“Neither this man nor his parents sinned; but that the works of God should be revealed in him”—these words of Jesus in John 9:3 sound as though God intentionally made the man blind for the sake of a future miracle. But such a reading contradicts everything Scripture says about God’s character. Here Jesus refutes the disciples’ false theological principle, rather than explaining a divine decision to blind the man.
The disciples’ question and their false assumption
“Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” John 9:2
The disciples’ question reflects a widespread belief: every illness is punishment for a specific sin. If a person suffers, it means that he or his parents must have been guilty of something. Jesus repeatedly refuted this principle.
What Jesus actually says
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned; but that the works of God should be revealed in him.” John 9:3
Jesus does two things:
- He rejects the false explanation: “neither this man nor his parents sinned” — blindness is not a punishment for sin.
- It redirects the focus: not to look for the guilty in the past, but to see what God will do in the present.
The phrase “that the works of God should be revealed” is not the purpose of the blindness, but the context in which God acts. The Greek construction allows the understanding: “but in this situation the works of God must be revealed.” God did not assign blindness to the man — but He is glorified by taking a situation of suffering and turning it into a place of healing.
God is not the cause of suffering
The apostle James states clearly:
“Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.” James 1:13
God does not impose suffering only to remove it later for “effect.” He meets a person in their real pain and acts for their good.
Practical meaning
A proper understanding of John 9:3 frees us from two traps:
- Not to look for “whose sin” in suffering. Illness, loss, limitation — are not necessarily God’s punishment.
- To expect that God is at work even in the hardest circumstances — not because He caused them, but because He is the One who heals and is glorified through weakness.
Jesus came not to explain suffering, but to overcome it. The man born blind is a testimony not of God the Director, but of God the Deliverer.
