A Fateful Encounter with Divine Grace
Divine Grace In Action — Part 6
A reflection on how grace enters the human condition—without explanation, qualification, or delay—and redefines what we think we know about suffering.
The story of the blind man in Gospel of John 9 deserves our attention—not only because it spans an entire chapter, but because it touches on several theological themes that remain relevant today. These include questions of sin and suffering, spiritual blindness and sight, and the identity of Jesus as the Son of Man.
Unlike the man at the pool of Bethesda in Jesus Asked an Unusual Question, he at least knew Jesus’ name (v.11). Yet like the woman at the center of that quintessential story of grace in Grace Knows Your Name, he remains unnamed.
The religious establishment reacted with scrutiny, disbelief, and growing opposition to his healing. His story stands out for several reasons, which I’ll unpack below.
The Question of Sin and Suffering
His story begins with an encounter with Jesus, followed by a question from His disciples:
“Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
— John 9:1
To understand the weight of that question, you have to understand the theological environment that produced it. There was a prevailing assumption in rabbinical teaching that suffering was tied to sin—that suffering is the direct result of sin. We even see this echoed in the blind man’s response to the Jewish council’s disparaging remarks about Jesus (v.29). He sort of defends Him, saying:
“Now we know that God does not hear sinners…”
— v.31
The man is essentially saying that Jesus could not be a sinner if God used Him to heal his blindness.
To this first question, Jesus responds:
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned…”
— v.3
This answer challenges the rabbinical assumption. It doesn’t tell us exactly why bad things happen, but it does tell us that it is not always because of sin.
Bad things do happen to good people. As Christians, we may not always understand why we suffer, but it is often not because of sin. If you’re suffering right now, don’t let Satan—the accuser of the brethren—convince you otherwise. And if what you’re going through is because of sin, God will make that clear to you.
Jesus then goes on to heal the man’s blindness—a healing without precedent, as the man himself later points out:
“Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind.”
— v.32
What follows next is where the controversy in the text becomes relevant for non-believing Jews, Muslims, and other religious groups today.
The Son of Man Question
Although it was debated among the religious establishment, this wasn’t a question they asked Jesus. It was Jesus Himself who asked the man who had been healed:
“…Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
— v.35 ESV
Jesus often referred to Himself as the Son of Man, echoing Daniel’s prophecy:
“I was watching in the night visions,
And behold, One like the Son of Man,
Coming with the clouds of heaven!
He came to the Ancient of Days,
And they brought Him near before Him.”
— Daniel 7:13
Daniel is describing the Son of Man coming to receive final dominion and authority. “Son of Man” speaks to His humanity and functions as a Messianic title, closely tied to the Hebrew concept of the Messiah and the Greek “Christ.”
Whether someone believes that Jesus is the Christ—the Messiah—remains the defining question. It determines every person’s ultimate destination: heaven or hell. It is the singular question on which the fate of humanity rests. Jesus said:
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.”
— John 6:47
Jesus is the only giver of eternal life. He is the only way to God (John 14:6). He is the only Savior of the world, as it is written:
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
— John 3:16
The Theology of Grace
Now we come to the most significant aspect of this man’s story. It is a story of grace in action. Here, we see that grace is not transactional. It asks nothing of us upfront. It is freely given.
Jesus’s full answer to the original question—who sinned—gives a rich picture of what grace looks like:
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.”
— John 9:2 NIV
Notice the phrase, “this happened.” It does not mean God caused his blindness—as in fatalism—so that His works could be displayed. Rather, it points to the encounter itself, as something divinely arranged.
Jesus is not making a judgment about why the man was born blind, but His answer is loaded. It reveals how grace operates—and, more broadly, what grace is:
Grace doesn’t ask if you sinned.
Grace doesn’t ask who your parents are—or whether they sinned.
Grace doesn’t ask you to prove your righteousness or your worthiness.
Grace doesn’t care about your past.
Grace doesn’t need a reason for God to heal you.
Grace doesn’t need a reason for God to bless you.
Grace doesn’t ask if you believe in Christ—the Messiah—first.
Grace doesn’t wait for a specific time, date, or occasion to show up.
Grace meets you where you are.
Grace meets you at the moment you need it.
This is the theology of grace. Anything short of this is not grace.