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                                                                                         MAY 27
                   14   When the Almighty scattered kings in it,  35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out;
                        It was white as snow in Zalmon.   and when He had found him, He said to him,
                                                          “Do you believe in the Son of God?”
                   Proverbs 17:7–9
                     7  Excellent speech is not becoming to a
                           fool,
                        Much less lying lips to a prince.
                                                           9:35 Do you believe…? Jesus invited the man
                     8  A present is a precious stone in the  to put his trust in Him as the One who revealed
                           eyes of its possessor;          God to man. Jesus placed great emphasis on
                        Wherever he turns, he prospers.    public acknowledgment of who He was and
                                                           confession of faith in Him (Matt. 10:32; Luke
                     9  He who covers a transgression seeks  12:8). Son of God. This should be Son of Man
                           love,                           (see 1:51; 3:13,14; 5:27; 6:27,53,62; 8:28).
                        But he who repeats a matter separates
                           friends.
                   John 9:24–41                             36 He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord,
                     24 So they again called the man who was  that I may believe in Him?”
                   blind, and said to him, “Give God the glory!  37 And Jesus said to him, “You have both
                   We know that this Man is a sinner.”    seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.”
                     25 He answered and said, “Whether He is a  38 Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he
                   sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know:  worshiped Him.
                   that though I was blind, now I see.”     39 And Jesus said, “For judgment I have
                     26 Then they said to him again, “What did He  come into this world, that those who do not
                   do to you? How did He open your eyes?”  see may see, and that those who see may be
                     27 He answered them, “I told you already, and  made blind.”
                   you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it  40 Then some of the Pharisees who were with
                   again? Do you also want to become His disciples?”  Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are
                     28 Then they reviled him and said, “You are  we blind also?”
                                                   29
                   His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples.  We  41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you
                   know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fel-  would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’
                   low, we do not know where He is from.”  Therefore your sin remains.
                     30 The man answered and said to them,
                   “Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do
                   not know where He is from; yet He has
                   opened my eyes!  Now we know that God   9:41 your sin remains. Jesus had particular
                                  31
                   does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a wor-  reference to the sin of unbelief and rejection
                   shiper of God and does His will, He hears him.  of Him as Messiah and Son of God. If they
                   32 Since the world began it has been unheard of  knew their lostness and darkness and cried
                   that anyone opened the eyes of one who was  out for spiritual light,they would no longer be
                   born blind.  If this Man were not from God,  guilty of the sin of unbelief in Christ. But satis-
                             33
                   He could do nothing.”                   fied that their darkness was light and continu-
                     34 They answered and said to him, “You were  ing in rejection of Christ, their sin remained.
                   completely born in sins, and are you teaching
                   us?” And they cast him out.

                       DAY 27: How did the simple logic of the healed man outwit the religious authorities?
                         In John 9, the religious authorites wanted the man to own up and admit the truth that Jesus
                      was a sinner because He violated their traditions and threatened their influence (see Josh.7:19).“Give
                      God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner”(v.24).Enough unanimity existed among the reli-
                      gious authorities to conclude that Jesus was a sinner (8:46).Because of this already predetermined
                      opinion, they refused to accept any of the testimony that a miracle had actually taken place.
                         In order to forcefully emphasize their hypocrisy, the healed man resorted to biting sarcasm
                      when he suggested they desired to be Jesus’disciples (v. 27).
                         “You are His disciple, but we are Moses’disciples”(v. 28). At this point, the meeting degenerat-
                      ed into a shouting match of insults.The healed man’s wit had exposed the bias of his inquisitors.As
                      far as the authorities were concerned, the conflict between Jesus and Moses was irreconcilable. If
                      the healed man defended Jesus, then such defense could only mean that he was Jesus’disciple.

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