Devotional - John 5:1-15

Passage To Study:

John 5:1-15

[Jn 5:1] After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. [2] Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. [3] In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. [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. [5] And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. [6] When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? [7] 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 steppeth down before me. [8] Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. [9] And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. [10] The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. [11] He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. [12] Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? [13] And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place. [14] Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. [15] The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.

What are the facts of the passage?:

Jesus goes to Jerusalem to celebrate a feast.
A large number of sick and infirm lay by a pool waiting for the troubling of the water as the first one in the water was healed.
A certain man is brought to our attention.
Jesus sees him and asks him if he wishes to be made whole.
The man answers that he keeps getting beaten into the water because of his infirmity.
Jesus heals him, telling him to take up his bed and walk and he is immediately healed, takes up his bed and walks.
We are told that it was the Sabbath (this illuminates the coming problem for us).
The Jews rebuke the man saying it is not lawful to carry a burden on the Sabbath.
He responds that the one who healed him told him to do it.
The Jews ask him to point out the one who healed him, and the man is unable to do so because he didn't know Jesus and the Lord had removed Himself from the area.
Jesus sees him later in the Temple and tells him to sin no more lest a worse thing come upon him.
The man goes and tells the Jews it was Jesus who healed him.

What do those facts mean?:

The surface issue is, of course, the healing. We ought not scrimp over this aspect of the account. It is a marvelous recounting of a true event that illustrates the grace, mercy. compassion and courage of our Lord. These thiogs are central to His character and deserve ample and thorough attention.

However, the continuing undercurrent of building tension between the Lord and the Jewish leaders is of interest as well. There is also the matter of the application of the Law to be thought through as well. This is most interesting to me.

The Law forbade the taking of a journey any longer than absolutely necessary on the Sabbath. The Law is specifically vague as to the length of the journey allowed and at what point a journey became illegal. I believe this to be purposeful on God's part. He wanted His people to seek specifics from Him on an individual basis. The Jews quantified the Law and added a great deal of specifics that were not a part of God's reveled will. They then treated those non-revealed additions as carrying equal authority with the revealed Law. This was not acceptable.

The real issue at hand here is one of authority. The Jews had taken an authority that was not theirs to take, and laid a burden or people that was unnecessary. Christ, on the other hand, had the authority to wield.

Strictly speaking, the burden the man carried both was a violation and was not a violation. The Law did forbid the carrying of a burden on the Sabbath. However, the act of the man was not a clear violation of the Law. It depended on the application of the letter of the revealed will of God. Thi point here is that Christ had the authority to make an application of the burden Law. He was its' author. The fact that He healed the man demonstrated that He had that authority.

How do those facts apply to my life?:

It teaches me that Christ is Lord of all, even the Sabbath.

What should I do in response?:

Be sure that I am in full submission to the Lord of all!

Day

The Man At The Pool Of Bethesda