John Calvin Commentary John 9:41

"Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye would have no sin: but now ye say, We see: your sin remaineth." — John 9:41 (ASV)

If you were blind. These words may be explained in two ways; either, that ignorance would, in some degree, alleviate their guilt, if they were not fully convinced and did not deliberately fight against the truth; or that there was reason to hope that their disease of ignorance might be cured if they would only acknowledge it. The former view is supported by the words of Christ:

If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin (John 15:22).

But as it is added in this passage, but now you say you see, in order that the points of contrast may correspond to each other, it appears to be more consistent to explain them to mean that he is blind who, aware of his own blindness, seeks a remedy to cure his disease. In this way, the meaning will be: “If you would acknowledge your disease, it would not be altogether incurable; but now because you think that you are in perfect health, you continue in a desperate state.”

When he says that they who are blind have no sin, this does not excuse ignorance, as if it were harmless and placed beyond the reach of condemnation. He only means that the disease may easily be cured when it is truly felt, because when a blind man desires to obtain deliverance, God is ready to assist him; but those who, insensible to their diseases, despise the grace of God, are incurable.