Work on the Sabbath

Now it was the Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. (John 9:14 ESV) 

Two actions are ascribed to Jesus in this verse: making mud and healing the blind man. Apparently, the Pharisees, concerned about the letter of the law (and their additions to the law), and not truly concerned about the spirit of the law, believed that both of Jesus' actions–however easy they were for Him or how beneficial they were for the blind man–violated the Sabbath prohibition against work. In their commandment-keeping, the Pharisees missed the greatest commandments: love for God and neighbor.

The Blind Man Brought to the Pharisees

They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. (John 9:13 ESV) 

The crowd, perplexed by the miracle, brings the formerly blind man to the religious leaders. What was the crowd hoping to accomplish by bringing the man to the Pharisees? Perhaps some of the crowd was genuinely excited to see that God had done such a wonder through Jesus, and they wanted to bring evidence of the miracle to their religious leaders. The Pharisees should have led others in worship. Perhaps some of the crowd was not sure how to theologically interpret the miracle. The religious leaders should have seen this miracle–along with Jesus' other works and His teachings–as indicative of the fact that Jesus is the Messiah, and they should have proclaimed that truth to the crowd.

"Where is He?"

They said to him, "Where is He?"

He said, "I do not know." (John 9:12 ESV)

The formerly blind man was happy to have his sight, and he publicly honored Jesus for healing him, having given the crowd a detailed account of his healing. Jesus, having moved on with His earthly ministry, was not presently with the healed man. What a sad confession the healed man had to make: that he did not know where Jesus was.

Upon the completed gospel work of Christ, believers can say with confidence that we know where Jesus is: that He is in Heaven, seated at the right hand of the Father, waiting until His enemies should be made a footstool for His feet (Heb 10:12-13). And Jesus is always present with believers (Matt 28:20), dwelling in our hearts through faith (Eph 3:17) by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17). 

Questioned by the Crowd

So they said to him, "How were your eyes opened?" (John 9:10 ESV)

In this verse, the formerly blind man is questioned by the crowd. Note their surprise. Note also the correct assumption: that some outside Power must have been at work in order for the blind man to gain his sight, The blind man's eyes were not healed spontaneously. As in this physical miracle, so in the conversion of our souls. It is an astonishing work when God takes either malfunctioning organs or a lifeless soul and brings renewal or resurrection. Eyes were made for seeing, and our souls were made for worship. God grants ability to inability.

Augustine under the Fig Tree: "Take, Read!" (Latin Text: Marked and Translated)

 From Confessions 8.12.28b-29:

1sNom prep.         pron. GFS AblMS 1sPerfAI 1sAcc 

Ego       ( sub          quadam fici arbore ) stravi         me      

I             under a certain  fig   tree     spread myself–

1sPAI              adv.

nescio              quomodo,

I don't know       how–

coni. 1sPerfAI AccFP DFP    coni. 3sPerfAI    AccNP

et         dimisi   habenas lacrimis, et proruperunt flumina 

and I released the straps of my tears and they rushed forth as rivers

GMP

oculorum ^ meorum,

from mine eyes,

                      AccNS              coni. adv. adv.            AblNP

acceptabile ^ sacrificium ^ tuum, et    non quidem his ^ verbis,

as your acceptable sacrifice, and indeed not by these words,

coni. prep.+  AblFS     AccNP 1sPerfAI 2sDat

sed ( in hac ^ sententiā ) multa        dixi      tibi:

but in this thought many things I have said to You:

coni. 2sNom VMS       adv.

 `et         tu,    Domine, usquequo?

"And You, Lord: how long?

adv. PN    2sPerfAS    GMP

Ne memor  fueris          iniquitatum ^ nostrarum ^ antiquarum.'

Don't be remembering our iniquities of old."

1sImpAI   coni. AblMS AccMS PPInf

Sentiebam enim     eis        me      teneri.

For I was feeling myself to be held by them.

1sImpAI AccFS                                          adv.          adv.

Iactabam voces ^ miserabiles:                     `quamdiu,      quamdiu, 

I was casting out pitiable expressions: "How long? How long:

adv.              coni. adv.            adv. adv. adv.

`cras                et      cras''?         Quare non modo?"

'tomorrow     and tomorrow'? Why not now?"

adv.    adv.       AblFS         NFS GFS

Quare non hac ^ horā            finis turpitudinis ^ meae?'

Why not this hour an end of my indecency?"

1sImpAI AccNP coni. 1sImpAI                        abl.mod.  

Dicebam haec      et        flebam      amarissimā ^ contritione 

I was saying these things and I was weeping with the bitterest contrition 

GNS

cordis ^ mei.

of my heart.

coni. inter.       1sPAI      AccFS prep.+                             AblFS

Et       ecce           audio      vocem ( de                         vicina ^ domo ) 

And, behold,   I heard    a voice  from     the neighboring home

  prep.+AblMS PAPtc.GMS coni. adi.            PAPtc.GMS

( cum     cantū )       dicentis       et    crebro         repetentis,

  with   a song,       saying     and frequently repeating,

adv.     GMS  coni. GFS,     1sPAI          2sPAV 2sPAV 2sPAV 2sPAV

quasi     pueri    an   puellae,    nescio:          `tolle       lege,     tolle    lege.'

as      of a boy or of a girl, I don't know: "Take,    read! Take, read!"

adv.-enc.              Ptc.AblMS AblMS PN             PAInf 1sPerfAI

Statimque                mutato           vultu intentissimus cogitare coepi

And immediately changing my face I, most eager, began to think

coni.          3sPAI    NMP  

utrumnam   solerent   pueri 

whether boys used 

prep.+         AblMS Ptc.GMS PAInf           AccNS

( in aliquo ^ genere  ludendi ) cantitare tale ^ aliquid.

to sing such a thing in any kind of game.

adv. 3sImpAI    adv.   PerfAInf   1sAcc              adv.

Nec occurrebat omnino audisse       me                  uspiam,

Nor did it seem that I had heard such a thing anywhere.

PerfPPtc-enc.       AblMS       GFP       1sPerfAI

Repressoque            impetu      lacrimarum surrexi,

And holding back an attack of tears,     I rose.

NNS           PAPtc.NMS  adv.  1sDat.         coni.

nihil ^ aliud interpretans divinitus mihi iubere nisi

This suggested nothing other than a heavenly interpretation to me:

coni. 1sImpAS AccMS coni. 1sImpAS   app.               NMS

ut      aperirem codicem   et        legerem [ quod primum ^ caput 

that I should open the book and read whatever first chapter 

1sImpAS

invenissem ] .

I might find.

1sPluAI  coni. prep.+AblMS    adv. prep.+                   AblFS

audieram enim ( de      Antoniō ) quod ( ex evangelicā  ^ lectione )

For I had heard about Anthony, that out of the gospel reading

DMS adv.    3sPluAI                                  NMS      3sPerfAS

[ cui  forte supervenerat ]                               admonitus     fuerit,

to whom it had strongly come upon, the admonishment was

coni.      DMS ImpPS              adv.  3sImpPI

tamquam sibi diceretur               quod legebatur:

just as if it was said to him what was read:

2sPAV 2sPAV AccNP       AccNP 2sPAI      coni. 2sPAV   DMP

`vade,   vende   omnia        [ quae     habes ] ,   et         da       pauperibus,

"Go,     sell   all things    that you have,     and    give   to the poor,

coni.  2sFAI               AccNS    prep.+   AblNP    coni. 2sPAV    

et        habebis            thesaurum ( in          caelis ) ,     et       veni,     

and you will have     treasure   in the heavens,   and   come,    

2sPAV 1sAcc

sequere    Me,'

follow     Me."

coni.              AblNS                      adv.           prep.+2sAcc PerfPPtc.

et           tali ^ oraculo                   confestim esse ( ad         Te ) conversum.

and by such an oracle he was immediately converted to You.

coni.  PerfPPtc. 1sPerfAI prep. +    AccMS adv. 3sImpAI   NMS

Itaque concitus       redii      ( in eum ^ locum ) ubi     sedebat Alypius:

And so I returned, provoked, into that place where Alypius was sitting:

adv. coni. 1sPluAI   AccMS    GMS    adv. adv. 1sPluAI

ibi    enim posueram  codicem   apostoli  cum inde surrexeram.

for there I had set the book of the apostle when I had arisen from thence.

1sPerfAI 1sPerfAI coni. 1sPerfAI    prep.+AblNS      AccMS

Arripui,      aperui,     et           legi     ( in       silentio ) capitulum

I seized, I opened, and I read in silence the chapter,

 DMS adv.       3pPerfPI  NMP

[ quo primum coniecti sunt oculi ^ mei ] :

which my eyes were first thrown upon:

adv.   prep.+AblFP         coni. AblFP

`non ( in comessationibus   et   ebrietatibus ) ,

"not    in carousing         and drunkenness,

adv. prep.+AblNP coni. AblFP              adv. prep.+AblFS   

non ( in      cubilibus et impudicitiis ) ,      non ( in contentione    

not   on        beds and sexual impurity, not   in struggle    

coni. AblFS

et aemulatione ) ,

and rivalry,

coni. 2pPAV   AccMS     app.    app.

sed     induite  Dominum Iesum Christum

but be clothed in the Lord Jesus Christ,

coni.   GNS    AccFS     adv. 2pPerfAS              prep.+AblFP

et       carnis providentiam ne     feceritis                 ( in concupiscentiis ) .'

and you should not make provision of the flesh in lusts."

adv. adv. 1sPerfAI                  adv. PN 3sImpAI

Nec ultra   volui             legere    nec opus erat.

No farther did I want to read, nor was it necessary.

adv.     adv.   prep.+AblFS                  GMS

Statim quippe ( cum fine ) huiusce ^ sententiae

You see, immediately with the end of this sentence

adv. AblFS GFS       PerfPPtc. DNS

quasi luce securitatis     infusa      cordi ^ meo

as if the light of safety had been infused to my heart,

adi.         GFS            NFP       3pPerfAI

omnes dubitationis     tenebrae   diffugerunt.

all the darkness of doubt fled away.

Transgenderism and the Church

The following is from the conclusion of Affirming God's Image: Addressing the Transgender Question with Science and Scripture by J. Alan Branch.

"Transgenderism is not consistent with a life of Christian discipleship. A robust understanding of Scripture insists we embrace our natal sex and live in accordance with that sex: In other words, to use the secular distinction, we strive to embrace the gender consistent with our sex. Imitating the opposite sex is strictly forbidden. Likewise, participation in homosexual behavior is sin.

"When transgenderism is seen for the confusion it represents, we see clearly that churches should uphold the scriptural gender binary as normative and affirm the truth of Genesis 1:27: The gift of gender is part of the goodness of God's creation. In so doing, we acknowledge that the experience of gender dysphoria is real for many and a burden for which most did not ask. We are reminded of Jesus' words, 'Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy' (Matt 5:7). But from a scriptural perspective, mercy never means we affirm a distortion of God's plan and pretend transgender behavior is morally permissible. Instead, we walk with our brothers and sisters experiencing gender confusion and marshal every resource available to help them overcome this besetting temptation. We pray together, we read Scripture together, we meet for accountability groups, and we grieve together. We seek wise pastoral counsel and engage Christ-honoring mental health professionals to walk through the process of living in congruence with the highest goal in life–the lordship of Christ for the glory of God. Temptation grows in the dark, but shrivels in the light. When individual churches create an atmosphere that says, 'This is a safe place to admit you are tempted to transgender behavior,' we can then build the relationships needed to help struggling brothers and sisters walk the long, difficult path to victory. We can accomplish infinitely greater good by affirming the goodness of God's design than by conforming to the spirit of the age."

Caffeine a Drug?

In lectures on Advanced Biblical Counseling at the Master's Seminary, speaking about drug and alcohol addiction, Dr. John D. Street was asked about caffeine addiction. He responded with the following, which I think is insightful and properly challenging:

When I have to have it in order to function normally, then it becomes an issue. 'I HAVE TO have it.' We may not steal, cheat, or murder in order to get our caffeine, but if I have to have it (otherwise I'm going to be irritable, I'm going to bite your head off, I'm going to have headaches all day long, and I'm not going to interact well with people), now I'm resorting to sinful responses to people without that chemical. Then that particular chemical has a control in my body and in my thinking–a mastery in my body and in my thinking–that it shouldn't have.