The Power of The King

I. Introduction

The book of John is written around 7 miracles (signs).

1) Ch.2 Turning water into wine

2) Ch.4 Healing of the official’s son

3) Ch. 5 The healing of a disable man at Bethesda pool

4) Ch.6 Feeding of 5000

5) Ch.6 Jesus walking on water

6) Ch. 9 Healing blind man on the Sabbath

7) Ch.11 Raising of Lazarus

John 20:30–31 CSB

Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

II. The Power of the King on Display (vs.1-3)

John 5:1–3 CSB

After this, a Jewish festival took place, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. By the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem there is a pool, called Bethesda in Aramaic, which has five colonnades. Within these lay a large number of the disabled—blind, lame, and paralyzed.

A) Jewish festival (feast) in Jerusalem

1. Passover

2. Pentecost (Feast of Weeks)

3. Tabernacles (Feast of Booths)

B) Pool called Bethesda

The majority of later mss (C3 Θ Ψ 078 f1, 13 𝔐) add the following to 5:3: “waiting for the moving of the water. 5:4 For an angel of the Lord went down and stirred up the water at certain times. Whoever first stepped in after the stirring of the water was healed from whatever disease which he suffered.” Other mss include only v. 3b (Ac D 33 lat) or v. 4 (A L it). Few textual scholars today would accept the authenticity of any portion of vv. 3b–4, for they are not found in the earliest and best witnesses (𝔓66, 75 א B C* T pc co), they include un-Johannine vocabulary and syntax, several of the mss that include the verses mark them as spurious (with an asterisk or obelisk), and because there is a great amount of textual diversity among the witnesses that do include the verses. The present translation follows NA27 in omitting the verse number, a procedure also followed by a number of other modern translations.

Biblical Studies Press, The NET Bible First Edition Notes (Biblical Studies Press, 2006), Jn 5:3.

C) People group (Disabled)

John 5:1–3 CSB

After this, a Jewish festival took place, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. By the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem there is a pool, called Bethesda in Aramaic, which has five colonnades. Within these lay a large number of the disabled—blind, lame, and paralyzed.

III. The Power of the King to Deliver (vs.5-9b)

A) The Situation (v.5)

John 5:5 CSB

One man was there who had been disabled for thirty-eight years.

B) The Consideration (v.6)

John 5:6 CSB

When Jesus saw him lying there and realized he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to get well?”

C) The Exasperation (v.7)

D) The Resolution (vs. 8-9b)

John 5:8–9 CSB

“Get up,” Jesus told him, “pick up your mat and walk.” Instantly the man got well, picked up his mat, and started to walk. Now that day was the Sabbath,

Hebrews 4:12–13 CSB

For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. No creature is hidden from him, but all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give an account.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 CSB

All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 4:2 CSB

Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage with great patience and teaching.

A) The Jews (Stumbling Block)

Misrepresented the Law of Moses

John 5:10 CSB

and so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “This is the Sabbath. The law prohibits you from picking up your mat.”

Exodus 20:8–11 CSB

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy: You are to labor six days and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. You must not do any work—you, your son or daughter, your male or female servant, your livestock, or the resident alien who is within your city gates. For the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything in them in six days; then he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and declared it holy.

The Sabbath was “divinely ordained… designed for the rest of man and for his worship and service to God.” J. Dwight Pentecost (The Words and Works of Jesus Christ), P.159

“There were restrictions laid down in the Mosaic Law; but the Rabbis had elaborated from these a vast array of injunctions and prohibitions, making of the Sabbath law a veritable bondage.” J. Dwight Pentecost (The Words and Works of Jesus Christ), P.159

Exodus 31:14 CSB

Observe the Sabbath, for it is holy to you. Whoever profanes it must be put to death. If anyone does work on it, that person must be cut off from his people.

John 8:31–32 CSB

Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you continue in my word, you really are my disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

B) The Man

John 5:11–13 CSB

He replied, “The man who made me well told me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’ “Who is this man who told you, ‘Pick up your mat and walk’?” they asked. But the man who was healed did not know who it was, because Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there.

C) The Messiah

John 5:14 CSB

After this, Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well. Do not sin anymore, so that something worse doesn’t happen to you.”

D) The Report

John 5:15–17 CSB

The man went and reported to the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. Therefore, the Jews began persecuting Jesus because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. Jesus responded to them, “My Father is still working, and I am working also.”

John 5:24 CSB

“Truly I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.

Closing: “The Greater the knowledge of God’s revelation, the greater the accountability for those who reject it.” Dr. Tony Evans