Spiritual Blindness

Hardness of heart and spiritual blindness affect us all. In the first four chapters of John’s Gospel we have seen ample evidence of this condition. In his prologue (introduction) John simply states, “He [Jesus] came to His own [creation], and His own [people] did not receive Him” (John 1:11). This is stunning when one realizes that John is telling us that the Creator/God came into His own creation and His creatures, made to love and serve Him, refused to receive Him. This is not likely to happen in an earthly society that had a visit from its government head. Even if the ruler is unpopular, protocol demands a certain level of respect.Yet Jesus came and was rudely and unceremoniously snubbed and dismissed.

The condition of heart that underlies this remarkable rejection is hardness of heart that results from spiritual blindness, which is incurable by natural means (1 Corinthians 2:14). In other words, people could not recognize Him. Indeed, He was so radically different from them that they could never have received Him. They could only hate Him.

The Jewish leaders in Jerusalem (John 2:13-22) were annoyed with Jesus because He expelled the merchandisers and money exchangers from the Temple grounds. They challenged the Lord to show a sign that would prove that He had divine authority to act in that way. The Lord responded, “Destroy this temple and I will raise it again in three days.” No one understands that kind of remark unless his eyes have been opened to spiritual things. They could not see that He spoke of His own body, the real Temple that they themselves would “destroy” on the cross. He would raise that Temple again after three days. They responded as only blind people are able to respond, insinuating that He was an idiot. Didn’t He know that it took 46 years to build the Temple? How would He rebuild it in three days?

Nicodemus could not see how one could reenter a mother’s womb to be reborn. The woman at the well could not see how Jesus could give her living water without a bucket to get it.

The disciples fared no better. They were always missing the spiritual dimension of His words. When He warned them of the leaven of the Pharisees, they thought He was rebuking them for failing to bring sandwiches (Matthew 16:6, 7). In John 4, they did not understand when He declined their lunch, saying, “I have food to eat that you do not know about” (John 4:32). They thought another had given Him something to eat (v. 33). They were also blind to the monumental spiritual event that was unfolding right in front of their noses. Jesus’ strength was not coming from bread but from doing the will of His Father. A harvest of souls was commencing, and the reapers did not have a clue as to their involvement.

Is it any different today? God’s people are so preoccupied with their world that they simply ignore the only real and lasting spiritual dimension that they live. May the Holy Spirit give us eyes to see!