Notes

Bethesda rises good memories in me. I had the privilege to be at Bethesda in 2018. It was a hot and sunny afternoon under a clear sky when we arrived there. It does only add roughly to the picture of studying this passage because I find it hard, based on the excavation, to picture how it all happened. We were about 10 meters above looking down to the excavation of the pools. But it sure adds a bit to the overall picture of the scene. Close by, nowadays, is the Church of St. Anne which is a beautiful building with great acoustics inside. That's where we stopped to cool down and sing "Amazing Grace" with the whole traveling group. 5:4-5 Some seriously believe that black cats bring bad luck and knocking on wood brings good luck. We'd find this superstition in the extreme form today in very poor countries like Malawi. The angels "stirring up the water" is believed by some to be a myth. Early manuscripts do not read this verse and some show this verse in brackets added by some scholars who copied scripture, likely as a further explanation for the words of the sick man in 5:7 . This could become a lengthy research and discussion to evaluate whether this verse was original and therefore inspired and penned by John. Now, whether it was or not, just as all manuscriptually questionable verses, it does not add or remove from the clear and central message of the Bible about the Good News of Jesus Christ to grand at God's tremendous cost freely the reunification of imperfect and rebellious people to the one and only holy, perfect, righteous, good, merciful and loving God revealed in nature and the whole Bible. Why wait for 38 years to be healed if nobody actually got healed and this was a myth - I don't know - there is no good reason to believe a myth. He could have waited for those years because he was deceived and utterly hopeless to see through the deception. Is it possible that an angel touched the water and people got healed? - Yes, because angels are God's supernatural messengers and are often in service for us humans. Those physical miracles would not have been out of reach for God's angels. 5:6a b Jesus feels with the suffering. A true sign of a noble and strong character. People of great skill and high achievement have often hardened themselves toward weak, unintelligent, and suffering people. They tend to exploit them. But not so with the God-Man Jesus who would go through ultimate suffering at the cross and through that experience be able to identify with the sufferings of the body as well as spirit and soul. Suffering is a result of Adam's rebellion, i.e. sin, which affects the world we live in. Physically, there used to be no decay or aging - hence death - as we know it today. Spiritually, there were no broken relationships, no enmity, strife, jealousy, rivalries, separations and the like. Jesus prepared a place for His people where there will be no tears nor suffering anymore. And this He accomplished w hen He died for sinners and rose victoriously from the dead and was lifted up to heaven. A promise every Christian is happy to look forward to. 5:6c Jesus asked directly if the man wants to be made well. Jesus got usually asked this question. 5:9a Power of Jesus to rise 38 years paralyzed man. Either Jesus was also God to heal this man or this record is a straight out lie. The power of Jesus to do miracles was witnessed by a multitude of people. And the fact of His resurrection was witnessed by over 500 people at once before He went to be with God the Father (1Cor 15:6). The records are true and Jesus is God as well as Man. 5:9b Introduction to the conflict of healing on the Sabbat. 5:10 Interesting question by the Jews. If a man was paralyzed for 38 years, would not the right question be to ask how he was made well and be happy with him?

notes

Phrase

editing

NT

John 5:1-15

nkjv

After this

Temporal

there was a feast of the Jews,

and Jesus went up

to Jerusalem.

Destination

in Jerusalem

Locative

by the Sheep Gate

Now there is ... a pool,

which is called ... Bethesda,

in Hebrew,

having five porches.

Accompaniment

In these lay a great multitude ... waiting for the moving of the water.

of sick people, blind,

lame,

paralyzed,

at a certain time

into the pool

For an angel went down ... and stirred up the water;

Ground

then whoever stepped in first, ... was made well

Result

after the stirring of the water,

of whatever disease he had.

Content

Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty- eight years.

When Jesus saw him lying there,

and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time,

He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”

The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”

Answer

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

And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.

And that day was the Sabbath.

The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.”

He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’ ”

Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?”

But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place.

Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.”

The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.

phrasing

Main point summary

Jesus went to a feast in Jerusalem where He met an infidel on a Sabbath at Bethesda and healed him. Then the healed infidel reported Jesus to the Jewish leaders.

Arc

John 5:1-15

mine

After this there was a feast of the Jews,

After this there was a feast of the Jews,

and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

locative

Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool,

Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool,

which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches.

which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches.

ideaexplanation

In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed,

In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed,

waiting for the moving of the water.

waiting for the moving of the water

actionmanner

For an angel went down at a certain time

because it was said that an angel went down at a certain time

into the pool

into the pool

and stirred up the water;

and stirred up the water;

progression

then whoever stepped in first,

then the person who stepped in first,

after the stirring of the water,

after the stirring of the water,

temporal

was made well of whatever disease he had.

was made as a result well of whatever disease he had.

actionresult

ground

Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity

Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity

thirty-eight years.

for 38 years.

When Jesus saw him lying there,

When Jesus saw him lying there,

and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time,

and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time ,

He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”

He said to him, "Do you want to be made well?"

The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up;

The sick man answered Him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up;

but while I am coming,

but while I am coming,

another steps down before me.”

somebody else steps down before me."

questionanswer

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

Suprisingly Jesus said to him, "Rise, Take up your bed and walk."

And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.

And as a result the man immediately was made well, took up his bed, and walked.

situationresponse

inference

And that day was the Sabbath.

And all this happened on a Sabbath .

The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath;

The Jewish leaders said therefore to him who was cured, "It is the Sabbath;

it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.”

therefore it is not lawful for you to carry your bed."

He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’ ”

He responded to them, "He who made me well said to me, 'Take up your bed and walk.'"

Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?”

Then they asked him, "Who is the Man who said to you, 'Take up your bed and walk'?"

But the one who was healed did not know who it was,

But the on who was healed did not know who it was,

for Jesus had withdrawn,

because Jesus had withdrawn,

a multitude being in that place.

because of the multitude of people at that place.

Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well.

Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you have been made well.

Sin no more,

Sin therefore no more,

lest a worse thing come upon you.”

lest a worse thing come upon you."

The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.

Surprisingly the man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.

discourse