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the blind man who was healed came to his new sight in stages. At first he is very tentative
in his answers. As the questioning by the Pharisees continues, he expresses a simple logic
in regards to what has happened. “One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I
see.”
In his commentary on this passage from John, Gerald Sloyan states, “The first
tentative step in walking by the world’s Light while it is day is by whatever light one
has. Christ is not necessarily the first light one sees… Searchers for the true Light
may spend some time, even years, in what believers in Jesus Christ identify as
theological darkness. If they are true searchers, they should be respected as such.”
Sloyan goes on to say, “The pulpit, therefore, must never ring with denunciation of
Judaism…or of other traditions that are truly concerned to know the divine. [The
pulpit] must ring at times with acknowledging the pain of separation that
accompanies going where the Light leads one.”²
That last bit about respecting Judaism may seem a bit confusing; especially in
light of recent decisions on the part of the Presbyterian Church to explore the issue of
divesting in companies that aid Israel in the occupied Palestinian territories. Indeed, one
of the main criticisms of this stance taken by the PC (USA) is that it is anti-Jewish. This
is certainly a view that many hold and it continues to cause dissention, distrust and ill-
will among many people.
There is where I think we must hear the second half of the previous quote
“acknowledging the pain of separation that accompanies going where the Light leads
one.” This is no easy task, and I have no easy answers about how to deal with issues such
2
Gerald Sloyan, John, Interpretation, A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching. [John Knox Press,
Atlanta: 1988] p. 124-5.
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