John 5:1-15
Q. Where did the incident take place?
- The Pool of Bethesda
- Near sheep gate. Sheep gate was the gate used to bring sheep into the city to the temple for sacrifice. (Nehemiah 3:1)
- The Bethesda pool has been discovered by archeologists in 1960s.
Q. What was the occasion?
- Feast of Jews & Sabbath
- Three feasts of Jews
Q. Why were there lot of disabled people near Bethesda pool?
- Waiting for angel to come and stir waters. (Angels and Demons in the Bible)
- It is common to hear about hot springs in which people got or claimed to get healed in ancient times. Even today, in many parts of the world, people go to some of these hot springs, which supposedly have healing power!
- We are not sure exactly whether the pool water had some miraculous power.
- John 5:4 (KJV) - "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."
- Note: Verse 4 is not included in the New International Version. Some of the later found manuscripts do not contain this verse, so it has been left out in the later bible translation like NIV.
Q. What can you learn about the condition of the disabled man?
- He was disabled for 38 years (older than Jesus)
- He would have tried everything he could have.
- There was nobody to help him (John 5:7) His family may have left him there.
- He was lying there near Bethesda pool in a hope that some day he may get chance to be the first one to get into pool.
- Persistent
- He wanted to be well. But he could not do it by himself. He needed somebody's help.
- He sincerely thought that if I can reach there at right time, I can be healed. The only problem was that he could not!
- He did not even know who Jesus was. Jesus came up to him.
Q. What did Jesus ask him? And what was his reply?
- It was a strange question -"Do you want to get well?" He had been there all these year desperately trying to be well. With this question, Jesus was offering him help. Perhaps, nobody would have asked him to help for years!
- If I am to rephrase the man's answer in one sentence, it would be, "Yes, I want to be well, I just can't get there." Put yourself in his place - you may be desperately trying for physical or emotional healing, peace, joy, purpose, or any personal victory over temptation. Jesus asks us the same simple question!
Q. What was Jesus' reply?
- "Get up, pick up your mat and walk." - You don't have to go there. Your healing is right here, right now. You don't have to wait for angel to come to the pool.
- The man was instantly healed. (After suffering from it for 38 years)
Q. Why were Jews not happy?
- The man was carrying his mat on sabbath. Pharisees and the teachers of the law had many laws regarding Sabbath about how much to walk or work on sabbath. (Bible study on Jesus Healing on Sabbath)
- They were insensitive to the man who was healed after 38 years.
- They cared about laws more than people. (People First!)
- Think of a blind man get healed and in his joy, he may cross the road and the cop gives him ticket in spite of knowing that he was just healed!!!
Q. What can we learn from the fact that he did not even know Jesus?
- He did not even know who healed him.
- Can we say, that miracles are not always consequence of faith?
- Jesus again found him, it is as if Jesus is literally pursuing him.
Q. Why did Jesus talk to him about sin? Where does sin come into picture? Do you think sickness is the result of sin?
- He was physically healed, but he also needed spiritual healing.
- I don't think, Jesus meant that his sickness or disability was the result of sin. Check out the surprisingly similar passage of healing blind man in John 9:1-12.
- It was a reminder of much greater healing and change from inside. After all, what can be worst than 38 years of sickness?
- Jesus also gave the similar command to the woman caught in the adultery in John 8: 1-11. (John 8:11)
- The man took heed of Jesus' instruction, thus proclaiming boldly about Jesus healing him.
Bible Study Application:
You may be experiencing some sickness, disease, some hurt, pain for very long time. You may be struggling with some personal sin or weakness. And You may have tried everything in your power to get well. But you may have realized that you cannot do it on your own.
Jesus is asking the same question to you, "do you want to get well?"
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