This man was blind from birth for a special purpose. Notice John 9:3: “Jesus answered, Neither has this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest [obvious] in him.” God carefully planned this event to show the world that Jesus Christ was His Son.

Christ had certain tasks God wanted Him to fulfill during His time on earth: “I must work the works of Him who sent Me” (vs. 4). Healing this man’s blindness was one of His greatest miracles.

The blind man himself stated this in verse 32: “Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.” The next verses show that no one argued with him. No human had ever given someone his sight back. But Jesus Christ—with the power of God—was able to do this.

It is evident from verse 3 that the man’s blindness came about for a purpose. As Jesus stated, this man’s condition existed so “that the works of God should be made manifest in him.” This man’s blindness set the stage for one of the most notable miracles brought about by Christ. This miracle also heralded a fascinating spiritual lesson inherent within the man’s blindness—it symbolized the current spiritual blindness of this world.