THE BLIND MAN

In Chapter Nine, the blind man episode deals with the 'seeing of the Light', In this case, the physical blindness of the man is not a bar to his insight: he is better able to see and appreciate Jesus than the blindness of faith on the part of the Sadducees. "The encounter is a casual one…… As at Bethesda and at Nain, Jesus 'saw' the sufferer. But on the present occasion the 'seeing' does not at once lead to active intervention, which waits on the initiative of a third party: the disciples draw their Master's attention to the blind man."(38)

In contrast with other healing stories, the healing of the blind man is not immediate. "In our present passage, on the other hand, after the operation with spittle, the patient is bidden, 'Go wash in the pool of Siloam'. He goes, carries out his instructions, and emerges with the power of sight. This gives a different aspect to the story: the co-operation of the patient is demanded. His readiness to obey the command of Jesus is an essential element in the cure, and is in fact a measure of his faith, though John does not use the term."(39)

It is also a very directive statement on the part of Jesus. While he normally leads or acts on behalf of others, here he directs the man to effect his own cure. Obviously the character of the blind man is completely different from the paralytic of Bethesda or the women of the earlier encounters. Here is a man who needs only guidance and direction, and Jesus recognizes this.

It is also a comment on the vulnerability of the human condition, to be in a life where for the most part man walks blindly, with only the trust of others as a guide. Christ offers his guidance. Only by trusting can the man accept the offer and participate in his own cure. True, this is a very allegorical way of seeing the story; but much of John's scenerio is built around Jesus the light and my interpretation extends only into the psychogical level, dealing with the inability of people to see themselves clearly.

Other stories in the Synoptic gospels, (the story of the paralytic in Mark, the man with the withered arm, the lepers in Luke) show similar scenes with the faith of the sick person operative in the cure. In a counseling situation faith in God begins with trust in the source person. Jesus was able to inspire trust in most of the men and women he touched.

Jesus makes several comments in the blind man scenario about the nature of blindness and his own role, which again give clues to the personal psychology of the human Jesus. 'I came into the world for judgement; that those who do not see may be able to see and those who do see may become blind' (9:30). That he is talking about vengeance is nonsense, he is talking about ignorance, and free will. This is more evident in 9:41: 'If only you were blind then you would not be guilty of sin, but now that you claim to see, your sin remains.' This seems to refer to the responsibility of insight: once you are able to see your own behaviour, just as once you are able to see Christ, then the rejection of both goods becomes self-condemnation. In making the blind man able to see, Jesus is also freeing him to become responsible for his life, with the possibility of choosing the rejection of the good as well as to follow it in Jesus. He will no longer be attached to the sin, or behaviour of his parents, but become a person in his own right. Perhaps this is why Jesus does not initially rush to cure him. Brown comments that "the care with which the evangelist has drawn his portraits of increasing insight and hardening blindness is masterful". (40)

THE LAZARUS STORY

Finally we come to the dramatic climax of the healing stories, leading to Jesus' own death. He has been revealed as the Wisdom, and the Light, and the Life of the world, now he demonstrates that he is indeed physical life for others. Jesus resurrects his dead friend Lazarus from the tomb. "There is much dramatic or picturesque detail. There is, once again, the delay, allowing the illness of the patient to reach a fatal conclusion, and this leads, after much dialogue of a peculiarly Johannine cast, to the theme of death as sleep (xi. 11-14). Then we have, in highly dramatic vein, the journey of Jesus, his arrival four days too late (as it seems), his meeting with the sisters……the scene of mourning, in which Jesus is constrained to join."(41) There are also strong elements of response on the part of Jesus, of emotional reactions, and some revealing moments showing his relationship with his friends, Lazarus, Martha and Mary.

The scene is "unique in this gospel for the way in which it combines narrative and discourse in an inseparable whole".(42) It is the longest continuous dramatic narrative in the Gospel, and has very distinct characterization. It is unique in showing some of the personal life Jesus had with this family in Bethany. "There is frequent emphasis on the love that Jesus has for the family. If Bethany was Jesus' lodging place when he came to Jerusalem……then it is not too unreasonable to suggest that it was at this home that he stayed and that its occupants were truly his close friends."(43)

In this scene, as throughout the Gospel, it is clear that Jesus had a very personal and individual relationship with each of the three friends, as well as the normal social relationship. Like Mary, his mother, at Cana (Jn. 2:5), they felt able to turn to him confidently when Lazarus fell ill. In each case, there is the same half-expressed hope that Jesus will act despite the seeming impossibility of the situation".(44) Although it does not mention that Lazarus petitioned his Master, it can be assumed that he too hoped that Jesus would come to heal him. There is ample evidence that Jesus knew of the sickness: vs. 4, 11, 13, 14; and yet he did not respond in the way the sisters expected. As at the Cana wedding scene Jesus is not manipulated, he cannot allow them to control his action, although he expresses concern. Bultmann claims that "Jesus' works have their own hour." Certainly in the Lazarus story this is true－"Out of love Jesus did not go to help the sick Lazarus, for he would be of more help to Lazarus when Lazarus was dead."(45)

I do not think that Jesus would test them just to see to what extent their belief would hold. Instead the focus could be on the other side of trust－to believe freely even when the concrete support is missing, a centered faith that sustains the relationship with love, even when the loved one behaves in a way outside our expectations. Jesus was himself, he was responsive to the will of his Father, and responded with compassion to the need of the three in Bethany, knowing that he did not need to let them dictate his actions. If they were in fact his close friends, then the relationship did not need him to act. He loved them enough to know that they would accept who he was and what he did.

When he finally went to Bethany and came at that time of the funeral scene, he was met by the two sisters－Martha, who "throughput the incident……believes in Jesus but inadequately" and who indicates, 11:39, “that she does not as yet believe in his power to give life”(46) and Mary who again affirms that she believes and accepts Christ.

The emotional outburst from Jesus indicates that the scene is really a point where, not only in the spiritual sense but in a real human psychological sense, Jesus is free to show these friends who he is. The spiritual concepts of glorification and belief are on another level the expression of real love and trust. He demonstrates his trust in their belief by accepting the hard situation, not responding to Lazarus immediately, and yet expressing his own real pain at Lazarus's death. Facing the tomb of Lazarus also calls out of Jesus his pain at his own approaching death and he feels free to share that with these his friends.

The interchange with Martha is one where she demonstrates what she thinks she knows of Jesus and he affirms for her what he really is. "As usual with the 'I am' statements which have a predicate, the predicates 'resurrection' and 'life' describe what Jesus is in relation to men－they are what Jesus offers to men."(47)

In that context the openess with which Jesus comes to Martha and Mary is truly the offering of his love to them, that here at this time he will be himself with them. It is as himself, the very real expression of who he is, that he raises Lazarus from the tomb, from death and from the darkness that death represents. And in doing so he must face his own death, and perhaps his own fears of death.

The model for the counseling relationship is clear. The healer must be truly free to be him / herself and to affirm that identity with the client. Secondly, to reach the pain and disorder of the client, requires empathy－to go to that place－and the facing of one's own personal darkness. Jesus goes beyond what might be expected to be with Lazarus all the way even to death.

After dealing with the relationship of Jesus with the family in Bethany, we move to the anointing scene. It shows many of the same elements, in the close portrayal of friendship between Mary and Jesus. If, as it is sometimes suggested, Mary was also the Magdalen, brought back into society through Jesus, then the portrayal of this scene has an even deeper meaning. Mary's caring for Jesus is obvious, she listens to him, she embraces his feet in the Lazarus scenario, she is there for him. In the context of a loving relationship that is only hinted at, she is clearly a person close to Christ. Finally in this scene she anoints him, and as with his mother in the Cana scene, her presence and action take on prophetic overtones. Benoit separates the scene into two incidents, one, involving a sinner woman who anoints Jesus' feet with her tears, as in the Lucan drama; and the second involving a close friend of Jesus who anoints Jesus with her best perfume on his head. Whichever version is accepted, the evidence of three accounts, Mark, Matthew and John, plus the Lucan version certainly support the fact that Jesus was lovingly anointed by a woman and not only accepted the anointing but rebuked those who thought it unseemly.

I find the action of Mary a real and understandable expression of love, made in a way that forced her beyond the 'reasonable' limits of social expression of her time. She took a risk because she loved Jesus enough to risk showing it. The greater risk would have been to keep silent and do nothing. The fact that it was a physical action suggests that she was symbolically saying what she could not express verbally, and doing something that was a frightening and intense expression of her feelings. It is Jesus’ acceptance of the love that frees her; not to have it demanded that the love be returned in kind, Jesus has made it clear earlier that he cannot be held by human relationships, and yet, by his acceptance of Mary's acts, he makes his love for her clear. By demonstrating that he understands what this is for her, he affirms her and offers her himself. Much is made of the action: "Mary's action constituted an anointing of Jesus's body for burial, and thus unconsciously she performed a prophetic action," (48) but I think it is this emotional climate which is the center of the scene. Jesus gives Mary permission to be herself, to love, and to express the love, and to have the love accepted. The model for Christian relationships is clear.

38)Dodd, 181.

39)Id, 183.

40)Brown, Jn., 377.

41)Dodd, 231.

42)Id, 228.

43)Brown, Jn., 431.

44)Id, 433.

45)Id, 431; ibid. for the reference to R. Bultmann, Das Evangelium des Johannes, 303.

46)Id, 433.

47)Id, 434.

48)Id. 454.