“One thing I know,” replied the poor beggar to the scribes and the doctors, who sought to make him deny his faith,
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 Pharisees and Scribes were confounded. No one could gainsay the fact that the man had his sight, for he stood before the council with his eyes open, and the efforts made to disprove his ever having been blind were in vain; 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 to none but One who did God’s will would God give such power; and since the world was, 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 the man, which character of argument, all 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 as wrought in himself.
Jesus is the light of life, and He opens our eyes to see the reality of our sinful state by nature—of God’s hatred against sin, and of the preciousness of the blood which cleanses us from all sin. It is most comforting to get back from the dust of the conflict, and the clamor of controversy, to this exultant point, “One thing I know”! “I” know—I, myself, for myself—for 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 simplicity, than an army of locusts upon an iron wall; weak and feeble reasonings may go down and perish before its advance, but no infidelity can disprove to a man who sees that he has his sight.
Let our dear young readers assure themselves that 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. True, the doctors of the law cast him out of the synagogue, but they were the blind—the spiritually blind—and this the man felt and saw; he had light. After he had been cast out, Jesus found him, and He said unto him, “Dost thou believe on the Son of God?”
Jesus ever finds and comforts such as suffer for His Name; He would not have it that the man should be the loser, for, having lost his parents, and the advantages of the synagogue for His sake, He revealed Himself to the man, who became a worshiper of Himself. To belong to the synagogue when Christ was outside it, was indeed but a poor honor; to belong to Christ, and to worship Him and the Father, is honor indeed.