“Who Sinned?”
John 9:1-17
Rev. Emily Labrecque, Westmoreland UCC
March 15, 2026

In his book, Letters to a Young Poet, Austrian Poet Rainer Maria Rilke wrote, “Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are now written in a very foreign tongue.”

As you know, our theme for this Lenten season is “Seeking: Honest questions for deeper faith.” We have explored a variety of questions thus far. However, today, our scripture raises a lot of questions of its own. This text about the man born blind is notorious for its challenges – theologically, biblically, and its application to modern day issues. I asked many of my colleagues this week how they were approaching the text and one of them even said: I was too overwhelmed by it and so I’m preaching on 1st Samuel. I, too, find myself overwhelmed by the questions this text raises. No matter which thread I choose to focus on, I’d be leaving something out. That is the trick with sermons – but this text poses an extraordinary number of questions.

One of the roles I take very seriously as a pastor is helping the congregation learn how to engage scripture. We don’t get to do that as a collective body all that frequently, so I thought today’s text gave us an excellent opportunity to do so. I asked you to write down your questions while the scripture was being read because what we’re going to do today is a little bit more like bible study than sermon. Sometimes, it’s faithful enough to simply ask the questions. So, I want to provide a little context for this scripture and then we’re going to entertain questions. I want to hear from you what questions this raises. I may have some answers but more likely than not, each question will raise more questions. And together, as Rilke said, we will love the questions themselves.

Let me give you a quick roadmap of what's happening structurally in this passage. First, most commentaries tell us that this text, which is meant to be read from verses 1-42 is just a small part of a larger pericope. Jesus doesn’t stop talking at verse 42 so this story should actually be addressed in context of Chapter 9:1-10:21. Interpreting that whole section of scripture as a unit could yield a great number of insights. But reading 62 verses of scripture at one time is a lot for our brains to hold onto and even more for the preacher to interpret.

This passage follows the primary literary pattern in the Gospel of John – Jesus performs a sign, which is followed by a dialogue of those present, and then commentary from Jesus that provides a theological framework from which to interpret the meaning of the sign. Thus, this story unfolds over seven scenes with numerous characters involved – the man born blind, Jesus, the Jews, the disciples, the man’s parents, the Pharisees. There are a lot of moving parts.

Finally, we have to be careful not to use this passage simply to point to metaphorical or spiritual blindness, because it has real implications for people with disabilities. You’ll notice the blind man never asked to be healed. The healing was thrust upon him without his consent and then is contested by onlookers, religious authorities, and even his parents. What an isolating experience that must have been – and what does it mean that he never even asked for this?

So, now that you have a little background, I’m going to read the passage again. I want you to write down more questions. And then we’ll entertain those. Remember, just questions. We don’t have the time for each of us to expound on our own insights, we are simply living and loving the questions themselves.

As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” Some were saying, “It is he.” Others were saying, “No, but it is someone like him.” He kept saying, “I am he.” But they kept asking him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ Then I went and washed and received my sight.” They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.”

They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see.” Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not observe the Sabbath.” Others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And they were divided. So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” He said, “He is a prophet.”

What questions do you have?

[Questions]

The act of asking questions is faithful in and of itself. We live in a world with a lot of frightening circumstances about which we are constantly asking questions. “Will there ever be an actual ceasefire?” “How do we get ICE out of our communities?” “How can we support those who need it most?” Then we face our own personal crises that also cause us to ask a lot of questions. “How long do I have to live with this uncertainty?” “Why am I the one who’s sick?” “How could this happen to our family?”

Sitting with these questions in the presence of God is faithful. It is enough. I know we want certainty, I know we want answers. We are human, we crave certainty. And yet, when we take the time to sit with the questions, to love the questions themselves, we may find ourselves with more thoughtful, powerful, grounding answers. Sitting with it all – though it may be uncomfortable – is a powerful spiritual discipline. It is a discipline that connects us to ourselves, to others, and to God. God will never abandon you in a time of uncertainty. God is always with you in it. So live the questions, love the questions, and you will never be alone.

Amen.