The Lost Meaning(s) of the Seventh Day A-level amphitheater January 28, 2012 sktonstad@llu.edu

9. Sabbath and the Revealer – 4

Sabbath Verbs Sabbath Verbs in John “My Father is working” “I am working” (5:17) Sabbath in the Torah God rested on the seventh day (Gen 2:2) God rested from all the work (2:3) The Lord …rested the seventh day (Ex 20:11) On the seventh day he rested (Ex 31:17

Questions Does the rest of God in the Torah and the work of Jesus in John expose a conflict in the very heart of the Sabbath? Could the rest of God in the Torah and the work of Jesus in John signify something other than a contradiction?

Question of Etiology John 9:1-2 As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

Etiology vs. Remedy Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God's works might be revealed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (John 9:3-5)

Remedial (and Revealing) Action John 9:6-7 When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man's eyes, saying to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see.

Investigation and Interrogation - 1 The Man’s Identity The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, "Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?“ Some were saying, "It is he." Others were saying, "No, but it is someone like him." He kept saying, "I am the man.” (John 9:8-9)

Investigation and Interrogation - 1 The Man’s Veracity But they kept asking him, "Then how were your eyes opened?“ He answered, "The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, 'Go to Siloam and wash.' Then I went and washed and received my sight.” (John 9:10-11)

Investigation and Interrogation - 1 Jesus (the Culprit) They said to him, "Where is he?" He said, "I do not know.“ (John 9:12) They asked him, "Who is the man who said to you, 'Take it up and walk'?" Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had disappeared in the crowd that was there. (5:12-13 )

Investigation and Interrogation - 2 Accusation John 9:13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. John 9:14 Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. John 5:9 Now that day was a sabbath.

Story So Far The identity of the man has been ascertained beyond reasonable doubt. The veracity of the man and the fact of his healing have been ascertained beyond reasonable doubt. It is the Sabbath. There is trouble on the horizon.

Sabbaths of Mats and Mud he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man's eyes, (9:6) "The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, (9:11) Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. (9:14) "He put mud on my eyes." (9:15) "Stand up, take your mat and walk." (5:8) He took up his mat and began to walk (5:9) "It is the sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your mat." (5:10) "The man who made me well said to me, 'Take up your mat and walk.'" (5:11)

Incriminating Evidence “As a plot element, the action of making mud eliminates any ambiguity about whether Jesus’s actions constitute violation of the Sabbath if the standards in the Mishnah are applicable in the first century AD (cf. m. Sabb. 7.2).” (Brant, John, 154.)

Investigation and Interrogation – 2 Beyond Identity and Veracity Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, "He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see.” (John 9:15)

Investigation and Interrogation – 2 Identity of Jesus Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath." But others said, "How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?" And they were divided. (John 9:16)

Investigation and Interrogation – 2 Identity of Jesus So they said again to the blind man, "What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened." He said, "He is a prophet.” (John 9:17)

Investigation and Interrogation – 3 Identity and Veracity The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight and asked them, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?" His parents answered, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” (John 9:18-21)

Investigation and Interrogation – 3 Facts, Prejudice, and Fear John 9:22-23 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, "He is of age; ask him.”

Investigation and Interrogation – 4 Identity of Jesus So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, "Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner." He answered, "I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see." (John 9:24-25)

Investigation and Interrogation – 4 Identity of Jesus They said to him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” He answered them, "I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” (John 9:26-27)

Investigation and Interrogation – 4 Moses vs. Jesus Then they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” (John 9:28-29)

Closing Argument The man answered, "Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." (John 9:30-33)

Evidence and Verdict They answered him, "You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?" And they drove him out. (John 9:34) John 9:2 "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

Evidence and Verdict “In the face of such tight logic, the authorities can respond only with an ad hominem attack, considered a fallacious argument in modern logic and as something that only resembles a proof by Aristotle (Soph. elench. 178b.16-23).” “Left with no more arguments, they turn to brute force.” (Brant, John, 158-159)

Seeing and Believing Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" He answered, "And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him.“ Jesus said to him, "You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.“ He said, "Lord, I believe." And he worshiped him. (John 9:35-38)

Revelation as Judgment Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind.” (9:39) "Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world” (3:17) “The Father judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son” (5:22) “I judge no one” (8:15)

Self-Conscious Self-Incrimination Some of the Pharisees near him heard this and said to him, “Surely we are not blind, are we?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, 'We see,' your sin remains.” (John 9:40-41)

Truth on Trial The identity and veracity of the man have been proved. The healing is beyond doubt. The healing is self-evidently a good work, Moses or not. The verdict is flagrantly in conflict with the evidence. In the course of the trial, the blind becomes seeing, and the seeing become blind. The defendant becomes the accuser. The accusers become defendants. The Sabbath mediates the revelation.

Sabbath Verbs Sabbath Verbs in John “My Father is working” “I am working” (5:17) “We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work.” (9:4) Sabbath in the Torah God rested on the seventh day (Gen 2:2) God rested from all the work (2:3) The Lord …rested the seventh day (Ex 20:11) On the seventh day he rested (Ex 31:17