Who's Blind, Anyway?
A reflection on eyes that are closed and open in Luke.
Jesus tells the twelve what’s about to happen: his arrest, his suffering, his death, and his resurrection. It’s all there, plain as day. But they don’t get it. Luke says, The meaning of this message was hidden from them.
It’s a striking turn of phrase, especially since just a few verses later, a blind man will see more clearly than any of the disciples. Son of David, show me mercy! he cries out. When the crowd tries to quiet him, he only shouts louder.
The disciples, with perfect vision, are blind to what’s right in front of them. The blind man, who cannot see at all, perceives the truth of Jesus’ identity and power. It’s another one of Luke’s reversals. The sightless see, the powerless receive mercy, and those following most closely still don’t fully understand.
This is the third time in Luke that Jesus predicts his suffering, and still the disciples can’t take it in. But perhaps that’s not failure so much as the necessary limitation of living before the resurrection. The cross remains an enigma until love defeats death. Even now, there is still mystery! But not as much for those who identify with it’s saving power. So says Paul.
Which brings us back to blindness. There’s the blindness of physical sight and the blindness of spiritual perception. The first can be healed in an instant; the second usually takes time, grace, and sometimes a breaking open of the world as we know it.
The blind man receives his sight and follows Jesus, praising God. The disciples will, too, eventually, after their own eyes are opened on the far side of the cross. Luke does this dramatically after the resurrection. (Remember it’s Luke who tells the story of the two on the road to Emmaus whose eyes are opened after Jesus visits with them in the breaking of the bread.)
Maybe that’s us as well. We don’t see everything clearly. We misread, misunderstand, or just plain miss what God is doing. But still, the invitation stands: to cry out, “Jesus, show me mercy,” and to trust that sight comes in God’s time.
Luke 18:31-43
Jesus took the Twelve aside and said, “Look, we’re going up to Jerusalem, and everything written about the Human One by the prophets will be accomplished. He will be handed over to the Gentiles. He will be ridiculed, mistreated, and spit on. After torturing him, they will kill him. On the third day, he will rise up.” But the Twelve understood none of these words. The meaning of this message was hidden from them and they didn’t grasp what he was saying.
As Jesus came to Jericho, a certain blind man was sitting beside the road begging. When the man heard the crowd passing by, he asked what was happening. They told him, “Jesus the Nazarene is passing by.”
The blind man shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, show me mercy.” Those leading the procession scolded him, telling him to be quiet, but he shouted even louder, “Son of David, show me mercy.”
Jesus stopped and called for the man to be brought to him. When he was present Jesus asked, “What do you want me to do for you?”
He said, “Lord, I want to see.”
Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight! Your faith has healed you.” At once he was able to see, and he began to follow Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they praised God too.
Psalm 119:17-24
Be good to your servant so I can go on living and keeping your word.
Open my eyes so I can examine the wonders of your Instruction!
I’m an immigrant in the land. Don’t hide your commandments from me!
I’m worn out by longing every minute for your rules!
You rebuke the arrogant, accursed people who stray from your commandments.
Take all their insults and contempt away from me because I’ve kept your laws!
Even if rulers gather and scheme against me, your servant will contemplate your statutes!
Yes, your laws are my joy—they are my most trusted advisors!
Prayer
God,
Open the eyes of my heart, Lord.
By your Spirit & in Christ,
Amen.