Seen With Blinded Eyes

Last night I was privileged to speak at the Charlestown Road church of Christ in New Albany, Indiana, in their Summer Series on the theme “Exalted.”

The lessons are based on the late Matt Bassford’s hymn “Exalted.” I was one of 9 speakers given a specific phrase of the song. You can hear the hymn and listen to the lessons on their web page.

Matt once said, the phrase “seen with blinded eyes” was based on Jesus’ statement about the Pharisees in John 12:39-40.

Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again:

“He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts,
Lest they should see with their eyes,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.”

The religious leaders saw Jesus, but they really didn’t see Him. Think about it.

1. They saw Jesus in the flesh, but they didn’t see Him as the incarnate Word made flesh.

2. The saw a man from a despised little town, Nazareth, but couldn’t see He was Heaven’s greatest messenger

3. They saw His mighty works, but could only see a man who was illegitimate, unlearned, and uncouth.

4. They saw the miracles, but could only see Satan’s influence

5. They saw His love for sinners, but could only see a wine bibber and glutton, who compromised His integrity.

6. They saw His Sabbath day wonders, but could only see a law breaker and blasphemer.

7. They saw and heard His teaching that caused so many to marvel, but they could only see a false prophet.

8. They saw God in human form, but all they could see was the Devil leading Israel astray.

9. They saw God’s eternal purpose being fulfilled in the Messiah, but all they could see was their own purpose, position, and prestige.

10. They saw a man who could connect with the common people, but their eyes blinded by jealousy could only see and feel was contempt, scorn, and ridicule.

11. They saw a man holy, harmless and undefiled by sinners, but all they could see was one who violated their traditions, exposed their weaknesses, and unmasked their hypocrisy (although they really couldn’t see it).

12. The saw the very OT prophecies they claimed to believe being fulfilled before their very eyes, and yet they couldn’t see Jesus as the fulfillment.

Yes, they saw Jesus, but with blinded eyes.

The lesson, of course, should not stop with our critique and criticism of the Pharisees, but the application is for each of us.

In an interview in May 2000 with Stephen Rouse, Matt offered this insight into the phrase “seen with blinded eyes” in his song.

“This ironic reception is one of the key themes of the ministry of Jesus. People had been told 100’s of years who Jesus would be, the vast majority missed it.”

“It is not necessarily the religious elite. This is a passage that should cause those of us who have been religiously dedicated all of our lives to some very sober, self consideration. To make sure we’re not missing the point of Jesus as the people who were some ways much like us 2000 years ago. The Pharisee were famous for their piety. And yet they failed in the most important way they had to fail.”

If we’re not careful, as I observed last night, we, too, could be guilty of seeing Jesus with blinded eyes.

Have we allowed our eyes to become blinded by theological arguments about which we debate on social media? Are we answering questions no one is asking? Are we blindly nit-picking scripture as well as others, and failing to see Jesus?

Have we allowed our eyes to become blinded by tradition? To become so attached to our means and methods of church work that we condemn anything different, because “we’ve always done it this way”?

Have we allowed fear to paralyze us? To keep us from moving forward? To hinder our ministry? And stymie our evangelistic efforts?  Do we fear of making a mistake? Fear failure? Or  maybe even fear success?

Have we become blinded by lukewarm Christianity, like the Laodiceans (Rev. 3:15-17)? Has apathy and indifference blinded us to our own short-comings, and made us feel we’re fine, when we are failing?

Helen Keller was once asked by a journalist what would be worse than being born blind. Quickly she replied, “To have sight and no vision.”

Do you see Jesus? Really see Him? Or are you seeing with blinded eyes?

–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman