HEALING AT THE POOL OF BETHESDA

John 5: 1-47

Probably at the Passover in Spring 28 AD

After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. (Bethesda has two meanings: “House of Mercy” and “Shame” or “Disgrace”.)

There were questions about this pool raised because of the description of it having five porches, which would be unusual; however, archaeologists identified the remains of this pool and it did have five porches. It was a rectangular with two pools separated by a wall and had five porticos. In 2005, archaeologists discovered the Siloam Pool, the site of another of Jesus’ miracles. The Siloam Pool was quickly identified as a mikveh and archaeologists believe the pool at Bethesda was probably a mikveh as well. That it was is supported by its structure, which had broad steps and landing on the south pool. The north pool acted as a reservoir that continually supplied fresh water to the south pool. The pools were fed by a natural spring.

Mikvehs were ritual baths and almost all Jewish towns had one. Cities often had more than one. As we mentioned in our exploration of John the Baptist in Matthew 3:7-14, Mark 1:7-8 and Luke 3:7-18, the practice of Baptism grew out of the mikveh and was part of the purification rituals given in the Law of Moses. They were used in the immersion of new converts to Judaism, symbolizing he was “like a new born child”. People would flock to these pools for the purpose of purification and sometimes healing.

There was associated with this particular pool a tradition that an angel would stir the water and the first in would be cured.

 These are the remains of the

Bethesda Pool today. The pool was located not too far from the north wall of the Temple, where was located the Sheep Gate. Some early Christian writings refer to a spring here that ran a ruddy color, which they associated with the sheep brought through here for sacrifice, thus this section became associated with the blood of sacrifice.

The Sheep Gate is mentioned in two passages of Scripture, here in John 5 about the healing at the Siloam Pool and earlier in the Old Testament book of Nehemiah, where the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s wall is described after the exiles return from Babylon.

Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brothers the priests, and they built the Sheep Gate. They consecrated it and set its doors. They consecrated it as far as the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Tower of Hananel. 2 And next to him the men of Jericho built. And next to them[a] Zaccur the son of Imri built. Nehemiah 3:1.

Chapter 3 goes through the construction of each gate into Jerusalem and it begins at the Sheep Gate. This description continues through Nehemiah 3:32, ending the tour around around this wall this way: “And between the upper chamber of the corner and the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and the merchants repaired.

So our tour begins and ends at the Sheep gate, the place associated with the sacrifice of the animals, specifically the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. We can look at this as symbolically portraying Christ as the Beginning and the End.

In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. 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.

And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he said to him, “Would thou be made whole?”

The impotent man answered him, “Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”

Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.”

And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked:

Jesus may have been on his way to the Temple. The Scripture doesn’t indicate he came to the pool on purpose, so it is possible he was passing by when he saw the “certain man”, although it is hard to say if Jesus ever went anywhere without purpose. Jesus would have known in his divinity the man’s plight, but it is probable that he questioned the man and was told this story by the man. Jesus made it a habit to inquire of people he met before taking any action; for instance, the Samaritan Woman at the well. As with others Jesus came in contact with, he asked one of those strange questions, this one being odd because the answer seems so obvious, “Would thou be made whole?”

Now, since I have a sarcastic mind, my answer would have been, “What’d’ya think I’m doing here, watching the ducks swim?” This man is not snippy nor does he directly answer the question. He simply explains his plight, perhaps hoping this stranger will help him get in the pool. Instead, Jesus says,” Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.”

Part of the miracle here is that the man immediately does this. He doesn’t argue, doesn’t hesitate, doesn’t consider Jesus crazy, and we learn a bit further in these verses that he had no idea who Jesus was. We should remember Jesus has been doing his ministry in Galilee and hasn’t gained much notoriety in Judea yet.

There is an outline to Jesus approach we should take note of and put into practice. We should be ever aware of our surroundings and the needs of those around us. When we come across someone who appears to be in need we should engage them seeking to learn about them. We should do this by listening to what they say with out judging or criticizing. We should take whatever action is in our power and we should follow up with them.

It can also be noted that we also have a picture of salvation here as well. Who were we or are those of the world but “a multitude of impotent folk” waiting for an Angel to save us from our blindness and withered spirits. Jesus comes along and asks, “Would thou be made whole” and what do we answer? Do we take up our bed and walk with Jesus or lie there and suffer forever?

And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, “It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.”

He answered them, “He that made me whole, the same said to me, ‘Take up your bed, and walk.’”

Then asked they him, “What man is that which said to you, ‘Take up your bed, and walk?’”

And he that was healed did not know who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.

Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “Behold, you are made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto you.”

The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.

And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the Sabbath day.

This has become a recurrent theme for Jesus. A number of noteworthy healings are given in Scripture occurring on a Sabbath and in each case, Jesus is confronted by the Jewish Religious Leaders and accused of breaking the Sabbath. Jesus reminds them over and over that it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath, but they refuse to hear him.  Refer to Matthew 12, Mark 1, Mark 2, Mark 3, Luke 6, Luke 13, Luke 14, John 7 and  John 9 for examples.

But Jesus answered them, “My Father works hitherto, and I work.”

Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

Then answered Jesus and said to them, “Verily, verily, I say to you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father do: for what things soever he does, these also does the Son likewise. For the Father loves the Son, and shows him all things that himself does: and he will show him greater works than these, that you may marvel. For as the Father raises up the dead, and quickens them; even so the Son quickens whom he will. For the Father judges no man, but has committed all judgment unto the Son: That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honours not the Son honours not the Father which has sent him.

“Verily, verily, I say to you, He that hears my word, and believes on him that sent me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

“Verily, verily, I say to you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father has life in himself; so has he given to the Son to have life in himself; And has given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.

“Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

“I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which has sent me.

“If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. There is another that bears witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesses of me is true. Ye sent to John, and he bare witness to the truth. But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that you might be saved. He was a burning and a shining light: and you were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father has given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father has sent me. And the Father himself, which has sent me, has borne witness of me. You have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. And you have not his word abiding in you: for whom he has sent, him you believe not.

“Search the scriptures; for in them you think you have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And you will not come to me, that you might have life.

“I receive not honour from men. But I know you, that you have not the love of God in you. I am come in my Father's name, and you receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him you will receive. How can you believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that comes from God only?

“Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuses you, even Moses, in whom you trust. For had you believed Moses, you would have believed me; for he wrote of me. But if you believe not his writings, how shall you believe my words?

We have here, in Jesus’ dressing down of the Pharisees and other religious leaders, his declaration that the Old Testament is also about Him.