The Pool of Healing
My study today was prompted by the story in John 5 regarding the invalid for some thirty-eight years and unable to get to the pool of healing (Bethesda). Personally, I am not one to be patient in waiting as evidenced by our first child. My wife was in labor for over twenty-four hours. And me, I was not one to be patient during my wife’s pain and suffering.
John leaves some things to question, like what time of year is in question in chapter five. John opens, “sometime later,” to describe Jesus’ travel to Jerusalem for one of the festivals (feasts). Many theologians are unsure as to which this might have been. Examining the Old Testament (“O. T.”) we find that Jews were required to visit during three feasts – Passover, Weeks (Pentecost), and Tabernacles. Halley’s Bible Handbook reminds us that Jesus returned to Galilee in December, around the time of the Feast of Dedication. Halley continues to say that Purim would have been the next festival (not mentioned in the gospels). Thus, the next festival would have been Passover which is generally accepted as the time of the visit, continues Halley.
John reminds us as readers that Jesus was at (or entered) the Sheep Gate of Jerusalem. Why this gate? Let us examine the gates in Jerusalem. The book of Nehemiah elaborates on the rebuilding of the wall in Jerusalem, including its gates. Chapter three describe the gates (10 total). Nehemiah describes the Sheep gate in verse one as “the one which sheep and lambs would enter used in sacrifice.” (Reflection: Journey through the Psalms, Psalm 118 attachment, page 271) Yes, Jesus, as the Lamb of God, was sent to be sacrificed for our sin once for all! John tells us that close to this gate is the much-questioned pool of Bethesda. The name “Bethesda” comes from the Hebrew words bayit and hesed. The former word is translated as “house” while the latter is “loving kindness.” Some have shortened the meaning to “house of kindness.” The pool is described as being surrounded by five colonnades. Many writers/authors have written about the pool(s) existence and their purpose. Some have hypothesized that there were two pools and were dedicated to Roman pagan gods of Fortuna, (goddess of fortune), and Asclepius, god of healing. But we know that our LORD is the true God and provides healing – both physical and spiritual.
Excluding the issues of verse four and its authenticity, we see that many disabled people are anxiously awaiting their entry into the pool for some miraculous healing. And that includes all maladies – blind, lame, and paralyzed. The theory was that when the waters were stirred the healing process was to have occurred. But in the case of this story, we have a person with a life-long invalid situation unable to be healed due to his lack of mobility. Enter Jesus! And the timing is somewhat bizarre, at least from a Jewish perspective. The time is the Sabbath, a time during which no work (carry your mat) was to be done. Yet, Jesus uses this time to show them (and us today) that His timing is not our (or their) timing. His query to the invalid was, “do you want to get well?” (verse six) The invalid addresses the questioner as “Sir.” That title recognizes his superiority, regardless of his knowledge of Jesus being the Messiah.
Let us look at the questionable verse four, that has been omitted in most translations – “the angel of the Lord stirring the waters. . .” Verse seven does suggest that the invalid noted that his entry had to be when the waters were stirred. Who or how the waters were stirred is the question of most theologians. The Jews of the day were appalled that Jesus would do this healing process on the Sabbath. And it was not the first time. In fact, the Scriptures tell us of seven incidences of Sabbath healings. The table below lists the Sabbath healings.
| Healing | Location |
| Demon-possessed man | Mark 1:21ff |
| Peter’s mother | Mark 1:29ff |
| An invalid man | John 5:1ff |
| A man with withered hand | Mark 3:1ff |
| A woman bent over | Luke 13:10ff |
| A man with dropsy | Luke 14:1ff |
| A man born blind | John 9:1ff |
The story goes beyond the healing per se. The Jewish leaders queried the healed man, asking, “who is this fellow who told you to pick it (mat) up and walk?” The formerly invalid man had no idea who Jesus was as He disappeared into the crowd. Later, in the Temple, Jesus approached the healed man and said, “stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” Now, Jesus’ identity is revealed with the leaders told.
There are similar actions by Jesus in Matthew and Mark’s gospel of a healed paralytic. In each case, Jesus said, “your sins are forgiven.” Then the Jewish leaders chastised Jesus and called Him a blasphemer! Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “which is easier: to say, ‘your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘get up and walk?’” This dialogue could also be played into the John account of the paralytic at Bethesda’s pool. But, not totally forgotten as Jesus said in their second meeting, “stop sinning!”
The first encounter with the invalid cured his physical ailment, but “sin” has eternal consequences! That is the genesis of Jesus’ comment for the man on their second meeting. The Messiah came to save us from our eternal sinful condition by His suffering and death on Calvary. The physical component of this story is important in that it shows Jesus’ great compassion of the human condition of helplessness. For almost four decades, this man was unable to help himself and missed every opportunity to enter the pool of healing. Our LORD saw his helplessness and provided a miraculous healing – more so than any stirred waters!
Once the Jewish leaders knew the source, John tells us they “persecuted Him.” (verse sixteen) Jesus was quick to reply to them saying, “My Father is always at work…and I too.” (paraphrased) This statement incensed the leaders more still, now seeking to destroy Him! Chapter five continues with a dialogue by our LORD about His function including the great gospel message, “whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life.” (verse twenty-four)
One lesson to be learned is this, physical maladies are a result of sin. Regardless of our worldly condition, it is more important to realize that life with our LORD in eternity is of greater concern. May God grant you that peace that comes with our knowledge of the Truth – Jesus – and His plan of salvation (faith in the Messiah) as we eagerly await His return.
Peace
Connected in Him, I stand
GHR
PS In my book, Reflection: Journey through the Psalms, chapter 130 is entitled Waiting Patiently. Two references in particular are germane to this topic, namely; Lamentations 3:25-26 and Jude 21. Jeremiah writes, “…it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. And in Jude, “keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our LORD Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.”
