The Miracle at the Pool of Bethesda

Written by Mark Brazee

"Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. 

"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" (John 5:2-4).

This account gives us a picture of God's sovereign side. Five sheds full of people sat by that pool. The people didn't know when the angel was coming; they just knew he was coming. They didn't know who would be healed; they just knew someone would be healed. And afterwards, the rest of the people would have to sit and wait for the next time the angel came to trouble the water.

Jesus Heals at the Pool of Bethesda

Bible Study Lesson:

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
  1. Feast of Passover & unleavened bread
  2. Feast of Pentecost
  3. Feast of tabernacles