CAN YOU SEE?

By Curtis Pugh

Can you see? By seeing I mean, do you have the ability to understand words and their meanings? Jesus had a conversation with some of the religious leaders of His day about this very thing. We read: “And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth,” (John 9:39-41).

Are you upset that Jesus said that He came to judge men? i.e. to make a division between them?, but He did. He said so! He came that men with no understanding might understand and vice versa. This is similar in intent to His words, “So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen,” (Matthew 20:16).

Those to whom Jesus spoke were Pharisees: religious leaders some of whom were called doctors and lawyers because they were authorities on the Old Testament Scripture which was called the Law. Of course they insisted that they could “see,” that is, that they understood the Scriptures yet they hated and opposed Christ. They were activists in their opposition to Him and His teaching.

Being among the privileged of their nation, they were offended that Jesus suggested that they might be blind, that is, that they lacked understanding. Indignantly they asked “Are we blind also?” Jesus set the record straight with His answer. He stated that those who can see: those who have understanding, but who reject Him are yet in their sins. Another place Jesus said, “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins,” (John 8:24).

Many that are first in this world: the greatest of intellectuals with the greatest of educations shall be last. They reject Christ and die in their sins. Only those chosen by God are given true understanding and “shall be first.” Paul dealt with this truth saying, “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence,” (1 Corinthians 1:26-29).

Men see because they have been given sight. Twice Jesus called the religious leaders of Israel by this phrase: “Ye fools and blind,” (Matthew 23:17, 19). Can you see? Does your sin therefore remain because you have rejected Christ?