John 5:1-18
1After this there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool, called in Hebrew Beth-zatha, which has five porticoes. 3In these lay many invalids—blind, lame, and paralysed. 5One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. 6When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, ‘Do you want to be made well?’ 7The sick man answered him, ‘Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me.’ 8Jesus said to him, ‘Stand up, take your mat and walk.’ 9At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk.
Now that day was a sabbath. 10So the Jews said to the man who had been cured, ‘It is the sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your mat.’ 11But he answered them, ‘The man who made me well said to me, “Take up your mat and walk.” ’ 12They asked him, ‘Who is the man who said to you, “Take it up and walk”?’ 13Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had disappeared in the crowd that was there. 14Later Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, ‘See, you have been made well! Do not sin any more, so that nothing worse happens to you.’ 15The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. 16Therefore the Jews started persecuting Jesus, because he was doing such things on the sabbath. 17But Jesus answered them, ‘My Father is still working, and I also am working.’ 18For this reason the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because he was not only breaking the sabbath, but was also calling God his own Father, thereby making himself equal to God.
1After this there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool, called in Hebrew Beth-zatha, which has five porticoes. 3In these lay many invalids—blind, lame, and paralysed. 5One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. 6When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, ‘Do you want to be made well?’ 7The sick man answered him, ‘Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me.’ 8Jesus said to him, ‘Stand up, take your mat and walk.’ 9At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk.
Now that day was a sabbath. 10So the Jews said to the man who had been cured, ‘It is the sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your mat.’ 11But he answered them, ‘The man who made me well said to me, “Take up your mat and walk.” ’ 12They asked him, ‘Who is the man who said to you, “Take it up and walk”?’ 13Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had disappeared in the crowd that was there. 14Later Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, ‘See, you have been made well! Do not sin any more, so that nothing worse happens to you.’ 15The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. 16Therefore the Jews started persecuting Jesus, because he was doing such things on the sabbath. 17But Jesus answered them, ‘My Father is still working, and I also am working.’ 18For this reason the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because he was not only breaking the sabbath, but was also calling God his own Father, thereby making himself equal to God.
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There is so much packed into this one piece of scripture, that it's hard to know where to start. It is hard not to focus exclusively on the sick old man. For 38 years, this man whom Jesus heals has been sitting around, bemoaning the fact that he cannot get to the pools quickly enough. Those darn whippersnappers always get there before him when the water is stirred up. And no one will come and carry him over to the pools because they're all too busy focusing on their own needs. I've always found this man an odd candidate for Jesus' healing touch. Surely there was someone else at the pool that day that had a purer heart, a more sympathetic story, led a more holy life. But Jesus chooses this man. What point was he trying to make? To me it's significant that the man is healed not by some abstract miracle but because he follows Jesus' instruction to get up and walk over to the pool with his own mat. Jesus challenges the man to take responsibility for himself, to believe that he can and will be healed, and once he listens to Jesus and follows his command, it is so.
It's tempting to look at this example and say "But, I'm not paralyzed, what relevance does this have for me?" The relevance to our everyday lives, I think, is composed of two things. First, the ever important cliche that God helps those who help themselves. How often do we find ourselves mired in a situation simply waiting for someone else to save us and whisk us out of it without ever really trying to get up and walk away with our proverbial mat? Second, and for me the greater temptation, is to say, "Well, it was easy for the old man. Jesus walked up to him and told him what to do. I lack that kind of clarity in my life." But here's the kicker: we read on and realize that the old man had no idea that he was speaking to Jesus. Until he saw him again, he was simply unaware that he'd been visited by the son of God. So, why did this man, this apparent sinner, follow Jesus' command to do precisely that which - for 38 years - he did not believe he could do? More importantly for each of us, what is it that we believe we cannot do? What is it God is telling us to conquer, to attempt to overcome, to change for ourselves during this season of repentance and renewal? May God give us all the peace, clarity and wisdom to find that thing and follow his will.
Bonus pictures of the pools at Bethesda! - http://www.biblewalks.com/Sites/Bethesda.html
It's tempting to look at this example and say "But, I'm not paralyzed, what relevance does this have for me?" The relevance to our everyday lives, I think, is composed of two things. First, the ever important cliche that God helps those who help themselves. How often do we find ourselves mired in a situation simply waiting for someone else to save us and whisk us out of it without ever really trying to get up and walk away with our proverbial mat? Second, and for me the greater temptation, is to say, "Well, it was easy for the old man. Jesus walked up to him and told him what to do. I lack that kind of clarity in my life." But here's the kicker: we read on and realize that the old man had no idea that he was speaking to Jesus. Until he saw him again, he was simply unaware that he'd been visited by the son of God. So, why did this man, this apparent sinner, follow Jesus' command to do precisely that which - for 38 years - he did not believe he could do? More importantly for each of us, what is it that we believe we cannot do? What is it God is telling us to conquer, to attempt to overcome, to change for ourselves during this season of repentance and renewal? May God give us all the peace, clarity and wisdom to find that thing and follow his will.
Bonus pictures of the pools at Bethesda! - http://www.biblewalks.com/Sites/Bethesda.html
1 comment:
I have always thought that the key here is Jesus's question: Do you want to be healed?
So many of us who have been ill or disabled a long time can't even imagine what that question really means anymore. Yet this man did, as he followed directions, he found himself healed. You are right --- there is so much in this scripture to think about. Thank you for your thoughts and devotion.
Blessings to you!
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