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Jesus is not afraid of controversy. Public disagreement and relational tension are not to be avoided at all costs, but opportunities for exposing deceit and deepening our trust in him.

Jesus knew that healing the blind man on the Sabbath would chafe the Pharisee, and so he pursued the chance to reveal their spiritual blindness while helping the blind man see with greater and greater clarity not only the physical world but ultimate spiritual reality.

After the healing, five conversations ensue as the controversy becomes more and more heated—first the man with his neighbors, then the man with the Pharisees, then the Pharisees with his parents, and then the Pharisees with the man, and finally Jesus with the man.

Though the man doesn't have even a sliver of the training of the Pharisees, he confounds them with his simple testimony, "I was blind, now I see." 

The Pharisees cast him out, but Jesus pursues him. The Good Shepherd will gather his sheep.

Watch, listen, or download “The Works of God and the Worship of Jesus.”

Topic: The Supremacy of Christ  

David Mathis (@davidcmathis) is an elder at Bethlehem Baptist Church, Twin Cities, and works as executive pastoral assistant to John Piper. He and his wife Megan have twin sons (Carson and Coleman) and live in Minneapolis. David is co-editor (with John Piper) of Thinking, Loving, Doing, most recently, and Finish the Mission, forthcoming. Yep, he plays rec softball and went yard in his last game.