things happen to people because, they deserve it. When a tragedy hits us we ask, “Why is God doing this to me?” When a family member is suffering we cry out, “What is the purpose of all this?” When we see a world that is being shaped by hatred we wonder, “Is God punishing us?” I can remember when the AIDS epidemic hit in the mid-80s and it was coined, “the gay disease” and many within the church vocally declared that they were just getting what they deserved. Or, what about when we see once strong, active members in our congregation who are struggling with memory loss or major physical deterioration, we wonder, “Why doesn’t God just take them home?” But this passage from John is very clear. Jesus says his blindness has nothing to do with his or his parent’s sins; rather God uses these types of situations to show glory. Like last week, Jesus saves not souls but rather saves a blind beggar by showing compassion, healing, and being a companion to someone who apparently the whole village knew but about whom they did nothing. Jesus sees someone in need, not someone being punished for sin. Also, Jesus does not even come close to answering the question: why is this man suffering, or the wider question: where is God in human suffering? Or why does God let bad things happen? There is no easy answer. However, it is implied that even in suffering God is able to be glorified- we just might need to take the blinders off to see it.
Jesus’ instructions to this blind man are also important. Unlike other healing stories Jesus instructs this man to wash himself off in the pool of Siloam. No one is really a witness to this healing nor is Jesus present when it actually happens and yet, the blind man, and perhaps others are convinced that Jesus is the one who healed. You will notice that in our translation it makes a note that Siloam means Sent. John is clear from the get go that he understands Jesus as the one who is sent by God. But there is also a familiar image to this man washing himself in a pool and being transformed. In early frescoes in the catacombs of the early church this image of the blind man in the pool was used to depict baptism. Through his “baptism” this blind man becomes a great advocate and missionary.
Within a contemporary interpretation of this story the blind man demonstrates that people have access to this light of God by first acknowledging their own blindness. That becomes even more the case as the story transitions from the blind man to the Pharisees. For the blind man as soon as he is able to see- he also sees the healing power of God, he sees who Jesus really is, he becomes a witness to Jesus Christ. But the Pharisees are so incredibly blinded by their rules, righteousness, and scepticism that they do not see much beyond a strange story of a guy who claims he was born blind but can now see. It is the great irony of the Gospels; the blind man sees what the religious authority does not.
The Pharisees go to great lengths to try and disprove this miraculous story. They approach the man and question his previous blindness. They go to this man’s house and ask the parents whether this man was truly born blind or not. More than once everyone tries to explain to them that this is a true miracle that could only come from God. Not only are the Pharisees blind to what is right in front of them but they are deaf to the words being spoken. The astonishing thing is that this previously blind beggar then begins to teach the Pharisees. That in itself would have been a miracle because we can presume that as a child this blind man did not have an education, did not read or write, did not study the Scriptures as the Pharisees had and yet, here he is saying to them, “This is the craziest thing that you do not know where he comes from, and yet he did this miraculous thing, and the only way this could be explained is that he comes from God, and still you are missing the point!” The Pharisees are less than pleased to be taught by this man, whom they still believe is blind due to sin.
Jesus hears this and then re-enters the story and makes the comment that they, the Pharisees are sinners, for they are unable to see the truth. This is one of the great juxtaposition in the Gospel of John. The chapter opened with the disciples asking what kind of sin the blind man could have done to be born that way and it closes with Jesus pointing out who the real sinners are. The Reverend Margaret Whyte, a minister in the church of Scotland wrote, “There are none so blind as those who cannot see. Often we cannot see what is under our noses- or like the Pharisees, do not want to see…do we really see and act where God wants us to act and reach out with healing, helping touch.” We still blame sin for illnesses; we still react with scepticism when someone, perhaps a little less educated than ourselves, tries to tell us about the role of God in his or her life, we still ignore the needs in our community, and certainly the needs abroad. And yet, Jesus still reaches down and shines light in and through the world in many ways. This is not about shaving in the dark but about finding the music of the soul in those dark places and shining a light upon them. Amen