John 5:1-18 (2)

Introduction:

We’ve been looking at the gospel of John. In John, the first half, or so, of the book is built around these “Signs” or miraculous actions that Jesus performs. But these aren’t naked miracles, bare signs of Jesus’ power over the natural world. They’re all intended to teach us something about Jesus and his role in the world, and in particular his role in the coming of the new covenant.

We saw this in the first sign, which was the turning of water into wine. This sign, performed at a wedding, had OT connections which suggested that Jesus, by doing this, wasn’t simply providing a wedding with booze, but was signalling his role as the bridegroom of the new people of God and also, as bridegroom, his role as the person through whom God would bring about the New Covenant.

Last week we saw our second sign. But before we saw that, we saw the story of the woman at the well. Can anybody remember what Jesus offered her?

He offered her water that led to eternal life.

Right, and what did he mean by that?

When he spoke about that, he was referring to the washing that he could bring. If people put their faith in him, then like what God promised in the OT (Zechariah 14:8; Ezekiel 36), they would be washed clean, and be fit to join in the New Covenant.

But, the woman didn’t understand. So, what did Jesus point out about her?

He pointed out her extensive sexual past. Not only had she had many marriages, but she was now living with a man who wasn’t her husband. In doing this, Jesus shows that firstly, he is supernatural, so she should listen to him, and secondly, he points her to that particular area of her life in which she most needs cleansing.

And after this, and some more conversation, she begins to believe that he is the Christ. So she goes to call all of her fellow Samaritans. And when she calls them, many of them come to believe in Jesus.

After Jesus leaves, he heals the official’s son, which John calls the second sign. The point of this sign is to show that while Jesus is powerful, he doesn’t simply use that power to ‘flex’. He is interested in the well-being of his followers, but he is also aware that many of the people who follow him are fans. They aren’t interested in him or his message, just his power.

Today, we will begin to look at a section that runs from chs 5-7. This section describes the increasing conflict that surrounds Jesus. We see that the religious leaders move from simply feeling reserved or hesitant about Jesus and his mission to full-on opposition. This is on the part of the religious leaders as well as the ordinary Jews.

Our passage for today is very short. It only runs from v1-18. It only has two sections to it:

1-15: Healing of the Man at the Pool

16-18: Set-up for the Conflict Later.

1-15: Healing of the Man at the Pool

Where and when does this story take place?

It takes place in Jerusalem, some time later than the last story of the healing of the official’s son.

Why does Jesus go to Jerusalem?

He goes there because he wants to go to one of the Jewish festivals.

What does John then start talking about in v2?

He starts talking about a particular pool in Jerusalem. It is called Bethesda, and it has five colonnades and is near the Sheep Gate. Now, at the time of John’s writing, Jerusalem is likely destroyed, so this means that John is referring back to past time, and describing a structure and places that no longer exist.

And what kind of people gather at this pool?

The disabled, of any variety really.

And what does v4 tell us about why disabled people would gather at this pool?

As you might have noticed, there is no v4. This is because while there is a clause where v4 should be in the majority of the manuscripts, it was nevertheless likely included as an explanatory gloss by later copyists to help foreign readers understand why there would be a bunch of disabled people lying at the pool. It reflects a local folk-idea that there were times when the water would be disturbed, by the angel of the Lord, it was thought, and then it would be a kind of paralympic race to see who could be the first to get into the water. The first one would receive healing. Now, this isn’t true, which is why we think it wasn’t originally from the apostle’s pen, but it is a historical explanation for why there were so many poor people in this one place. We can also pick this up in v7.

To whom does John draw our attention in v5?

One man who had been disabled for 38 years.

What kind of disability do you think he has, based on v7?

It seems likely that he was either paralysed or lame or weak, or something to this effect. He may have been carried to the pool every day, or only when it seemed likely that the waters would stir.

How did Jesus know that he had been sick for 38 years? (v6)

Well, it is tough to tell. The word for learned could either refer to learning by enquiry, or it could be that Jesus came to know supernaturally. Either way, he comes to understand the gravity of the man’s situation.

Then, does the man approach Jesus?

No, it is in fact Jesus who approaches the man.

And what does Jesus ask the man?

He asks him if he wants to get well.

That’s an odd question. Why do you think Jesus asks that?

Well, remember that Jesus approached the man. He is the one who began this whole process which could, ideally, lead to the man being healed. This is the same as Jesus says to us. He essentially asks us if we want to be healed. If we say no, which is in our rights, he leaves us alone. The first step to being saved, and to being healed, is wanting it. The heart needs to change first.

What does the man say in response? (v7)

There is an implicit answer here as well as a literal answer. Literally he basically just affirms the idea that we spoke about earlier, that he was trying to be healed by the pool, but had failed to this point because he wasn’t quick enough. Implicitly, he seems to be saying “Yeah, guy, of course I want to be healed. Why do you think I spend all my time here?”

So, how does the man come across to you? At this point does he seem like a friendly man, or can you not really tell?

It’s kind of tough to tell. But when I read this the tone I get is that he’s complaining and being grumpy about it.

What does Jesus say to him in response?

He says to him get up, take his mat, and walk.

And what does the man do? (v9)

He gets up, picks up his mat and walks.

Why do you think that Jesus included the man’s mat in his command?

It is to show the extent of his healing. He’s so thoroughly healed that not only is he able to move himself around, he’s also able to carry his mat. Even though it wasn’t a heavy thing, probably made of straw, we would nevertheless expect a man who had just started walking for the first time in 38 years to struggle. But he doesn’t. It shows how well, how thoroughly, he has been healed.

On what day does Jesus heal the man?

On the Sabbath.

And who comes along to him to challenge him? (v10)

The Jewish Leaders.

And what do they say to him?

They say to him that it is the Sabbath, and so he is not allowed to carry his mat.

Why is this? What do you understand about the Sabbath?

The Sabbath is both a Jewish and a Christian religious practice. It finds its basis in the first verses of Genesis 2, when God rested from his work of creating, thereby consecrating the seventh day (Saturday) and making it holy. In line with this, the Sabbath is the fourth of the ten commandments. This commandment forbade work on the seventh day. In the OT, work simply seems to have been the thing you do for a living. In later times, however, the Jews had defined it more closely to mean things like not carrying things from A to B, or digging, or anything that equated to exertion. As a result of their more stringent sabbath policies, Jesus and the Jewish leaders would frequently butt heads about the Sabbath (Mark 2:23-3:6; Matthew 12:1-14). This is one of those occasions. But for the moment Jesus isn’t in trouble, only the man is.

What does the man say in response? (v11)

He says “It wasn’t me. Don’t blame me. It was the man who healed me. He told me to do it.”

Now, I don’t know about you, but I think this is quite a cowardly response. Why do you think I might think that?

Well, because the man is basically selling out his healer for the sake of not being in trouble with the authorities. He’s essentially setting up the man who has just healed him to receive the punishment or censure from the religious leaders that he would have received.

So what do the Jews ask?

They ask him who this guy is.

And, interestingly, having heard of a man who has been healed, what don’t they ask?

They don’t ask how he was healed, or what the guy said, or in whose name he claimed to heal. They seem totally uninterested in the fact that this man has been miraculously healed before them. Instead they’re only interested in him insofar as he is a rule-breaker.

And what does the man say?

He doesn’t know who the man is. So not only is the guy cowardly, but he seems pretty slow. He wasn’t even able to catch the name of the man who healed him.

Later, Jesus finds the man at the temple. What does he say to him?

He says two things. Firstly, points out that the man has been healed. This is something he can’t deny. He’s now walking. Before, he could not. On the strength of this, he gives him an instruction: He tells him to stop sinning or something worse may happen to him.

Okay, now what does that mean?

Well firstly, if the man needs to stop sinning, then it is clear that at some point he was sinning. And it seems that his paralysis was in some way connected with his sin. It’s important to realise that while this isn’t the normal way things happen, it is nevertheless true that on occasion sins do lead to particular instances of illness. This seems to be the case (cf 1 Corinthians 11:30).

Therefore we can assume that Jesus had some knowledge that for this man specifically, his 38 year stint as an invalid was linked to some specific sin, and that his healing now was also an opportunity for spiritual healing.

What does the man do immediately after this? (v15)

He goes and tells the Jews who it was who healed him.

So has he learned his lesson?

No. This man obstinately continues in his sin. And, ominously, this is the very last we see of him.

16-18: Jesus is Equal with God

And what is the result of the man’s telling the authorities? (v16)

They persecute Jesus as a Sabbath breaker. Now we have our first signs of genuine conflict between the Jewish leaders and Jesus, with this word persecute. In general it just means to chase.

But what is Jesus’ response to their challenge to him?

He says that his Father is working, and so he must be working.

Now what does that mean?

It means two things. Firstly, it means that although God rested from his work of creation on the seventh day, in some sense anyway, his work never really ended. God sustains the whole universe, and his providential work keeps it going. Jews rationalised that he wasn’t a Sabbath breaker because the whole universe was his domain, and so for him to sustain it doesn’t count as work.

But secondly, that the same reasons that God is exempt from Sabbath work apply to Jesus. Jesus is aligning himself with God, his Father, in a way that means that whatever appplies to God, applies to Jesus as well. He’s claiming a very close relationship to God like the one in John 1:1. There he was the Word who was with God and was God. Here, he speaks of God as his Father, so obviously they aren’t the same person, but nevertheless they are so alike in dignity, power, and necessity, that they are one in that sense. This is a strong claim that Jesus is making.

And the Jews get it. What does v18 tell us?

That because of these words, the Jews were all the more ready to kill Jesus. He was in their eyes blaspheming. Now, we’re going to see the implications of this next week. But for now keep this in mind. Jesus had given them such a strong message that they were trying to kill him.

Application:

Given that we’re only dealing with half the passage, there isn’t a whole lot by way of application. Nevertheless, here are two.

The first is kind of secondary. Very secondary, in fact. It’s got to do with what the Jews believed about the pool. In a similar way, there are a lot of folk beliefs attached to Christianity. Things the Bible nowhere teaches, but Christians nevertheless believe. So, keep a close watch on your life, but also your doctrine.

The second is that we shouldn’t be like the man who got healed. Like him, we’ve all enjoyed Jesus’ healing. We ought to be grateful, and to respond in love and obedience. Not like how this guy did.