Jesus' ability to perform various miracles is prominent in the Gospels of John and Matthew. As creator, incarnation, and giver of light, Jesus wins the faithful through the use of God-given supernatural powers. One miraculous work in particular, the restoration of sight, validates the symbolic and religious foundation of Jesus as the Son of God. This powerful miracle treats a man's body and soul as separate entities. Restoring sight is not only a physical change, but also provides spiritual enlightenment. The story of Jesus healing the blind in the Gospel of Matthew complements the central story of a blind man in the Gospel of John. While the Gospel of Matthew speaks of the healing of the blind, the Gospel of John emphasizes that seeing is believing by devoting an entire chapter to the conversion of the blind man to Christianity. The ability to cure blindness sets Jesus apart from other messiahs in Jewish history, such as Moses and John the Baptist. Jesus fulfills his role on earth as true messiah and light by bringing wisdom and salvation to sinners. Furthermore, by offering a new vision, Jesus converts ordinary people into faithful followers of God. In addition to introducing followers to Christianity, curing blindness serves to confirm the authority of Jesus, allow people to recognize their sins, and redefine Christians' relationship with God. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Jesus, in the Gospel of John, claims to be the sole mediator between God and man through his ability to heal the sick. The Messiah, in Jewish tradition, can perform various miracles. Isaiah describes the coming of the Messiah as the time when “the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be opened” (Isaiah 35:5). Jesus meets this criterion for a divine prophet by declaring, “The blind receive their sight” (Matthew 11:5). In our limited reading of the Hebrew Bible, we have not encountered a single account of giving sight to the blind. This difference makes Jesus, to some extent, more unique and more authoritative than previous messiahs. The Gospel of John explicitly states that the power to cure blindness comes only from God. For example, the man who regains his sight says: “Since the creation of the world, it has never been heard of anyone opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not of God, he could do nothing” (John 9:32-33). According to Craig Koester, "the reference to Jesus as 'the light of the world' in John 8:12 and 9:24 echoes this passage and makes the opening of a blind man's eyes a sign that Jesus was the messianic servant of God” (108). ). In summary, the Gospel of John, along with the textual support of the Gospel of Matthew, illustrates the authority of Jesus by tracing his miraculous works to God and distinguishing Jesus from the other Hebrew prophets. Jesus' special talent, healing blindness, allows him to fulfill Jewish prophecies and maintain his authority as a religious leader. In addition to establishing Jesus' role as messiah, the story of healing from blindness in the Gospel of John also focuses on the total transformation of individuals after regaining their sight. Jesus, by giving sight, separates his disciples from unbelievers. The Jews can see the miracles of Jesus, but not all believe in him. Even in Nazareth, Jesus' hometown, people questioned his actions and teachings (Matthew 13:54-58). Jesus warns, “You [the Jews] will seek me, but you will not find me,” which foreshadows the schism between Jews and Christians (John 7: 34). The blind man in the Gospel of John, an example of a believer, contradicts the Pharisees after Jesus heals him. The Pharisees expose their ignorance of Jesus' divine power by saying, "This man is not of God, for he does not keep the Sabbath" (John 9:16). They refuse to respect the miracles of Jesus because the “Pharisees’ “metaphorical blindness results from their lack of faith” (Fortna 163). “The former blind man,” however, “is described at the end of the chapter as believing and therefore seeing” (163). Robert Fortna emphasizes that “it is a question of spiritual vision here” (163). This spiritual vision allows the disciples to understand and appreciate the work of Jesus. After Jesus allows the blind to see his relationship with God, he essentially divides observant Christian initiates from those who are ignorant of Jesus' connection to God. Likewise, Jesus separates himself from the Jewish priesthood with his own interpretations of God's teachings. On the question of curing blindness, Jesus and the Jewish authority have two conflicting views; everyone claims to have the right understanding of God's commandments. Although the Pharisees specifically forbid working on the Sabbath, Jesus continues to heal and ignores the rule, saying, “It is lawful, therefore, to do good on the Sabbath” (Matthew 12:12). Another example of Jesus' reinterpretation of God's laws is when Jesus "declares that man is born blind that he may by healing manifest the works of God", which contradicts the Jewish belief that A person's sins provoke corporal punishment (Goodspeed 382). . As a result, he can “show his divine power in a striking and convincing manner” (382). Immediately following this healing story, the author(s) of John's Gospel present an allegory that pits Jesus against the Pharisees. Here, the good shepherd represents Jesus, who “lay down his life for his sheep” (John 10:11). On the contrary, “the hireling [Jewish authority] flees because a hireling does not care for the sheep” (10:13). By healing and curing blindness, Jesus not only distinguishes his disciples from ordinary people, but also rejects certain established Jewish practices. By gaining his sight, the blind man in the Gospel of John gains true knowledge of who Jesus is and exposes the folly of the Pharisees. . After Jesus heals him, the blind man recognizes Jesus' divinity and openly challenges Jewish authority. In response to the questioning, he emphasizes: “I don't know if he [Jesus] is a sinner. One thing I know, though I was blind, yet now I see” (John 9:25). The Pharisees respond: “You are his disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples” (9:28). Here, the Jews trace their lineage to Moses, whom God chose to form a covenant. While Christians view Jesus as the Messiah foretold by the words of Moses, the Pharisees interpret the prediction differently. The blind man is able to believe in Jesus by experiencing physical healing. First, he says, “He [Jesus] is a prophet” (9:17). Then he calls Jesus the Son of Man and finally he declares, “Lord, I believe” (John 9:38). This gradual revelation of Jesus' title from prophet to Lord contrasts with the persistent denial of the Pharisees, who say, "We know that this man is a sinner" (9:24, also verses 16, 28-29). This specific example of healing a blind man equates Jesus with God and reveals the tension between early Christians and members of the Jewish priesthood. Once the healing stories establish Jesus' place and status on earth, the restoration of sight becomes a process of initiation into Christianity. . Curing blindness not only brings physical improvement, but more importantlyagain, spiritual fulfillment. The blind, during Jesus' healing process, experience internal and external conversions. Unable to see anything, they have no preconceived ideas about the visual temptations of the outside world, including idolatry. Their spiritual purity coincides with their external blindness. Inwardly, they acquire faith in God and in the teachings of Jesus. Jesus said, “I have come into this world to be judged, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind” (9:39). This statement shows that the restoration of sight symbolizes a reversal of status and conversion, which transforms society into outcasts becoming devout Christians. Giving sight allows believers to internalize Christianity and focus on developing their inner faith. Jesus criticizes those who do not believe in him “because they loved the glory of man more than the glory that comes from God” (John 12:43). The shift in focus from the public display of piety to the internalization of faith contrasts sharply between Christianity and the priestly tradition of Judaism. For example, Jesus said, “Be careful not to practice your piety before others so that you will be seen by them… do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues” (Matthew 6:1 -5). This inner metamorphosis, brought about by renewed vision, demonstrates that Christians can engage in personal worship rather than ritual practices led by Jewish priests. In conclusion, the blind represent pure minds open to the true knowledge of Jesus and God. By restoring their sight, Jesus gives his followers more opportunities for introspection than for displaying their devotion. In addition to conversion and initiation, Jesus manifests his redemptive power by eliminating blindness. Ordinary men who see are prone to sin because they do not truly believe in Jesus. Blindness functions as a protection against sin. However, the ability to see exposes Jesus' disciples to the corruption and evils of the world. Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would have no sin. But now that you say, “We see,” your sin remains” (John 9:41). The ability to sin allows Jesus to act as a savior by drawing His disciples closer to His commandments and teachings. Jesus chooses the blind as his disciples because he first saves them from darkness and then delivers them again from humanity's impending doom. Other examples of healing show Jesus' forgiveness toward those who truly believe in Him and God. For example, he told the paralyzed man that “the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins” (Matthew 9:6). Additionally, the healing power of Jesus becomes an eye-opening experience for unbelievers. After a royal official pleads for his dying son, Jesus responds, “Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe” (Matthew 4:48). His miracles convince non-believers by demonstrating that he is indeed working for God. In conclusion, Jesus' restoration of sight persuades people to obey him and offers hope to the formerly blind by leading them to a path of salvation. Jesus, by healing, more precisely by curing blindness, refigures his disciples' relationship with God. He reestablishes the covenant with God for each individual who first wants to believe in him. He said, “You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you” (John 15:16). For those who receive the sight of Jesus, Jesus bridges the gap between humans and God. Belief in Jesus becomes a requirement for worshiping God because Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life” (14:6). It's a being.