18 The Jews still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man's parents. 19 "Is this your son?" they asked. "Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?"
20 "We know he is our son," the parents answered, "and we know he was born blind. 21 But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don't know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself." 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for already the Jews had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. 23 That was why his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."
In our verses for today we see that passing the proverbial buck has been around for quite some time. Indeed, it started all the way back in the Garden of Eden with Adam blaming Eve and Eve then turning and blaming the serpent! Apparently, the save our own skin gene has always been very prevalent in mankind’s DNA! Jesus had shown their blind son a miraculous kindness by healing his sight yet sadly they could not bring themselves to bestow Him any honor. Fear of the Jewish leaders had them frozen. This was not too uncommon. Three other times in the gospel of John this is mentioned as well:
12 Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, "He is a good man." Others replied, "No, he deceives the people." 13 But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the Jews. John 7:12-13 (NIV)
42 Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved praise from men more than praise from God. John 12:42-43 (NIV)
38 Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. With Pilate's permission, he came and took the body away. John 19:38 (NIV)
We must be careful not to come down too hard on those unwilling to take a stand for Christ. If we are honest with ourselves we could more than likely come up with times we would be accused of this exact behavior and poor treatment of our Lord. The punishment of being put out of the synagogue would have been a severe one indeed for any Jew. It was the equivalent of being cut off from all communion with other Jews – equal to excommunication. Therefore, rather than being suspected of favoring the Healer of their son’s eyesight they refer their interrogators back to their son - obviously, blood not being thick enough in this case – let him fend for himself, he was old enough – was seemingly how their thinking went. Fear of man will often lead us to say or to do or not to say or do things we would never have dreamed of. At least they were honest enough to admit that he was their son, that he was born blind and that he could now see. This should serve to be a red flag to us as well – does the fear of man control us and prevent us from doing what is right or rather what is best? Do we love the praise of men more than the praise of God?
“To inoculate me from the praise of man, God baptized me into the criticism of man, until I died to the control of man.” Francis Frangipane
Jesus had some Words of warning for us regarding this issue:
22 All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. Matt 10:22 (NIV)
28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Matt 10:28 (NIV)
32 "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven. Matt 10:32-33 (NIV)
Yet all the while Jesus also tells us that we are blessed when we are persecuted for righteousness sake – a promise we can certainly take to the bank:
11 "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matt 5:11-12 (NIV)
“Though assaults be many, and my enemies mighty, if God strengthen me, I have enough to comfort me; for the greater my enemy, the more glorious my victory; and the more glorious my victory, the more triumphant my glory.” K.H. Von Bogatzky
“Christian, make your life a clear testimony. Be you as the brook wherein you may see every stone at the bottom – not as the muddy creek, of which you only see the surface – but clear and transparent, so that your heart’s love to God and man may be visible to all. You need not say, ‘I am true’: be true. Boast not of integrity, but be upright. So shall your testimony be such that men cannot help seeing it. Never, for fear of feeble man, restrain your witness.” Charles H. Spurgeon