The Pool of Bethesda

John 5:1-15

Introduction• Imagine what was happening 38 years ago?

– The year was 1972• 11 Israeli Olympic athletes murdered in Munich • Watergate arrests begin• Marcos declared martial law in Philippines• The Dow closes above 1000 for first time• “Fiddler on the Roof” released• HBO begins• PONG is released by Atari as first video game

– Now imagine if in 1972 you became unable to walk . . . • Maybe you’ll appreciate the situation of the man

we will discuss in this lesson

Arrival• John 5:1-2

– “a feast of the Jews” – perhaps the next Passover or Pentecost or Tabernacles

– Jesus chooses to enter the city through the Sheep Gate

• Not a main entrance

• Small gate near the temple mostly used for bringing sheep to the temple for sacrifice

• The “Lamb of God” entering the city through the gate used for sacrifices

Bethesda• “Bethesda” means “house of mercy”

– Located just inside the sheep gate– Had five covered porches

• Several pools have been discovered near the Temple, but only one near sheep gate

• And it had five porches

Bethesda• John 5:3-4

– Imagine a place with hundreds of lame, blind, crippled, paralyzed all together• Not a nursing home or hospital

• Just a kind of dumping ground

• Located in the path of the sheep being brought to the temple

• Located in a corner of the city where most would never pass by

– Not a pretty image• And the name “house of mercy” doesn’t seem to

fit the reality

Bethesda• And what are the people hoping for?

– Mercy from God in the form of an angel (messenger) stirring the water• [Most ancient manuscripts do not have v4; but

the story of the belief in an angel stirring the water was recorded in 2nd century]

– Archaeologists have discovered that the spring beneath Bethesda is intermittent• The water sometimes sat stagnant for months

before a sudden gush of water bubbled up– All those who hoped for mercy from God would

rush into the water• (Worse than Walmart on Black Friday with a sale

on televisions)

The man• John 5:5-6

– A man who had been infirm 38 years• No clue as to the disease except he couldn’t walk

– Why did Jesus choose this man?• He knew the man’s condition and the length of

time he had been ill• Perhaps this was the worst case present

– Imagine if you were the man hoping for 38 years for a chance to get better• Jesus is probably 31 at this time

– When Jesus was seen by Anna and Simon, this man had already been ill for 7 years

– When Jesus taught at the temple as a boy, this man had been ill 19 years, now 19 years later . . .

Jesus• John 5:6b-8

– Jesus asks a question the man takes to be rhetorical, “Do you want to be made well?”• The answer is obviously, YES

• But no one around will help him into the pool– He had tried, “while I am coming” – must have

been dragging himself to the pool

– Why did Jesus ask?• Probably to get the man thinking about his

situation, the years, the feeling of hopelessness

– Then Jesus tells him to rise and walk, and take away the mat he had been laying on

Healing• John 5:9

– Not a “faith-healing” like modern scams– A true and complete healing relying on nothing

but Jesus’ word– Not just a healing of the underlying illness

• A restoration of atrophied muscles

• A restoration of the balance and control necessary to walk, bend, and carry

• But it is pointed out it was the Sabbath– Either the seventh day, or the feast day

Sabbath• John 5:10

– The Jews (probably Pharisees) ask why he is carrying his bedding on the Sabbath• Probably the man had been running around

ecstatic and not really thinking about the bedding

• May not even have realized the day, one day much like another to one who cannot walk

– Although the Jews say it was unlawful, the law only forbade doing work• The Pharisees had made a “hedge around the

law” and forbade 39 categories of things that might be work (including carrying any load)

Who healed me?• John 5:11-13

– The man “who made me well said. . .”• The Jews ask, “Who is the man who said…?”

– The Jews are so stuck on what they perceive as a Sabbath violation they miss the significance

• This man had been healed miraculously– The man’s point is, if the man who healed me told

me to take up my bed and walk, then it must be okay because the miracle confirmed it was okay

– The man didn’t even know who healed him• Just a face in the crowd of people near the pool

• The healing was done quick and quiet

Sin no more• John 5:14-15

– Jesus later finds the man in the temple• Perhaps he had come to offer thanks to God

– Jesus tells him to sin no more• Does that mean the 38 year illness had been a

consequence of sin?– Possibly, could have been sinful behavior led to a

fight, a broken back, exposure to disease– Not necessarily, Jesus uses the 38 years of illness

and compares it to the eternal consequence of sin» Stop sinning or you will face something a lot

worse than 38 years as a cripple (Rom 6:23)» [There is a lesson for everyone]

Conclusion• Are you in need of God’s mercy?

– He is waiting to forgive you of your sins– All you need to do is believe and obey His word

• Mark 16:16

• Have you already received God’s forgiveness?– Sin no more (Rom 6:1-4)