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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
John Chrysostom
"Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?" A mistaken question, for how could he sin before he was born? and how, if his parents had sinned, would he have been punished? Whence then came they to put this question? Before, when He healed the paralytic, He said, "Behold, thou art made whole, sin no more." They therefore, having understood that he was palsied on account of sin, said, "Well, that other was palsied because of his sins; but concerning this man, what wouldest Thou say? hath he sinned? …
Cyril of Alexandria
That not from sins of the soul prior to birth do bodily sufferings befal any, nor yet does God bring the sins of their fathers upon any, punishing those who have nothing sinned, but brings righteous doom upon all. Being desirous (and not without good reason) that the mystery should be explained, or rather being Divinely guided, the most wise disciples were urged to ask instruction on the subject. And they are inquisitive with profit, by this means furnishing an advantage not so much for themselves as for us. …
Theophylact of Ohrid
The disciples, having noticed His attention to the blind man, ask: "Who sinned, he or his parents, that he was born blind?" This question seems strange. For how could he have sinned before his birth? The apostles probably did not share the pagan superstition that the soul, before its union with the body, lives in another world and descends into the body as a punishment for sin. Being fishermen, they could not have heard any such thing, for such ideas belonged to the philosophers. …
Western Saints
Augustine of Hippo
Rabbi is Master. They call Him Master, because they wished to learn: they put their question to our Lord, as to a Master.
Thomas Aquinas
1295 Then (v2), the cause of this man's infirmity is discussed: first, the disciples ask about its cause; secondly, Christ explains it. 1296 In regard to the first, three things are to be considered. The first is the reason for the disciples questioning Christ. According to Chrysostom, this was because Jesus, leaving the temple and seeing this blind man, looked at him intently, as though seeing in him an opportunity to manifest his power. And so the disciples seeing him look so intently at the blind man were impelled to question him. …
Bonaventure
And His disciples asked Him. Here is touched upon the dispensation of divine wisdom, which the disciples, wishing to know, asked Him about: Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind? Supposing that divine wisdom does not inflict punishment without fault, they ask wherein the fault lay. …
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