It was a hope that had been long disappointed ( thirty-eight years).ī. A certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years: This man suffered from a paralytic condition for a long time, and apparently was frequently at the Pool of Bethesda in hope of healing. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”Ī. Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. ( John 5:5-6) Jesus questions a lame man. But something isn’t necessarily from God simply because it is unexpected or unusual.Ģ. God can and does do things in unexpected ways. Some were healed when Paul’s handkerchiefs were laid upon them ( Acts 19:11-12). Some were healed when the shadow of Peter fell upon them ( Acts 5:14-16). One was healed by touching the bones of Elisha ( 2 Kings 13:20-21). Naaman was healed by washing in the Jordan River ( 2 Kings 5:10-14). Some were healed by a purified pot of stew ( 2 Kings 4:38-41). If there were people genuinely healed by the waters of the Pool of Bethesda, it was one of many unusual occasions healing in the Bible. Others (more probably) at all their great feasts, when the people met out of all parts at Jerusalem.” (Trapp) The idea is that the people gathered around the pool in expectation of healing at the Passover season or other feast seasons. At a certain time: Clarke and others believe that this certain time was feast time, perhaps specifically Passover. evidence, this verse and the last clause of verse 3 seem not to be by John, but to be a very early insertion (as least as early as Tertullian, 2 nd century).” (Trench) Nevertheless, the truth of the perception of a healing received by being first in the water is also demonstrated in the words of John 5:7. The words from waiting for the moving of the water through was made well of whatever disease he had are not in several old manuscripts. Or, it may be that this was merely a hopeful legend nevertheless, a great multitude of sick people believed it. Perhaps this hope of healing was real, and God honored a release of faith.
was made well: Many sick and injured people gathered at this pool in hope of healing. “That they regarded this pool as that mentioned here is shown by their having represented on the wall of the crypt the angel troubling the water.” (Dods)Ĭ. There is a crusader-era church near the remains of this pool. He might have spoken in the present without meaning to be literally accurate with regard to the moment when he was writing.” (Alford) John wrote his Gospel before the destruction of Jerusalem. “The expression there is has been thought to import that St. A pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda: This pool has been excavated in the area just north of the temple area, and found to have five porches, just as John said. If it was a Passover, then we can date four Passovers in Jesus’ ministry and we know it lasted about 3½ years.ī. The debate centers on if this was Passover, Pentecost, or Purim. A feast of the Jews: We don’t know what feast this was, but it was probably one of the major three feasts in which attendance was required. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.Ī. In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. Jesus heals a man at the pool of Bethesda.Īfter this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
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