Stirring the Waters

In efforts to keep things as peaceable and calm as possible, we have heard the admonition to “not stir up the waters.”  In other words, if everything seems calm and smooth, it’s best to not stir things up lest you cause trouble.  

Today, we’re going to look at a literal stirring of the waters.  And it’s going to lead to the figurative stirring of the waters as hostility is going to begin in a very obvious way.  When people begin to discover that Jesus Christ is indeed Lord and Savior, this gets Satan’s attention.  Most of us have observed that when God is being glorified, Satan steps up his attacks.  The devil has never liked anyone living for God.  

The attacks were about to begin picking up steam from the very people for whom Christ came to bring spiritual healing.

Today the world tries to tell us that we need to be more tolerant, open, and accepting of various options for salvation.  The world tries to convince us that we need to live in a way that gets along with everyone, according to their thinking. 

However, this is a perversion and a lie from Satan.  I am not trying to encourage people to be obnoxious and hostile. In particular, the Christian must not be antagonistic toward the unbeliever. Yet, it is necessary that the Christian who is truly living for Jesus, should speak out against those people who claim to live for Christ, yet are living a life in contradiction to God's word. Throughout the Bible, we are called upon to take a stand for Christ. Quite often, it means speaking out against those who are pretending to serve God, when they are actually wolves dragging off sheep for the kill.  Another problem is that many who claim to be Christians have the idea that Jesus can be Savior, but they can still live their lives in whatever way they wish.  This is also a lie from Satan.  If Jesus has bought us and made us new creations and members of the family of God, then we are to live differently. 

Christian, we must live as those who believe that Jesus Christ is Lord of all!  The reality is that Jesus is Lord of the physical and the spiritual.

Jesus is Lord over the physical realm. - 5.1-9a

After these things 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 porticoes.  In these lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, and withered, [waiting for the moving of the waters; for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted.]  A man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years.  When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had already been a long time in that condition, He said to him, “Do you wish to get 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, “Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.”  Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk.

There were a whole lot of other things which had taken place after these things.  The synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark & Luke) contain a lot more specific information about that time period.  However, John’s purpose, as inspired by the Holy Spirit, was focused more on the deity of Christ and what that involved.  Here, John relates that Jesus is at Jerusalem for a Jewish feast.  

John describes a little background information so we can mentally envision what is going on and where.  The word porticoes is simply another word for porches.  Here, in this area, it was a common place to be for those who were sick and in need of help.  They probably were here in this area since they could receive some protection from the hot sun.  From John’s description, it seems there were a good number of them with major disabilities. 

As a side note, I find it peculiar that at a religious location, where the most pious, religious people were supposed to be, that there was not a plan or means of helping these individuals.  However, when we understand the religious leaders focus upon outward purity and rules and regulations, then this oversight makes a bit more sense.  After all, if one goes by this area where there is all this uncleanness, how can one really worship?  Of course, I say that sarcastically.  For in the fact that Jesus is here, we again recognize that He is Lord of all.  Jesus is more focused on saving the lost and ministering grace and mercy rather than on outward appearance and adherence to rules and regulations.

John then gives a unique description of the pool, which is said to have springs which would feed into it on occasion and was highly rich in minerals.  Historians suggest that based on writings which describe the pool that it may have had a reddish tint based upon all the minerals. 

Many of you will also note in your Bibles that the last part of verse 3 and verse 4 are either not in your Bibles or have brackets around them.  Some of you will have footnotes indicating that this was not in the earliest translations, though it has been traditionally part of the lore of the time. 

In verse 5, we’re introduced to a man who had been ill for thirty-eight years.  We don’t know what was wrong.  However, we can deduce that he wasn’t able to get around very well.  He may have been paralyzed.  Interestingly, we are given insight into the fact that Jesus is indeed God and Lord of all in the next phrase:  When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had already been a long time in that condition.  Nothing had been told to Jesus about this man; He just knew it.  Yet, Jesus asks a question that seemed beyond obvious. Jesus asked if he wished to get well for the purpose of getting the man’s full attention. Yet, like so many today, this man responded to Jesus by dealing only with what he understood and trusted.  He felt that the only way this could happen is by dealing with the physical.  He also assumed it was the water that would bring him healing.  He believed that whoever got into the water first after it had been stirred up (probably by a spring filling it), that would provide healing.  He had not considered any other way. 

Now my question is, why did nobody on their way to worship even offer to pray with him and seek a miracle from God?  Then I remember our world today and see the blind trust given to whatever fits our way of thinking.  How often do we forget to go to the source of real power and seek His divine help?  Our expectations of God are too often limited to what we understand and think we know.  Like this man, we must let go of the idea that it’s a first come, first served way of life.  

Jesus didn’t waste any time by pointing out that this fellow had a faulty theology or that he was buying into foolish myths.  Jesus simply gave this man a three-part command; a sermon in a sentence.  Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.  These are commands.  In grammar, we call them Imperative Verbs.  That means, DO IT! 

Impossible, most would think.  He’s been sick for 38 years and unable to do anything but lie on that straw mat.  Yet, when God spoke, the entire universe came into being.  When Moses raised his rod, God parted the Red Sea.  The One Who created all the beasts of the earth, is the same Who shut the mouths of the lions when Daniel was among them.  All of that begs the question; is it too much for Jesus, the Lord of all, to tell someone who was paralyzed to stand up, pick up your straw mat or pallet, and walk away from this place?  I don’t think so.  Why not?  We’re talking Jesus - the Lord over the physical.  

Another side note needs to be mentioned here.  This physical healing was instantaneous.  This healing was complete.  That is how all of Jesus’ healings were.  Jesus healed whether a person had faith or didn’t have faith.  We have no indication at this point that this man had any faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord.  However, he immediately became well and picked up his pallet and began to walk.  

As I look at this, I don’t see any indication that this man was any more deserving of healing than all the others who were there.  In fact, I don’t read any place that this man was even spiritual or even interested in discovering who the Messiah was.  So, why did Jesus heal this one particular man?  Because Jesus chose to do so.  And that is the way it always is.  It is all of grace.

But we can’t just stop here.  This has a couple of problems we’re not comfortable leaving.  First, Jesus has just shown up the religious leadership, since they hadn’t done anything about this situation.   Second, surely Jesus wouldn’t just let this guy leave without talking with him about spiritual matters, would He?  That would really mess with some of our thinking.  

The next section gives us some more information.

Jesus is Lord over the spiritual realm. - 5.9b-16

Now it was the Sabbath on that day.  So the Jews were saying to the man who was cured, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not permissible for you to carry your pallet.”  But he answered them, “He who made me well was the one who said to me, ‘Pick up your pallet and walk.’ ”  They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Pick up your pallet and walk’?”  But the man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away while there was a crowd in that place.  Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “Behold, you have become well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you.”  The man went away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.  For this reason the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath.

I find it humorous how the Holy Spirit caused John to interject this first sentence.  It’s almost like it’s an afterthought.  Imagine that you’ve been following the victorious exploits of Hans Solo in Star Wars and you’re beginning to think a love story is in the making.  Then suddenly you hear the orchestra playing some very dark music; enter Darth Vader.

That is a picture of how the Greek wording is as it introduces this section. You see, this is really the key that causes such an uproar amongst the religious leaders.  In fact, it might be helpful to understand that whenever John uses the phrase, the Jews, he is speaking of the religious leaders who are opposed to Jesus.  Jesus is truly the Lord over the spiritual realm, as well.  This issue seems to be the pivotal point in all their hatred towards Jesus.  This represented their legalistic focus and control.  They could quote the Scriptures and sound spiritual, but their hearts were far from God.  

It appears that Jesus was quite intentional, as He was in everything, about healing this man on the Sabbath.  It seems He was calling the religious hypocrites out in challenge.  Jesus could have easily waited for another day to do this healing.  Yet, He chose to do it on the Sabbath.  One commentator stated it this way:   the Lord not only wanted to show mercy to this man; He also wanted to call the nation to repentance by confronting the self-righteous and unbiblical stipulations that led to their illusion of spiritual life. They had become experts at substituting their traditions for God’s commands.

Another theologian remarks:  The rules of the rabbis were a misunderstanding of God’s design for the Sabbath. The Sabbath was not the means to God’s approval, as the rabbis seem to have suggested. The Sabbath was not merely a rule for humans, but a gift to humans (cf. Mark 2:27). It was to be used to honor God and to benefit his people. More importantly, Jesus was Lord of the Sabbath (cf. Mark 2:28).

It would make no sense to apply the principles of the Sabbath to this man, as he did not earn a living carrying around his pallet.  In fact, it seems that he was unable to do that to begin with.  The religious leaders had concocted at least 39 different rules just about the Sabbath.  

The sad part of this incident is that the religious leaders were more concerned with the details of the manmade rules being broken than they were about this fellow’s physical condition.  They should have been rejoicing that he was healed.  They should have been helping him to understand that this was indeed a miracle and that God is the one Who performs miracles.  Instead, they were up in his face about the outward actions and had no consideration whatsoever about the inner person.  That is the way it is when people are not truly following God.  Instead of seeking to change hearts, their focus is on changing behavior.  

Interestingly, when they confront this man, he responds a bit like Adam in his response.  He shifts the focus to Jesus, the One who spoke to him.  Sadly, he feared men rather than God.  Of course, he didn’t yet realize Who had spoken to him.  He had been caught “breaking the Law” so he shifted the blame to the One Who healed him.  The religious leaders seemed more concerned that this One who had spoken to this man was denying and attacking their authority.  They rather should have been wondering how a man who had been ill for 38 years was suddenly able to get up and walk around.  They should have been amazed at the mercy shown to this particular man, rather than focusing on their man-made laws which did nothing to bring people to God.

As we read further into this passage, it almost seems like this was a covert healing.  It appears to have been rather secretive so as to not reveal Who Jesus was.  Again, we remember that Jesus is Lord over the spiritual realm, as well as the physical.  His timing is absolutely perfect. 

Later, Jesus once again found this man and approached him.  Now Jesus connects the physical to the spiritual.  He reminds this fellow that he is completely healed.  But Jesus takes it deeper by letting this man know that if he continues to participate in sin, his condition will be worse than before.  

This may seem a bit odd to us.  However, to Jesus and this man, it was not strange.  Not all sickness is a result of sin.  However, there are enough places in the Bible that show that often illness can be a direct result or consequence of sin.  We see it in David’s life, as well as some in the Corinthian Church.  Even Moses spoke of it as he reflected on God’s dealings.  

We might wonder what could be worse than being ill for 38 years and unable to move about.  Obviously, sin which is not forsaken will lead to eternal punishment and separation from God.   It is not the physical to which Jesus is speaking, but the spiritual.  So how did this man respond?

Sadly, this is not a happily ever after moment.  This fellow simply went back to those Jewish leaders who had reprimanded him for breaking the Sabbath and justified himself by informing them Who it was Who told him to get up and pick up his pallet and walk.  This was truly a momentous occasion; an individual who experienced physical healing but still seemed to be more concerned about being acceptable with the religious thinking of the day.  He should have thanked Jesus and worshipped Him and sought to live for God alone.  But we have no indication that he did. There is no acknowledgement of Jesus as Lord.  

Sadly, we see that the religious leaders would continually persecute Jesus.  And it was basically because He was undermining their authority. 

Reflections

This incident is a grave reminder that from this point on, Jesus would continually encounter incredible opposition.  And it would be from His own people.  It would be from the religious leaders who should have been pointing the people to Jesus for their salvation.  They would refuse to acknowledge Who He truly was.

It is not much different today.  Many who are totally committed to following Jesus and living for Him will find themselves on the receiving end of terrible persecution and attack.  Sometimes it will come from those whom you least expect.  It may come from those who are seemingly very religious and even in positions of high authority.  It may even come from family.  

We are to serve Jesus and live for Him as our Savior and Lord of all. Church, we must live as those who believe that Jesus Christ is Lord of all!  The reality is that He is Lord of the physical and the spiritual.