October 18, 2006

 

Chapter five, verses 1-8- the writer, John, now moves us along to the third miracle, another healing, but this time in Jerusalem.

  “there was a feast of the Jews”-  opinions differ as to which feast this was—some suggest Passover, while other capable scholars think it is Feast of Trumpets or Feast of Tabernacles.  Whatever it was, it gave Jesus reason to go to the city.  We are told of a pool, called Bethesda [House of Mercy] having five porches, [NIV =five covered colonnades].  Vs. 3 says that around this pool, there gathered a number of invalids -blind, lame, paralyzed.

   The ending on vs.3 “waiting for the moving of the water”---through all of vs.4 is omitted from some notable manuscripts [omitted from NIV & NASV].

It has been suggested by those, who omit the passage, that it was added by

copyists in order to make sense out of the phrase in vs.7 “when the water is stirred up”.  Clearly, without the words from the end of vs.3 and into vs.4 such a remark in vs.7 is difficult to understand.  The story of the angel does sound a bit apocryphal, but is possible.

  Vs. 5 tells of a particular man who had been crippled for 38 years and was sitting nearby.  These physical infirmities illustrate the larger and more pervasive dysfunction of the nation of Israel due to sin.  Such restoration of physical abilities was part of the revival of national blessing on Israel—see Isaiah 35:1-7,

particularly vs.6—that would accompany Messiah’s return.

  Jesus observes the man’s condition (vs.6), assessing that he has been there a long time.  He asks, “do you want to be made well?”—the question may appear to odd (Who doesn’t want to be well?), but is intended to initiate the

conversation and draw the sick man toward Jesus as a healer.  Strangely enough, there is a truth that some people don’t want to be healed, whether from physical or other illness.  For such individuals, illness provides an excuse to avoid personal responsibility and allows them to enjoy the sympathy of others.

  The sick man’s response is to focus on his limitations with respect to the opportunity in the pool- “I have no man….”

   Sovereignly and powerfully, Jesus then commands the man—“Rise, take up our bed and walk”.   All 3 verbs are present active imperatives.  Jesus does not solicit faith, but acts with intervention on behalf of this sick man.  The result in vs.9 was that “immediately”=eutheos- seen often in synoptics, but rare in

Gospel of John—the man was made well, took his bed and walked.

Atrophied muscles were instantly restored new and strong after years of neglect and the man acted in accord with his ability.  Capacity for life was given to him as he had never had it before!  In a similar miracle in Acts 3:2-8, the relieved

man leaped and praised God.  Jesus is revealed as having power over the natural forces of life and capable of bringing instant health.

  Vs. 9 adds, “and that day was the Sabbath.”  These words set up the nature of the conflict recorded in the verses that follow.  The Sabbath was a

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unique day to the people of Israel- Exodus 20:8-11- where physical work was to be halted in accord with the Law.  John records the response of those called,

the Jews.  In seeing this newly liberated and restored man carrying his bed,

they assert, “it is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.”

Thus, the stage is set for a conflict with the Lord Jesus.

           These Jewish leaders have erred is several ways:

1) They have allowed the symbol to obscure the truth-  the Sabbath served to   

  illustrate the “rest” of a trust in God who loved them.  When He acted to

  show that love through healing this man, they missed the greater truth.

2) They confused the ritual with the reality-  each Sabbath day was to be a

  day of physical rest out of respect for God’s creation and His position as

  Giver of life—but He and His work (including this healing) is a greater reality

  than a day of the week.  They observed the ritual of Sabbath keeping while

  failing the greater reality of delight in what God does.

3)  They were occupied with the incidental instead of the essential.  The

  Sabbath rest was simply to bring ‘restoration’ of human life each week.          

  Yet, when Jesus did the essential of restoring life instantly, they missed its

  value by focusing only on the Day.

4) They followed the letter but missed the spirit-  technically, the healed man

   may have “worked” in carrying his bed and violated the letter of the Law.

   Yet, they missed the spirit or heart of the Law, which expressed God’s care

    and provision for Israel, illustrated in this man’s wonderful healing.

5) They mistook the means for the end-  The Law expressed God’s truth,

   through the Sabbath, that weekly “rest” was a means to help Israel (in

   the larger sphere of obedience) toward the goal of  physical rest and spiritual

   refreshment.  For the Jews, the Sabbath became their only interest and they

   failed to see that this man’s restoration matched or even exceeded the

   ultimate goal of the Sabbath Law.