ONE thing I know," replied the beggar, whom Christ had healed, to the scribes and the doctors when they sought to make him deny his faith—
“One thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see."
Not all the learning of his judges could drive this knowledge out of him! Arguments, threats, persuasions, could not shake him out of the belief in the sight which he possessed, and, therefore, in Jesus, who had given him sight. And by his assurance the Pharisees were confounded. The efforts made to disprove his ever having been blind were in vain; and no one could gainsay the fact that the man had his sight, for he stood before the council with his eyes open. His testimony was his victory: "One thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.”
It is ever a refreshment to read the story of this man's simplicity, to note his wonder at the folly of the wise men, who examined him, and his amazement at their ill-speaking of Jesus, who had opened his eyes! Holiness, power, and grace, he was assured, dwelt in Jesus, for only to One who did God's will would God give such power. Since the world was, he argued, who before had had the power to give sight to one born blind? And who but One of perfect grace would have condescended to give sight to a blind beggar?
“I received sight," "I.... do see." "I see," "He hath opened mine eyes," were the glad words of this man. And this character of argument, all can advance who have had their eyes opened by the Lord. Each truly converted person can and does say: "One thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see"; and saying this, he utters his faith in the mighty power and grace of Christ, which have been wrought in his own very self.
Jesus is the Light of the world; He opens our eyes to see the reality of our sinful state by nature, and of God's hatred against sin. He is also the Light of Life, and, following Him, we obtain life and light. Thus we can say from the heart, "One thing I know"—"I" know—I, myself, for myself—"whereas I was blind, now I see. Jesus has done a great work in me, as well as for me. He bade me obey His word; I obeyed, and I see!”
Such faith as this is not easily disturbed. Modern infidelity has no more influence upon this realization than an army of locusts upon an iron wall. No infidelity can disprove to a man who sees, that he has his sight. Simple faith in Jesus is a stronghold for the soul. How often has the testimony of young and old to what Jesus has done for them broken up the ranks of skeptics!
The poor man, of whom we speak, had his sight, and he rejoiced in it. The doctors of the law—spiritually blind as they were—cast him out of the synagogue. After he had been cast out, Jesus found him. He would not have it that the man should be the loser. The man had lost his parents and the advantages of the synagogue for Christ's sake. And, finding him, Jesus said unto him, "post thou believe on the Son of God?" He revealed Himself to the man in His divine glory, and thus the man gained by his loss. And he became a worshipper of the Lord. To belong to the synagogue when Christ was outside it was indeed a dishonor; but to belong to Christ and to worship Him and the Father is honor indeed.
How frequently the Lord Jesus is found outside the religion of the day. Judaism was of God, but it had developed by the teaching of the Pharisees to such an extent that Christ could not be found in it. He was not wanted in the temple; He was not tolerated in the highest religious circle; He was outside the religion which professed Jehovah's name amidst the world's idolatry. Alas that it was so! And Christ has been outside a great deal of so-called Christian religion for some hundreds of years. He is not wanted in much of that which is called Christian worship—images and saints are preferred to Him. He is not to be tolerated in very much that bears His name; but when one solitary human being is cast out of his religious society for Jesus' sake, Jesus meets with the outcast and receives his worship.