A Study of John's Gospel. Pt. 22 A pool of mercy, a command of Christ and a mans obedience.
Good morning...
We are moving into John 5 today. This chapter begins with Jesus healing on the sabbath day. The religious leaders became incensed that Christ would heal a man on the sabbath day and most of the chapter deals with Jesus exposing religious errors while clearly teaching Who He is: God manifest in the flesh
Jesus goes to the pool Bethesda in Jerusalem.
John 5:1-2 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.
We now have a change of scenery. Jesus has gone to Jerusalem during a feast of the Jews. John does not tell us which feast was observed at the time of this miracle but the law included 3 annual feasts to be observed in Jerusalem.
Next, we see that they were in the vicinity of the sheep market where a unique pool was located. It was called Bethesda. The name means house of mercy and flowing waters.
A special pool visited by angels.
John 5:3-4 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.
John's description of the pool is remarkable. A large number of people with various health issues lay around the pool. Some were blind, some had lost a foot or had some other injury, some had withered muscles or were made feeble by their condition.
Why were they positioned around this particular pool? Because God sent an angel there at certain times and agitated the waters. Whoever got into the pool first after this happened was cured of their health issue. We can see why this pool was given a name that means house of mercy and flowing waters.
Now John is going to introduce us to one of those afflicted men who stayed by the pool hoping to be cured.
An utterly hopeless man meets Jesus Christ.
John 5:5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.
This man was suffering from some type of infirmity for almost 40 years. The word translated "infirmity" refers to a lack of physical strength, being frail and feeble.
John 5:6 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?
When Jesus saw this man He knew all about his history of illness and the length of time that he had been suffering. He knew this because He is God in the flesh and thus, omniscient.
Then, Jesus asked a beautiful question: "Wilt thou be made whole?" This question is meaningful because although Jesus healed all of the sick and afflicted that He encountered, His single greatest mission was to save mankind from sin.
Thus, His question has two aspects. First, Christ offered a physical healing but second, we know that Jesus was most concerned about bringing this man into a right relationship with God. When Jesus questioned the man He was leading the infirmed individual to focus on who Jesus was. His question was designed not only for the physical maladies but also to help this man think about the disease of sin which is far worse than a physical ailment.
The man is unable to reach the pool in time.
John 5:7 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.
The certain man answered Jesus' question with an explanation as to why he was still in an afflicted condition. He stated that he did not have anyone to help him into the pool when the angel troubled the waters. Instead, as he tried to pull himself in, someone else always got there first.
The spiritual aspect of his statement is obvious. No man has the means or ability to save himself or herself from sin. It must be a work of God and this is the picture that this particular miracle communicates to us. The certain man was without strength, without friends and unable to get to the curative waters of the pool.
However, he just encountered the Jesus, the God Man who can fix his illness and save his soul.
Faith and obedience makes this man whole.
John 5:8-9 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.
This is a command from Christ. Jesus commanded this man to rise up, take his bedding and walk. When Jesus speaks, His Word accomplishes His will. The man had faith to believe and obeyed Christ's command to get up and walk.
We see that this man was immediately healed of his infirmity. He rose up, gathered his bedding and walked! Nothing could be more astounding than this if you were one of the multitude assembled around the pool. It is a picture of how Christ immediately saves the sinner who calls upon Him in repentant faith. Salvation is an act of God in the heart of man.
Prophecy fulfilled by Christ.
Isaiah 35:1-6 The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. 2) It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God. 3) Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. 4) Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you. 5) Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. 6) Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.
Isaiah prophesied about the Messiah, Jesus Christ in several places and this is one of those references. I call your attention to what the Messiah is going to do. The prophet begins by telling us that there are going to be marvelous things witnessed in the wilderness and desert areas of Israel. The glory of Jehovah and the excellency of Elohim will be on display.
Jesus is fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy by His Words and His Works. Messiah is coming to save the people of God and to do many mighty wonders. Jesus healed many people who fit the description of verses 5-6. In the case of this miracle, a weak, feeble man with an infirmity gained immediate strength, rose up and walked.
It really is striking how this is reminiscent of the new birth, being born again by the power of God, walking in newness of life, having old things pass away and learning to be one of Jesus' disciples.
Notice there are many references to water in the desert and wilderness places where water was a scarce resource. Remember, that water is a symbol of the Word of God as well as the Spirit of God. Jesus spoke truth, taught truth and engaged all manner of people to bring the life giving waters of His living word to them so that they might respond with faith.
Thoughts to Ponder...
We learned that Jesus Christ came to seek and save the lost and the certain man in this story is no exception. Jesus healed his physical ailment but His emphasis was on turning the man's heart to spiritual truth so that he might be saved.
Jesus helped this man see past the obvious barriers to him getting into the pool when the angel moved the waters, to see that Messiah has come not just to heal his body but to restore his soul.
Jesus commanded the man to rise up and walk. It is as much of an imperative as when Jesus told Nicodemus he must be born again. The certain man could have faith and obey Jesus or he could sit in his miserable condition and stay the same. He chose to respond with faith and obeyed Christ.
If you are not born again, I strongly encourage you to seek the Lord while He may be found. Do not stay in your state of sin. Obey the call of the gospel and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. He will save all who call upon Him.
I hope that the details of this story fill our hearts with gratitude for what Jesus did to save us from our sins. When we are born again, the old life passes away and we have a new path of righteousness to follow as we walk in newness of life.
May our hearts be sensitive to our Lord's words. "Rise, take up thy bed and walk!" A new life awaits those who are born again. A life of hope and a relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Bob
We are moving into John 5 today. This chapter begins with Jesus healing on the sabbath day. The religious leaders became incensed that Christ would heal a man on the sabbath day and most of the chapter deals with Jesus exposing religious errors while clearly teaching Who He is: God manifest in the flesh
Jesus goes to the pool Bethesda in Jerusalem.
John 5:1-2 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.
We now have a change of scenery. Jesus has gone to Jerusalem during a feast of the Jews. John does not tell us which feast was observed at the time of this miracle but the law included 3 annual feasts to be observed in Jerusalem.
Next, we see that they were in the vicinity of the sheep market where a unique pool was located. It was called Bethesda. The name means house of mercy and flowing waters.
A special pool visited by angels.
John 5:3-4 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.
John's description of the pool is remarkable. A large number of people with various health issues lay around the pool. Some were blind, some had lost a foot or had some other injury, some had withered muscles or were made feeble by their condition.
Why were they positioned around this particular pool? Because God sent an angel there at certain times and agitated the waters. Whoever got into the pool first after this happened was cured of their health issue. We can see why this pool was given a name that means house of mercy and flowing waters.
Now John is going to introduce us to one of those afflicted men who stayed by the pool hoping to be cured.
An utterly hopeless man meets Jesus Christ.
John 5:5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.
This man was suffering from some type of infirmity for almost 40 years. The word translated "infirmity" refers to a lack of physical strength, being frail and feeble.
John 5:6 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?
When Jesus saw this man He knew all about his history of illness and the length of time that he had been suffering. He knew this because He is God in the flesh and thus, omniscient.
Then, Jesus asked a beautiful question: "Wilt thou be made whole?" This question is meaningful because although Jesus healed all of the sick and afflicted that He encountered, His single greatest mission was to save mankind from sin.
Thus, His question has two aspects. First, Christ offered a physical healing but second, we know that Jesus was most concerned about bringing this man into a right relationship with God. When Jesus questioned the man He was leading the infirmed individual to focus on who Jesus was. His question was designed not only for the physical maladies but also to help this man think about the disease of sin which is far worse than a physical ailment.
The man is unable to reach the pool in time.
John 5:7 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.
The certain man answered Jesus' question with an explanation as to why he was still in an afflicted condition. He stated that he did not have anyone to help him into the pool when the angel troubled the waters. Instead, as he tried to pull himself in, someone else always got there first.
The spiritual aspect of his statement is obvious. No man has the means or ability to save himself or herself from sin. It must be a work of God and this is the picture that this particular miracle communicates to us. The certain man was without strength, without friends and unable to get to the curative waters of the pool.
However, he just encountered the Jesus, the God Man who can fix his illness and save his soul.
Faith and obedience makes this man whole.
John 5:8-9 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.
This is a command from Christ. Jesus commanded this man to rise up, take his bedding and walk. When Jesus speaks, His Word accomplishes His will. The man had faith to believe and obeyed Christ's command to get up and walk.
We see that this man was immediately healed of his infirmity. He rose up, gathered his bedding and walked! Nothing could be more astounding than this if you were one of the multitude assembled around the pool. It is a picture of how Christ immediately saves the sinner who calls upon Him in repentant faith. Salvation is an act of God in the heart of man.
Prophecy fulfilled by Christ.
Isaiah 35:1-6 The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. 2) It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God. 3) Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. 4) Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you. 5) Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. 6) Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.
Isaiah prophesied about the Messiah, Jesus Christ in several places and this is one of those references. I call your attention to what the Messiah is going to do. The prophet begins by telling us that there are going to be marvelous things witnessed in the wilderness and desert areas of Israel. The glory of Jehovah and the excellency of Elohim will be on display.
Jesus is fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy by His Words and His Works. Messiah is coming to save the people of God and to do many mighty wonders. Jesus healed many people who fit the description of verses 5-6. In the case of this miracle, a weak, feeble man with an infirmity gained immediate strength, rose up and walked.
It really is striking how this is reminiscent of the new birth, being born again by the power of God, walking in newness of life, having old things pass away and learning to be one of Jesus' disciples.
Notice there are many references to water in the desert and wilderness places where water was a scarce resource. Remember, that water is a symbol of the Word of God as well as the Spirit of God. Jesus spoke truth, taught truth and engaged all manner of people to bring the life giving waters of His living word to them so that they might respond with faith.
Thoughts to Ponder...
We learned that Jesus Christ came to seek and save the lost and the certain man in this story is no exception. Jesus healed his physical ailment but His emphasis was on turning the man's heart to spiritual truth so that he might be saved.
Jesus helped this man see past the obvious barriers to him getting into the pool when the angel moved the waters, to see that Messiah has come not just to heal his body but to restore his soul.
Jesus commanded the man to rise up and walk. It is as much of an imperative as when Jesus told Nicodemus he must be born again. The certain man could have faith and obey Jesus or he could sit in his miserable condition and stay the same. He chose to respond with faith and obeyed Christ.
If you are not born again, I strongly encourage you to seek the Lord while He may be found. Do not stay in your state of sin. Obey the call of the gospel and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. He will save all who call upon Him.
I hope that the details of this story fill our hearts with gratitude for what Jesus did to save us from our sins. When we are born again, the old life passes away and we have a new path of righteousness to follow as we walk in newness of life.
May our hearts be sensitive to our Lord's words. "Rise, take up thy bed and walk!" A new life awaits those who are born again. A life of hope and a relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Bob
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