John 9:39

Jesus concluded His comments to the man by explaining something of His purpose in the Incarnation.

"The last three verses of chapter ix make it clear that this incident has been recorded primarily because it is an acted parable of faith and unbelief, and therefore of judgment, a theme that is never absent for long from this Gospel." [Note: Tasker, p. 126. Cf. Beasley-Murray, p. 161.]

Jesus’ primary purpose was to save some, but in doing so He had to pass judgment (Gr. krima, cf. John 3:17-21; John 3:36; John 12:47). Judging was the result of His coming, not the reason for it. The last part of the verse consists of two purpose clauses. Jesus was evidently alluding to Isaiah 6:10; Isaiah 42:19. His coming inevitably involved exposing the spiritual blindness of some so they might recognize their blindness, turn to Jesus in faith, and see (cf. John 9:25; John 9:36). Conversely His coming also involved confirming the spiritual blindness of those who professed to see spiritually but really did not because of their unbelief (cf. John 9:16; John 9:22; John 9:24; John 9:29; John 9:34). Jesus is the pivot on which all human destiny turns. [Note: Tenney, "John," p. 105.] Jesus explained that what had happened to this man and the Pharisees was an example of what His whole ministry was about. [Note: See Stephen S. Kim, "The Significance of Jesus’ Healing the Blind Man in John 9," Bibliotheca Sacra 167:667 (July-September 2010):307-18.]

". . . a certain poverty of spirit (cf. Matthew 5:3), an abasement of personal pride (especially over one’s religious opinions), and a candid acknowledgment of spiritual blindness are indispensable characteristics of the person who receives spiritual sight, true revelation, at the hands of Jesus . . ." [Note: Carson, The Gospel . . ., p. 378.]