John 9:1-15, 24-25 — “Who Sinned?”

“Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” John 9:25

Whenever we encounter blindness in Scripture, we should pay attention to two levels of meaning. A person’s physical blindness almost always points toward a deeper spiritual reality—our own spiritual blindness, from which all of us need healing.

When Jesus and his disciples came upon a man who had been blind from birth, the disciples immediately asked a spiritual question: “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:2).

Their question reflects a common assumption in the ancient world—that illness and suffering must be the result of someone’s sin. But a baby born with a disability is problematic. Who could possibly be at fault? Had this man somehow sinned before birth? Or should the blame fall on his parents?

At first glance, this line of thinking may sound like an outdated superstition. Yet the instinct behind it remains very much alive today. I recently heard of a pastor who suggested from the pulpit that diseases such as cancer may be God’s punishment for sin.

Neither is public condemnation a thing of the past; it has simply taken new forms. In our own time, social media has intensified the dynamics of public shame, making accusations permanent, widely visible, and constantly accessible. Researchers now confirm that online humiliation can spread rapidly and leave deep psychological wounds.

Apparently, this blind man had been carrying more than the burden of physical blindness. He also lived beneath a cloud of suspicion and social condemnation. His condition had shaped the way others saw him—not simply as a person in need, but as a problem to be explained, perhaps even a moral failure.

But watch what Jesus does. Before healing the man, he first clears the air: “‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ he says, ‘but this happened so that the works of God might be revealed in him’” (John 9:3).

In a single sentence, Jesus dismantles the culture of blame surrounding the man. What had been used as a reason for condemnation becomes an opportunity for revelation.

Blindness is a form of darkness. It symbolizes ignorance, confusion, and our inability to see clearly. Yet Jesus declares, “I am the light of the world.” In the opening chapter of John’s Gospel we are told, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

Jesus does not merely explain the darkness—he enters it. He kneels in the dust, makes mud with his own hands, and restores the man’s sight. In this moment, the story becomes our story. For we, too, have lived in darkness—blinded by sin, misunderstanding, and the tendency to judge others before we understand them. Yet in his grace, Christ, the Light of the world, comes to open our eyes.

This is the essence of redemption: what was once darkness becomes light … what was once condemnation becomes restoration. And in the presence of Jesus, eyes that were once blind begin, at last, to see.

Try this for the remainder of Lent: In his current video series, Pastor John Ortberg challenges listeners to give up condemnation for Lent. I took the challenge and quickly discovered it is much harder than I expected. Apprehensive about my own blindness, I asked God to help me see my failures. He’s been faithful. Almost every day I catch myself assuming the worst or making quick judgments. It’s humbling and can be a little painful, but like the mud Jesus smeared on the man’s eyes, it may lead to deep healing.

PRAYER

Lord, give me eyes to see and ears to hear your invitation to a life free from condemnation. Amen.

Deidre Franklin
Pastor, Spiritual Formation

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