John 9:23 http://bookofjohnbible.com Fri, 25 Dec 2020 20:33:21 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.4 194844642 John 9:22-23 http://bookofjohnbible.com/john-922-23/ Sun, 20 Dec 2020 00:39:27 +0000 http://bookofjohnbible.com/?p=941 Continue reading "John 9:22-23"

]]> 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.

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

“acknowledged” = is used in the broad sense of giving Jesus support. Many of the rulers believed on Jesus and yet were afraid to confess him because of the Pharisees (John 12:42). The parents of the blind man were not alone in their fear and actions based on it.

John 12:42  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;

“put out of the synagogue” = “un-Synagogued” = excommunication, of which the Jews had 3 stages:

  1. Neziphah = (a rebuke) was the lightest, lasting for 7 days or, if pronounced by the Head of the Sanhedrin, 30 days.
  2. Niddui = (a casting or thrusting out) = lasted for at least 30 days and was followed by a second 30 day term if the person was unrepentant. This could only be pronounced in an assembly of ten and had terrible impact on the offender. He became as a leper: nobody could come within 4 cubits of him and he could not go into a synagogue or the Temple. Curses were pronounced over him and if he died during this period, stones were cast upon his coffin and mourning for him was not allowed.
  3. Cherem = (ban) = would be pronounced if the man were still unrepentant and would last indefinitely. He became as a dead man. Nobody was allowed to speak to him, study with him, eat with him, or spend time with him. He was only allowed to buy the necessities of life.

Matthew Henry speaks of the actions of the parents here when he says, “Near is my friend, and near is my child, and perhaps near is my religion, but nearer is myself.” We are to behave differently than this, though: (1 Cor 10:24). One of the ways the devil tries to trip us up is to have us fear man and what man can do to us, but we are not to fear man, but God, because He will take care of us (Prov 29:25).

1 Corinthians 10:24  Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.

Proverbs 29:25  Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.

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