Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. 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. Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. 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?" (John 5:2-6).
Jesus asked this man a seemingly ridiculous question, "Do you want to be made well?" It's obvious isn't it? He is at the pool, isn't he? The only reason people went there was to be healed. What kind of a question is that to be asking? Of course, he wanted to be healed.
But Jesus was not convinced. This man had been stuck in his condition for a long time. He was not only lying down on the outside, he was lying down on the inside.
