John 9:13-34

 

13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind.

14 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath.

15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.”

 

16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.”

 

But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided.

 

17 Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.”

 

The man replied, “He is a prophet.”

 

바리새인들은 지금 태어나면서부터 소경된 사람이 갑자기 눈을 뜬 후에 그에게 어떻게 눈을 뜨게 되었는지 질문합니다. 소경은 체험한 그대로를 답합니다. 그런데 대답의 핵심을 파악하지 못하고 안식일을 지키지 않았다는 것에 집중합니다. 어떤 바리새인은 어떻게 죄인이 그런 기적을 베풀수 있냐고 질문하며 의견이 갈라집니다. 그러면서 바리새인은 소경에게 눈을 뜨게 해준 사람을 어떤 사람을 여기는지를 묻습니다. 안식일을 지키지 않은 예수를 죄인으로 간주할거라고 기대합니다. 그러나 그 소경은 "선지자"라고 답을 합니다. 자신의 눈을 뜨게 해준 예수님의 신적 권위를 인정하는 답입니다.

 

The Pharisees ask the man born blind how he was able to see after suddenly gaining his sight. The blind man answers by simply describing what happened to him. However, the Pharisees fail to grasp the significance of his answer and focus instead on the fact that it occurred on the Sabbath. Some Pharisees question how a sinner could perform such a miracle, leading to differing opinions among them. They then ask the blind man what kind of person he believes the one who healed him to be. Expecting him to call Jesus a sinner for not keeping the Sabbath, the blind man responds by calling Jesus a "prophet." This answer acknowledges Jesus' divine authority in restoring his sight.

 

18 They 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 Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue.

23 That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

 

여전히 믿지 못하는 바리새인들은 이번엔 소경의 부모를 추궁합니다. 그의 부모는 바리새인의 질문에 대해서는 다 대답을 하지만 어떻게 보게 되었는지는 답을 아들에게 직접 하도록 유도합니다. 예수를 메시야로 인정하는 자는 출교당한다고 공지한 것에 두려움을 느꼈기 때문일 것입니다. 날때부터 앞을 못보던 자기 자식이 보게 된 이 상황에서 출교가 두려워 대답조차 하지 못하는 인간의 나약함을 볼 수 있습니다. 

Still unwilling to believe, the Pharisees now interrogate the blind man's parents. While they answer the Pharisees' questions, they direct the question of how their son regained his sight to him, urging him to answer for himself. This is likely due to the fear of being excommunicated, as it had been publicly announced that anyone who acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah would be cast out. In this situation, we witness the weakness of human nature, as the parents, fearing excommunication, are unable to respond, even when their son, who had been blind from birth, can now see.

 

24 A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.”

 

25 He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”

 

26 Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”

 

27 He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?”

 

28 Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses!

29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.”

 

30 The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes.

31 We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will.

32 Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind.

33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”

 

34 To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.

 

그러나 눈을 뜨게된 소경은 아무것도 두려워하지 않습니다. 죄인인지 아닌지는 모르겠고 내가 앞을 보지 못했었는데 지금은 볼 수 있다는 것이라고 담대하게 말합니다. 하나님으로부터 온 사람이 아니었다면 아무것도 못했을거라고 합니다. 자신이 직접 체험한 것을 주변상황이 어떻든지 상관하지 않고 그대로 담대하게 전하는 소경의 모습과 같이, 우리도 우리의 일상에서 소경의 담대함을 가지고 진리를 전해야 하겠습니다.

 

However, the man who regained his sight is not afraid of anything. He boldly says that whether Jesus is a sinner or not, he doesn't know, but what he knows is that he was blind and now can see. He states that if Jesus were not from God, He would not have been able to do anything. Just like the blind man, who boldly shares his personal experience regardless of the surrounding circumstances, we too should carry that same boldness in our daily lives and speak the truth.