Superstition, Legalism, and Jesus

Introduction

Good morning church!

This morning instead of a introduction we are going to do a deep dive for our bible students. Who here would like to learn something new?

In our text today, you might notice that a verse number is missing. Why is that? Is there a secret group of bible saboteurs stealing away verses from bibles? No, not really.

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Modern translations don’t include verse 4! The theory is that a well meaning scribe put in a comment about superstitions of angels and healing pools at the time. Why is that?

SLIDE SHOW John 5:4’

John 5:4 isn’t in more ancient manuscripts of the Gospel of John, such as Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus from the 4th century. However, this verse does show later in a codex called Textus Receptus whose earliest copies are only available in the 11th century.

SLIDE SHOW Codex Sinaiticus

Imagine you have copies of John ranging from the year 200 all the way to the year 100 in front of you right now. You notice this sentence isn’t in any of the copies from 200 but at around the year 1100 you start seeing a sentence the earliest copies didn’t have. Your conclusion should probably be “ah, here is an addition”. The translators of the Great Bible, Geneva Bible and KJV all worked off of newer copies than we have now, since we have archaeologists who have been digging more and more up.

So what if you were to translate a bible from Hebrew and Greek into English today? Would you include a verse that was likely added, or would you exclude it and put it in parenthesis at the bottom?

Modern translations like ESV, NASB and NIV all do this. If there is a chance this isn’t scripture, wouldn’t you rather we protect it?

There is also some biblical precedent to this. Even if you don’t trust newer bible translations, I’ll ask you a silly question. When is there mention of a pool that people should go to, to be healed? No. God used Moses in a miracle once, but there is no mention anywhere of a pool that heals people.

John 5:1–9

[1] After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

[2] Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades.

[3] In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed.

[5] One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.

[6] When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?”

[7] The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.”

[8] Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” [9] And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.Now that day was the Sabbath. (ESV)

Pray

1. Superstition

John 5:1–18

[1] After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

Firstly, we aren’t sure which feast this was, but Jewish men had three feasts they were required to attend.

Passover in the spring- celebrating the exodus and the passing over of Hebrew households

Feast of weeks- fifty days after passover also called Pentecost. This celebrates the giving of the tablets.

Feast of Tabernacles- sukkot, a week long festival where everyone would gather in tents to remember their journey in the wilderness.

[2] Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades

Modern day archaeologists believe they have found this site! Here is a picture

There is lots to know- or rather guess about these pool. We actually don’t know a lot and there has for a long time been some level superstition around the site. First off, the name is Bethesda. You might recognize the first part of that word, “beth” which in Hebrew is house. Jesus for instance was born in Bethlehem, house of bread. This is Bethesda, house of mercy. Scholars conclude this is probably an alcove near the healing pools located outside of the walls of Jerusalem at the time. This is closer to the Roman garrison’s fortress.

[3] In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed.” (ESV) 4 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. (KJV)

This seems to read more coherently without the comment in-between verses.

John 5:3–7

[3] In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. [5] One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. [6] When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” [7] The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” (ESV)

This man was an invalid (astheneō) that is someone who is feeble or sickly. He would move, but slowly. His speed was in implication isn’t that this man had been waiting for 38 years at the pool, rather he was likely visiting it in season (when the spring fed pool was stirred), and perhaps for coming back year after year waiting to go into these waters.

The man had hope for anything to heal him. This wasn’t a necessarily religious experience, but it was a hope out of desperation. Imagine being so weak for 38 years. Imagine the frustration at that- being so close to the hope of maybe getting healed at this place, but not being able to go in.

Yet, look at what Jesus does!

[8] Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” [9] And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked...

Jesus doesn’t carry this man to the pool. He heals him on the spot.

The method the man had been waiting for would have been therapeutic, sure, but Jesus actually heals him!

A. What can we learn from this text?

Superstition is lethal.

Steve Jobs’ cancer had been discovered by chance during a CT scan in 2003 to look for kidney stones, during which doctors saw a "shadow” on his pancreas. The upside was that the form of pancreatic cancer from which Jobs suffered was one of the 5% or so that are slow growing and most likely to be cured by surgery.

But Jobs refused surgery after diagnosis and for nine months after, favoring instead dietary treatments and other alternative methods like acupuncture, dietary supplements and juices. By the time he ultimately decided to opt for surgery, it was too late and after a long fight with cancer he passed.

Superstition is a lie masquerading as a cure. No, these waters themselves couldn’t have cured the invalid, only God could have. Yet, the waters to this man were a hope he pursued.

A lot of us stick up for superstition and good thoughts. What’s wrong with a little hope? What’s wrong with trying? Why shouldn’t Christians try every avenue of spirituality?

Well, because there is only One God and One healer. One way to be saved from sin, sickness and death.

We have a religion of “only one way”.

Imagine you’re in the hospital dying from a disease. Well wishers come and go, some read a book to you. Some light incense. Some play relaxing music for you. All those things might calm your nerves for a while, but what do you really need? You need the cure!

Imagine the doctor is at the door with the cure in a vial ready to be injected, yet the well wishers tell him “wait, lets just see if this breathing exercise can cure her”. No, you need the cure.

Jesus is the only way! John 14:5–6

[5] Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” [6] Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (ESV)

2. Legalism

Now that day was the Sabbath. [10] So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.” [11] But he answered them, “The man who healed me, that man said to me, ‘Take up your bed, and walk.’” [12] They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” [13] Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place.

As we read the Gospel of John, you will notice him talking about the Jews who oppose and plot against Jesus. For example John 7:1 “After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him.” Remember this refers to the Jewish leaders at the time. In Jesus’ time, many of the Sadducees, (the priest and temple workers) were corrupt in taking bribes and sided mostly with their Roman rulers. Strangely, the Sadducees- the workers of the temple - were a people who had a largely secular view of their faith while performing religious rites. They viewed much of scripture as allegorical and dismissed miracles like resurrection and an afterlife. On the other hand, the Pharisees, who did not work the temple but rather the Synagogues, had an extremely rigorous view of their religion. Synagogues were the normal weekly meeting place for Jewish people, and Pharisees were the teachers and workers of them. They were so rigorous they added hundreds of additions to God’s law. Their strict reinterpretation of Torah led to what Jesus called a heavy yoke of the pharisees.

A. The Heavy Yoke

The Jews who said “it’s not lawful for you to take up your bed” were first off- incorrect. Work- that is for commerce- making money, making things, is prohibited, not living life. By Jesus’ time the law had been heightened that even carrying things around your house was against the Sabbath.

Jesus tells us the sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath. Yet, the law had been expanded to cover every detail of life that it now became a heavy yoke around God’s people.

Matthew 23:2–4

[2] “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, [3] so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. [4] They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. (ESV)

Legalism is heavy.

The burden of the Pharisees were a heavy load because of the intense tradition around all of it. When Jesus violated their made-up extra laws, they accused Him of violating the traditions of the elders. Matthew 15:2 ““Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.””

These extra laws were an invisible burden covering all of Israel. You can’t carry a mat, you can’t worship in a certain way, all because of tradition, not even scripture.

I remember as a young kid visiting a relatives house. I can’t remember who so they will remain anonymous. And what struck me is that all of their couches, armchairs and even dining room chairs were covered in protective plastic. I’m not sure what I said to my parents but they smiled and explained to me it was to make sure they furniture stayed nice. That made my brain go crazy. What? Why even have a nice couch if you’re just going to sit on a plastic one?

The second explanation came later in the car. It’s because so and so is extremely protective of their couch.

The Pharisees of Jesus’ time were much the same way. God gave them the law- a manual for living in happiness and obedience to Him and THEY had written so many extra pages it became an anchor.

Just listen to the wonderful blessing the law should have been: Deuteronomy 28:1–6

[1] “And if you faithfully obey the voice of the LORD your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. [2] And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the LORD your God. [3] Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. [4] Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock. [5] Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. [6] Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out. (ESV)

Yet, when Jesus arrives and lives among the people of the word, what does He find? A bunch of people sitting on plastic couches. Not only is it blasphemous to add to God’s law, but it is also un-enjoyable!

If the traditions of the elders were any good, the Jews would have been living in near-utopia.

Yet, they used the law for the wrong purpose, and so when God Himself heals a man on the Sabbath, that man is not celebrated, but berated for not following the rules of the house.

In a house of legalism, there is little time for joy and praise.

3. The Light Yoke

Matthew 11:28–30

[28] Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. [29] Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. [30] For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (ESV)

Jesus is the solution to both problems. Jesus is rest for our souls. For the superstitious, no longer will we have to wait anxiously at the pool wondering if someone would care for us enough to help us in. For the legalists, no longer they be burdened by the heavy yoke of “we’ve always done it this way”.

No, Jesus is absolute freedom from a religion of maybes, and a religion of work.

Jesus frees us from false hope and false works.

[14] Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.”

I love the excitement in this passage. Imagine bumping into Jesus and He greets you with a smile. The advice He gives to the man is remarkable “Sin no more” is the same statement He gives to the woman caught in adultery.

Had this man been sinning to receive sin, or was his sin the pursuit of a superstitious healing? We’re not sure, but the advice is a wonderful summation of life in Christ.

Go and sin no more is our motto, too!

[15] The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. [16] And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath [17] But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” [18] This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

Yet, all the same Jesus is hated by both. Why? Because indeed they are correct He was making Himself equal with God.

John makes a point over and over in his gospels that Jesus is God because only God can do these things for you. A man cannot save your soul. A man cannot heal you. A man cannot free your from worthless religion. No, you need a much more powerful savior. You need Jesus!