Conclusion of What is the Reason for Suffering

Jesus' words showed that neither the man nor his parents were responsible for his congenital blindness.  So Jesus gave no support to idea that the man was being punished for sins committed in a previous life.  True, Jesus knew that all humans inherit sinl.  But they inherit the sin of Adam, not sins they committed before they were born.  Because of Adam's sin, all humans are born physically imperfect, subject to sickness and death.  (Job 14:4; Psalm 51:5; Romans 5:12; 9:11)  In fact, that was a situation that Jesus had been sent to remedy John the Baptizer said that Jesus was "the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world!" - John 1:29.

Notice too, that Jesus did not say that God had deliberately caused the man to be born blind so that Jesus could come along and heal him some day.  What a  cruel, cynical that would have been!  Would that have brought praise  to God?  No. Rather, the miraculous cure of the blind man served to 'make manifest the works of God.'  Like the many other cures Jesus performed, it reflected God's sincere love for suffering mankind and confirmed  the trustworthiness of His promise to bring an end to all human sickness and suffering in His due time. -isaiah 33:24.

Is it not comforting to discover that instead of causing suffering, our heavenly Father gives "good things to those asking him"?  (Matthew 7:11) What glory it will bring to the Most High when the eyes of the blind are opened, the ears of the deaf are unstopped, and the lame walk, jump, and run! -Isaiah 35:5, 6.

Next time: Satisfying Our Spiritual Needs

The Watchtower, 2001