The Miracle beside the Pool of Bethseda
Notes
Transcript
After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
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?”
The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”
Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.”
And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath.
The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.”
He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’ ”
Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?”
But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place.
Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.”
The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.
For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath.
But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.”
Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.
Intro:
Intro:
TS: In this section, the critics of Jesus move from reservations and hesitations about Jesus as Messiah to outright rejection. In chapter 5, the opposition begins when Jesus heals on the Sabbath. In the next few chapters, it intensifies and we see so called disciples falling away.
The Miracle Performed
The Miracle Performed
1. The man is wallowing on his pallet (5:1–8).
a. The misery beside the waters (5:1–5):
After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
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.
Feast of the Jews
John uses this phrase frequently, but usually he identifies the feast.
He doesn’t on this occasion
Sheep Gate
The gate from Neh 3:1, 32, 12:39.
It was a small opening in the North wall of the city, just west of the NE corner.
The Pool called Bethesda (lit. house of outpouring)
Most likely, Intermittent springs fed the pool disturbing the water and adding mineral content. At these times of stirring, people thought the first to go in would be healed. They attributed it to the action of angels.
The Man
A man who has been an invalid for 38 years lies there on his bed.
b. The moving of the waters (5:6–7):
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?”
The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”
Jesus knew
supernatural knowledge
God knows all things, thus Jesus knew this man and his long suffering
The man tells Jesus he believes that when the waters are supernaturally stirred, they will heal him, but his infirmity prevents him from entering.
c. The miracle beside the waters (5:8):
Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.”
Jesus tells him to pick up his mat and walk!
Jesus word had spoken the universe into existence.
His word now heals the man
2. The man is walking with his pallet(5:9).
And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath.
AP: We see here Jesus’ power on full display
He knew the man
Just as He knows everything about us!
He Healed the man
He still has the power to answer prayer!
What a great reason to-
Believe who He is- GOD
Worship Him
The Master Persecuted
The Master Persecuted
He is now confronted by the wicked Jewish leaders.
1. Their denunciation (5:10):
The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.”
Their focus was on the wrong thing!
working on the Sabbath
The OT Law had forbidden working on the Sabbath, but hadn’t spelled out exactly what “work” was
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates.
For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
The implication is to rest from one’s customary employment
Oral tradition had cast a wide net defining “work” and exceptions.
They listed 39 activities which were forbidden
One of which was not carrying anything from one domain to another.
Carry the mat broke this oral tradition, not the Law
Jesus would have NEVER commanded someone to break the Law
They missed the miracle and
“You can’t work on the Sabbath! It’s illegal to carry that sleeping mat!”
They should have been shouting praises that he was healed!
2. His defense (5:11–13):
He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’ ”
Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?”
But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place.
He testified that he had been healed and the healer had commanded the carrying of the mat.
Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.”
The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.
Jesus warns him not to keep on sinning, lest something worse happen to him!
Jesus pressed upon Him the that sin has consequences
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
Illness doesn’t always come from sin, but it CAN.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking all disaster, disease, etc is a direct judgment for our sins
However, consider that they may be!
It is a good time to search your heart and examine your life
After deliverance is another great time to search yourself.
The Murder Planned (5:16-18)
The Murder Planned (5:16-18)
They go on a Tirade against Jesus
Their opposition focuses on 2 things at this point:
First, He heals on the Sabbath
For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath.
They hated that He broke their customs
Tradition ruled their lives
(Tevye)
"A fiddler on the roof. Sounds crazy, no?
But in our little village of Anatevka,
you might say every one of us is a fiddler on the roof,
trying to scratch out a pleasant,
Simple tune without breaking his neck. It isn't easy.
You may ask, why do we stay up there if it's so dangerous?
We stay because Anatevka is our home...
And how do we keep our balance?
That I can tell you in one word... Tradition."
(Tevye)
"Because of our traditions,
We've kept our balance for many, many years.
Here in Anatevka we have traditions for everything...
how to eat, how to sleep, even, how to wear clothes.
For instance, we always keep our heads covered
and always wear a little prayer shawl...
This shows our constant devotion to God.
You may ask, how did this tradition start?
I'll tell you - I don't know. But it's a tradition...
Because of our traditions,
Everyone knows who he is and what God expects him to do."
We can easily fall into the tradition trap!
Second, He makes Himself equal with God
But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.”
Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.
Jesus clearly declares who He is
He equates the work of the Father with HIS own work!
The Jewish scholars understood this claim as we see in v. 18
He claimed God as His Father
He makes Himself equal with God
They persecuted Jesus
continuously harassed and sought to catch Him in such a way that they could condemn Him to death
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
Jesus reveals He is God and in every way equal to Him
Through His knowledge
Through His Healing
Through His declaration
[1]
[1]H. L. Willmington, The Outline Bible(Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1999), Jn 5.