John 12 Healing At Bethesda

John 5:1-15

“1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 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.

Jesus Won't Stop

After a wedding feast in Galilee (John 2:1, 11), Jesus took a trip up (up in elevation, but south on a map) to Jerusalem for Passover, then He came back up to Galilee through Samaria. Jesus impacted people on every stop of this trip: Jerusalem (John 2:23), Samaria (John 4:39-42), and Galilee (John 4:43-45, 53-54). His signs and people's testimonies are causing large numbers to believe in Him, but the journey is over, and He's back home.

Rather than relaxing and staying put for a while, Jesus doesn't stop and take time to rest. Another feast was about to take place, so again, "Jesus went up to Jerusalem" (John 5:1). Upon entering the city, He met a man who "had been ill for 38 years" (John 5:5). This man spent his time by a pool of water with the "sick, blind, lame, and withered" (John 5:3). He's an outcast with no social status. Basically, he is the exact opposite of the last guy Jesus just met (John 4:46-54). Jesus was just in Galilee with a royal official, and now He's back in Jerusalem with the outcasts of society, yet another example of Jesus' care and compassion for all.

This man Jesus meets is in desperate need of healing, and he does believe he can be healed. He has his hope in something, but unlike the royal official, it is not Jesus. His hope is in a pool of water. He spends all day lying by a mystical pool of water. The pool of Bethesda was believed to have mystical healing powers, which is why so many in need of healing surrounded it. This makes it an excellent place for Jesus to visit, an excellent place for His next sign.

The Myth At The Pool

The ill man wants to be made well but complains, "I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me" (John 5:7). This guy has essentially been stuck at a stop sign at a busy intersection for 38 years. Others keep pulling out in front of him, and he can't go. Over and over and over. Every single time the water is stirred up, he tries to get in, but someone beats him to it. We wonder how many times he has been to that pool?

This whole story is bizarre. Why does he think the pool will heal him? What does he mean by the water being "stirred up" (John 5:7)? Why does he need to get in first? Why can't the second person be healed? Or the third? What is so special about this water?

There's an interesting history to this pool, which might help answer some of these questions. It will also show why it's so important Jesus healed him without using this water.

Prior to the 19th century, some doubted the pool even existed. It had never been discovered, and these mystical beliefs seemed so out of place. Then, as so often happens, the reach of archaeology continued to expand and discover more and a pool matching this description was discovered. We now know exactly where it is, and you can visit it today if you find yourself in Jerusalem. Alternatively, if you want to save yourself the plane ticket, you can just google a few hundred photos of it.

The mystical healing powers of this pool were at first believed to come from the gods of Greek mythology. The son of Apollo, Asclepius, was the god of medicine and healing. This pool was at one time dedicated to him as a place of healing, probably by an occupying Roman garrison. It had pagan roots, and while Jews would have rejected the paganism associated with the water, some maintained the idea of its mystical healing power.

There's a textual variant that is not original to the Gospel of John (although it is maintained in the King James and New King James versions and is bracketed in the NASB) that attributes the healing power to an angel who stirred the water (John 5:3b-4).

This variant is an attempt to make the mysticism of this pool consistent with Judaism by attributing the healing power to an angel rather than a god. I think this misses the point, though. The pool is supposed to be seen as a place of false hope. Jesus is contrasted as the only source of true hope. Healing and wholeness won't come from a magical pool. It comes from Jesus.

This poor soul spent most of his life with an illness that couldn't be cured. Upon seeing him, Jesus asks, "Do you wish to get well?" (John 5:6). The answer might seem obvious, but perhaps it isn't. The healing Jesus offers is an amazing blessing, but not everyone is interested. Some might grow comfortable by the pool of water, putting false hope in healing they can never truly receive.

The man never actually says, "Yes." He simply explains he has no one to help put him in the water (perhaps hoping Jesus will stick around and be that helper). Jesus doesn't put him in the water. Instead, He says, "Get up, pick up your pallet, and walk" (John 5:8). Jesus entirely ignores the statement about the water and heals him anyway. Jesus heals him without the aid of mystical waters or pagan beliefs.

But It Was the Sabbath

Then, a problem arises. The man picks up his pallet and begins to walk, but it's the Sabbath. You're not supposed to carry stuff on the Sabbath, and the Jews begin to rebuke him. They want to know who is responsible for this sacrilege. Who healed him? Incredibly, John tells us, "But the man who was healed did not know who it was" (John 5:13).

What a remarkable thing to say! What a remarkable contrast with the royal official in John 4:46-54. The royal official heard of Jesus, sought Him out, and believed.

This man had never heard of Jesus, did not seek Him out, and was healed without believing. He believed in a pool, not Jesus. He didn't even know who Jesus was. When Jesus healed him, he was still hoping in the water. He hadn't asked for Jesus to heal him and probably had no idea Jesus could. His hope was in the pool when it should have been in the stranger standing right in front of him. Yet he walks away, healed.

Later in the story, this man meets up with Jesus in the temple. Jesus tells him, "Behold, you have become well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you" (John 5:14). Jesus likens this man's physical illness with a spiritual illness. Perhaps in this we see the meaning of the sign. Jesus embodies His Father as the Forgiver of sins and spiritual Healer. So many long to be made well, but so few seek the proper source.

Maybe we would all benefit from opening our eyes and trying to see how Jesus could be our solution. Maybe we would all benefit from asking ourselves the question, Do you wish to be made well? Then go to the Source of all healing.

Not Asclepius (the Greco-Roman god of medicine), not an angel who stirs up the water, not wealth, alcohol, or mindless entertainment, but the working and active Son of God (John 5:17). This man soon learned and reported "that it was Jesus who had made him well" (John 5:15). Hopefully, we all can say the same thing.