If The Blind Lead The Blind, Both Shall Fall Into The Ditch

Jesus said in Matthew 15:14, "Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch." As He does on many occasions, Jesus is here using a physical illustration to make a spiritual point. Suppose two blind men walking together in a pasture come upon a ditch. Both will fall into the ditch because neither one can see to guide the other one around or across a bridge. One needs to be able to see in order to navigate a ditch successfully.

The blind leader represents the false religious teacher. The blind follower represents us if we allow the false teacher to lead us astray. The "ditch" represents everlasting punishment (Matt 25:46). The point of Jesus’ analogy is that it won’t be valid to tell God on the judgment day that we should be excused for following false doctrine simply because our preacher led us that way. Instead, we should be like the Bereans and search the scriptures to see if what any Bible teacher is saying is so (Acts 17:11).

Notice that Matt 15:14 applies to both saint and sinner – God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34). Notice also that sincerity by itself is not enough to get us to heaven. The blind follower didn’t fall into the ditch on purpose. But obviously he didn’t completely submit himself to "diligently seeking God (Heb 11:6). And lastly notice that Matt 15:14 shows that it matters what we believe. If we allow false teachers to lead us astray, we will not be saved … not according to Jesus anyway.

There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death – Proverbs 14:12.