Blessings At Bethesda Series

Text: John 5:2-15 KJV: 2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep (market) a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. 5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time (in that case), he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? 7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. 8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. 9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. 10 The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry (thy) bed. 11 He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. 12 Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? 13 And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in (that) place. 14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. 15 The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.

Introduction: After the events of chapter 4, Jesus and the disciples had come to Jerusalem to observe one of the feasts of the Jews (verse 1). We are not told which feast. While in Jerusalem, Jesus went over to the Pool of Bethesda and found one particular person who had been in “pretty bad shape”, colloquially speaking, for a long time. What, if anything, might happen when Jesus spoke to this man?

I The situation

John introduces this episode in our Lord’s healing ministry by giving some landmarks and other historical information. He says the Pool of Siloam was near (by) the sheep market, which was probably close to the Temple (see verse 14, where Jesus found this man—walking!—in the Temple). John also states that there was “a great multitude (verse 3)” waiting for healing. They believed that the first one in the water, when it was stirred, would be healed.

Among the people waiting for healing, and hoping to be healed, was one certain man who had had an (unspecified) infirmity for 38 years (verse 5). Several questions come to mind, such as what had happened—and why?—to put him in this condition. Another might be who, if anyone, brought him food and water; and did anyone help him with his clothing? How were matters of his personal hygiene handled? Perhaps even more issues could arise. The one definite thing is that he was sick, and apparently not able to do much, if anything, for himself.

So when Jesus walked into the area where the people were waiting, He asked the man “Do you want to get well?” Many people have pondered this question and have attempted to arrive at a conclusion. The sick man’s reply, “Someone gets into the pool and is healed before I can get there (paraphrased),” probably indicates that he was trusting in the water and its action/s other than anything else. This may mean his ability to move was limited or that, perhaps, he was “parked” or lying down a good distance from the pool’s waters.

Remember that the water had no set schedule as to when it would “be troubled”. Most likely no one could predict when this would happen, either, Could this man ever be healed?

II The solution

Jesus saw or heard something that spoke of the man’s desire to be healed. It’s odd that the sick man didn’t ask for prayer, or to be moved closer to the water, or anything else. He didn’t really ask for anything. So he must have been surprised beyond measure when Jesus told him to “get up (from the floor), take up (your bed), and walk!” Note that Jesus didn’t tell him where, exactly, to walk after he was healed.

Think about it: no touch, no obvious signs, no other people asking to be part of this, nor did Jesus ask anyone else to do anything. This was an immediate miracle!