Albert Barnes Commentary John 9

As Jesus passed by. As he was leaving the temple (John 8:59). This man was in the way in which Jesus was going to escape from the Jews.

Master, who did sin? etc. It was a universal opinion among the Jews that calamities of all kinds were the effects of sin (see Barnes on Luke 13:1-4).

The case of this man, however, was that of one who was blind from his birth, and it was a question the disciples could not determine whether it was his fault or that of his parents.

Many of the Jews, as it appears from their writings (see Lightfoot), believed in the doctrine of the transmigration of souls. This doctrine held that the soul of a man, as a consequence of sin, might be compelled to pass into other bodies and be punished there.

They also believed that an infant might sin before it was born (see Lightfoot), and that, consequently, this blindness might have come upon the child.

It was also a doctrine with many that the crime of the parent might be the cause of deformity in the child, particularly the violation of the command in Leviticus 20:18.

Neither hath this man sinned, etc. That is, his blindness is not the effect of his sin, or that of his parents. Jesus did not, evidently, mean to affirm that he or his parents were without any sin, but that this blindness was not the effect of sin. This answer is to be interpreted by the nature of the question submitted to him. The sense is, "his blindness is not to be traced to any fault of his or of his parents."

But that the works of God. This thing has happened so that it might appear how great and wonderful are the works of God. By the works of God, here, is evidently intended the miraculous power which God would put forth to heal the man, or rather, perhaps, the whole that happened to him in the course of divine providence—first his blindness, as an act of his providence, and then his healing him, as an act of mercy and power. It has all happened, not by the fault of his parents or of himself, but by the wise arrangement of God, so that it might be seen in what way calamities come, and in what way God meets and relieves them. And from this we may learn:

1. To pity and not to despise and blame those who are afflicted with any natural deformity or calamity. While the Jews regarded it as the effect of sin, they looked upon it without compassion. Jesus tells us that it is not the fault of man, but proceeds from the wise arrangement of God.
2. All suffering in the world is not the effect of sin. In this case it is expressly so declared; and there may be many modes of suffering that cannot be traced to any particular transgression. We should be cautious, therefore, in affirming that there can be no calamity in the universe but by transgression.
3. We see the wise and wonderful arrangement of Divine Providence. It is a part of his great plan to adapt his mercies to human woes; and often calamity, want, poverty, and sickness are permitted, so that he may show the provisions of his mercy, so that he may teach us to prize his blessings, and so that deep-felt gratitude for deliverance may bind us to him.
4. Those who are afflicted with blindness, deafness, or any deformity, should be submissive to God. It is his appointment, and is right and best. God does no wrong, and the universe will, when all his works are seen, feel and know that he is just.

The works of him, etc. The works of beneficence and mercy which God has commissioned me to do, and which are expressive of His goodness and power. This was on the Sabbath day (John 9:14); and though Jesus had endangered His life (John 5:1–16) by working a similar miracle on the Sabbath, He knew that it was the will of God that He should do good, and that God would take care of His life.

While it is day. The day is the proper time for work — night is not. This is the general, the universal sentiment. While the day lasts, it is proper to labor.

The term day here refers to the life of Jesus and to the opportunity thus afforded for working miracles. His life was drawing to a close. It was probably only about six months after this when He was put to death. The meaning is, My life is near its close. While it continues, I must employ it in doing the works which God has appointed.

The night cometh. Night here represents death. It was drawing near, and He must therefore do what He had to do soon. It is not improbable, also, that this took place near the close of the Sabbath, as the sun was declining, and the shades of evening were about to appear. This supposition will give increased beauty to the language that follows.

No man can work. It is literally true that day is the appropriate time for toil, and that the night of death is a time when nothing can be done. Ecclesiastes 9:10: There is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave. From this we may learn:

1. That it is our duty to employ all our time in doing the will of God.
2. That we should seek opportunities for doing good, and allow no opportunity to pass without making good use of it. We pass through the world only once, and we cannot return to correct errors and reclaim neglected opportunities to do our duty.
3. We should be especially diligent in doing our Lord's work because the night of death is coming. This applies to the aged, for they must soon die; and to the young, for they may soon be called away from this world to eternity.

As long as I am in the world. As the sun is the natural light of the world, even while it sinks away to the west, so am I, although my days are drawing to a close, the light of the spiritual world.

What a sublime description this is! Jesus occupied the same place, filled the same space, and shed his beams as far, in the moral world, as the sun does on natural objects;

And as all is dark when that sun sinks to the west, so when he withdraws from human souls, all is midnight and gloom.

When we look on the sun in the firmament or in the west, let us remember that such is the great Sun of Righteousness in regard to our souls. His shining is as necessary, and his beams as mild and lovely on the soul, as is the shining of the natural sun to illumine the material creation. (See Barnes on John 1:4).