The ninth chapter of John is the exclamation point in the story of Jesus that makes it clear the Pharisees never understood that the ladder they were climbing was leaning against the wrong building. It was never going to get them where they were going. Only a small handful would be discerning enough to not be taken in by their own rhetoric, and realize that what they were teaching was not supported by their personal actions or beliefs.

It sounds so familiar with our world today. I find it amazing how such an ancient text written to an audience who, culturally speaking, was vastly different than our own, can be so on-the-spot relatable to us and our world here and now.

When I was in my late teens I had a group of “friends” who, upon realizing I had never drank alcohol, felt it was their duty to introduce me to Everclear at a pool party, and I was just insecure and stupid enough to let them. After a couple of shots I was diving into the pool and realized as I was under water in the deep end that I had no idea which way was up. How quickly we can be deceived!

God represents perfect order. This fallen world represents the opposite – chaos and disorder. Jesus came bringing order back into our lives. It is no wonder then that we find passages like Acts 17:6 that claim the apostles were “turning the world upside-down”. When your world is already upside down and the hand of God comes and flips it back the way it was intended, I can see why it would feel a bit topsy-turvy to those observing from the outside. It’s so easy to be deceived into believing up is down and down is up.

Back to the ninth chapter of John, I personally find this chapter to be one of the most humorous in all of scripture. The whole thing is written almost like the scenes of a play, with the man who was blind being the one who makes us laugh the most. He has several great one-liners that I think would have the house rolling as he poked at the so-called elite of his day.

My favorite thing about the blind man who was made to see is that he had the boldness and courage to stand up to the Pharisees and point out to them that they were, so to speak, drunk and in the middle of the deep end of the pool, not knowing which way was up. It did not seem to bother him at all that he was excommunicated from the synagogue. He turned all His belief and worship rightfully onto the Son of Man who had healed him.

Jesus heard that they had put him out, and upon finding him, He said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered by saying, “And who is He, Sir, that I may believe in Him?” Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him, and He is the One who is talking with you.” ³⁸ And he said, “I believe, Lord.” And he worshiped Him. – John 9:35-38