Sight
Matthew 12:22-23 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
22Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. 23All the people were astonished and said, "Could this be the Son of David?"
Jesus saw the hideous spirit creature that crouched on the man’s shoulders. He smelled the putrid, decaying, rotten stench of the creatures’ breath. One of the demon's ice cold, clammy, gnarled hands was clasped over the man’s eyes, while its other hand reached from behind, covering his lips, sealing them firmly closed. Its eyes glittered mockingly and his lips curled with a satisfied sneer.
It’s said the eyes are the windows of the soul, and these windows opened into hell. The demon’s eyes turned on Jesus with hatred and spite, for a split second seeing just another son of Adam; that creation of God despised by Satan and his hordes; but terror filled its eyes as it realized that the eyes of this man were looking back at him; he could see him. Instantly the demon knew that this was no son of Adam, but the Son of God, the Holy One whose works it was his master’s aim to destroy. With a scream of rage, face contorted with fury, lips spewing venom at his enemy, the power of hell faced the power of the God the Holy Spirit in God the Son, and lost. The demon released its grip on the eyes and lips of his victim and fled.
The man, who had known only darkness, suddenly opened his eyes and saw! There before him stood a man who looked upon him with eyes that burned with love. He opened his mouth and speech flowed. His tongue had been loosed!
Meanwhile, the onlookers witnessing the miracle of sight and speech being given to the man were also seeing something they hardly dared believe. The Holy Spirit was revealing to them the truth about the Rabbi who did such marvelous things. They began to ask among themselves, “Could this be...could this be the Son of David?”
Not far away, always privy to information about the actions of this radical Rabbi, a group of Pharisees saw only their own power and control slipping away as the people turned from the weight of rules they wielded to consider the words of this man who spoke with life, power and authority. “He did this by Satan’s power!” they said, blind to the irony of their words! In that moment the Bible says that they committed a sin that can never be forgiven; blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. They had turned away from the only one who can lead a person to repentance and in so doing, hardened their hearts irrevocably. They also ran the risk of snuffing out the work of faith in the hearts of those who listened to them; a responsibility for which the Bible says the punishment is akin to hanging a millstone around your neck and being drowned in the depths of the sea.
Sight; it’s an amazing capacity and we don’t just see with our eyes, but with our heart and our spirit.
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
22Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. 23All the people were astonished and said, "Could this be the Son of David?"
Jesus saw the hideous spirit creature that crouched on the man’s shoulders. He smelled the putrid, decaying, rotten stench of the creatures’ breath. One of the demon's ice cold, clammy, gnarled hands was clasped over the man’s eyes, while its other hand reached from behind, covering his lips, sealing them firmly closed. Its eyes glittered mockingly and his lips curled with a satisfied sneer.
It’s said the eyes are the windows of the soul, and these windows opened into hell. The demon’s eyes turned on Jesus with hatred and spite, for a split second seeing just another son of Adam; that creation of God despised by Satan and his hordes; but terror filled its eyes as it realized that the eyes of this man were looking back at him; he could see him. Instantly the demon knew that this was no son of Adam, but the Son of God, the Holy One whose works it was his master’s aim to destroy. With a scream of rage, face contorted with fury, lips spewing venom at his enemy, the power of hell faced the power of the God the Holy Spirit in God the Son, and lost. The demon released its grip on the eyes and lips of his victim and fled.
The man, who had known only darkness, suddenly opened his eyes and saw! There before him stood a man who looked upon him with eyes that burned with love. He opened his mouth and speech flowed. His tongue had been loosed!
Meanwhile, the onlookers witnessing the miracle of sight and speech being given to the man were also seeing something they hardly dared believe. The Holy Spirit was revealing to them the truth about the Rabbi who did such marvelous things. They began to ask among themselves, “Could this be...could this be the Son of David?”
Not far away, always privy to information about the actions of this radical Rabbi, a group of Pharisees saw only their own power and control slipping away as the people turned from the weight of rules they wielded to consider the words of this man who spoke with life, power and authority. “He did this by Satan’s power!” they said, blind to the irony of their words! In that moment the Bible says that they committed a sin that can never be forgiven; blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. They had turned away from the only one who can lead a person to repentance and in so doing, hardened their hearts irrevocably. They also ran the risk of snuffing out the work of faith in the hearts of those who listened to them; a responsibility for which the Bible says the punishment is akin to hanging a millstone around your neck and being drowned in the depths of the sea.
Sight; it’s an amazing capacity and we don’t just see with our eyes, but with our heart and our spirit.
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