Do you want it?

Jesus ministry thus far is on the move. From Jerusalem in Judea to Samaria on the way to Cana of Galilee, to Capernum. Now heading back to Jerusalem. Jesus divine timetable and encounters continue.

From the baptism to fulfill prophesy (chpt. 1)

To the calling of disciples who would become apostles (chpt. 1)

To the miracle in Cana of Galilee (chpt. 2)

To a private encounter with Nicodemus (chpt. 3)

To an exit from Judea again to Samaria (chpt. 4)

Now, tonight back to Jerusalem.

So, here tonight I hope, plan, we will see how far we get to look at:

The passage (Jn5:1-15)

The pool (vv.1-4)

The question (vv.5-6)

The reply (vv.7-9)

The controversy (vv.10-13)

The warning (vv.14-15)

The Text

Simply Christians study and glean from God’s word and that is what we will do together. Then will get to look at what we can see, learn from the passage.

John 5:1–2 NASB95

1 After these things there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porticoes.

John 5:3–4 NASB95

3 In these lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, and withered, waiting for the moving of the waters; 4 for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted.

John 5:5–6 NASB95

5 A man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had already been a long time in that condition, He said to him, “Do you wish to get well?”

John 5:7–8 NASB95

7 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.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.”

John 5:9–10 NASB95

9 Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk. Now it was the Sabbath on that day. 10 So the Jews were saying to the man who was cured, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not permissible for you to carry your pallet.”

John 5:11–12 NASB95

11 But he answered them, “He who made me well was the one who said to me, ‘Pick up your pallet and walk.’ ” 12 They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Pick up your pallet and walk’?”

John 5:13–14 NASB95

13 But the man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away while there was a crowd in that place. 14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “Behold, you have become well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you.”

John 5:15 NASB95

15 The man went away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.

Anything stick out in this passage?

Why was Jesus going back to Jerusalem (v.1)?

The feast they are going back for is unknown, and it is insignificant to the divine appointment and teaching that is going to happen.

What gate was the pool located, and what was it called (v.2)?

Sheep gate and called Bethesda

Who was at the pool, and why were they there (vv.3-4)?

multitude of sick

Desiring to be made well when an angel stirred the waters

How long Had the man been ill (v.5)?

38 years

What was Jesus question (v.6)?

Do you want to get well

What was the man’s response (v.7)?

No man will put me into the pool.

What was Jesus words (v.8)?

Get up! Pick up, walk!

What did the man do (v.9)?

He immediately picked up his pallet/bed, and began to walk

Who accused the man of breaking the Sabbath, and why (v.10)?

The Jews, for carrying his bed

Did the man know who healed him (vv.11-13)?

No, he did not

There is an implication by Jesus in (v.14), what is it, and why is it said?

Go and sin no more, so that he was a sinner

What did the man do after that (v.15)?

He told the Jews it was Jesus who had made him well.

That is just a brief gleaning of the scripture so that we pull the facts now we can build from there.

The Pool

Jesus was in Jerusalem for a purpose, more than just the feast (v.1); He had a divine purpose at this pool.

It is believed the name meant “house of mercy” or “House of grace” it is also said that is meant “place of two outpourings”

The pool was located at the NW corner of the city (see Neh3:1, 12:39). Maybe John recorded the gate because Jesus was already identified as the “lamb of God.”

This pool has been excavated now and commentator Alford says “St. John wrote his Gospel before the destruction of Jerusalem. But this must not be pressed. He might have spoken in present tense without meaning to be literally accurate with regard to the moment when he was writing.”

There was much hope in the multitude or they would not be there daily waiting for an angel to stir up the water and for them to get a healing.

Now, your bible may be missing a part (v.3) and (v.4) some manuscripts did not have it, but the earliest MSS showing these two verses are by Tertullian in 2nd Century.

The bible mentions many unusual healings, this is just one of them, so others were

By pot of stew (2Kng4:38-41)

By dipping in river Jordan (2Kng5:10-14)

Touching dead bones of Elisha (2Kng13:20-21)

A falling shadow of Peter (Act5:14-16)

Touching Paul’s handkerchief (Act19:11-12)

God can do extraordinary things in unexpected ways. But not all out of the ordinary things are from God (i.e. Pharaoh's magicians; Simon the Sorcerer).

The Question

Jesus on divine time schedule, with divine appointments is very intentional in everything He does. We see some intentionality here in His question.

John 5:5–6 NKJV

5 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. 6 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?”

I like the way the NKJV says it

A certain man - divine appointment

You can also see that Jesus sought out the man

While there was a multitude of people, Jesus sought out this man.

Spurgeon said this

“A blindness had come over these people at the pool; there they were, and there was the Christ, the one who could heal them. But, not a single one of them sought Him. Their eyes were fixed on the water, expecting it to be troubled, stirred up; they were so taken up with their own chosen way that they neglected the true way.”

Waiting, they were all waiting, but you know what, people even today are waiting.

Waiting for a convenient season to choose Jesus

Waiting to see signs, wonders before will choose Jesus.

Waiting for something to compel them, or move them, some emotional experience or feeling before surrendering to Jesus.

Jesus knew the condition of the man for a long time.

The certain man had been waiting a long time, how would you think he would answer the question?

The answer is obvious what it should be, but is the answer coupled with hope, with faith, with trust?

This man seemed to really display no hope, just excuses.

The Reply

Not the reply that you would expect from a man in this state for 38 years.

John 5:7–8 NKJV

7 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.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.”

John 5:9 NKJV

9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath.

The man gave excuses, did not say “yes.”

The man was limiting God

The man thought the healing was in the water; and only for the one who gets in first when the water is stirred up.

Did we think at one time there was something we had to do for God to heal us, deliver us, save us?

Do we know people who think “God if He knew what I have done would want nothing to do with me.”

Or I better get cleaned up, then I will get God.

Yet Jesus told him what to do, and the man did it!

Jesus, who spoke the world into existence (Gen1:1); Jesus who had the words of of eternal life (Jn6:68) whose words was God and was with God (Jn1:1-3) spoke to the certain man.

The man immediately got up. He had a measure of faith, not in Jesus but in the words that Jesus spoke.

God can heal in many fashions and many ways. From the anointing, the laying on of hands, in response to personal faith, or even the faith of someone else, yes even by medical treatment. But these healings do not equate that you are right with God and going to heaven.

(Transition) now arises a controversy

The Controversy

What’s a good healing without a good controversy. Many of the healings Jesus did were on the Sabbath as you will continue to see in our studies. But let’s look at the one before us now.

John 5:10–11 NKJV

10 The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.” 11 He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’ ”

John 5:12–13 NKJV

12 Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” 13 But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place.

The Jews, this is leadership, not all Jews, and the controversy was with the certain man.

The certain man blamed an uncertain person of doing it.

The Jews had made many man made laws, traditions, gave definitions of work on the Sabbath and carrying a bed/mat/pallet was in violation of them.

The man truly did not know it was Jesus for He had exited himself for there was a multitude of sick, blind, lame, people and that was not the divine reason He was there. The reason we will get to next week.

(Transition) - This does lead now to Jesus coming back on the scene, now in the temple

The warning

Have you ever had anything really good happen, then warned about it? Well, that is what happens with the certain man, as the divine appointment continues now.

John 5:14–15 NKJV

14 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.” 15 The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.

Again, Jesus sought out the man

Jesus had a divine appointment with the woman at the well. She did not seek him out.

Jesus had a divine appointment with the certain man who did not seek Jesus out.

Not all healing come because you seek Jesus, some come because Jesus seeks the person.

Jesus acknowledged the healing

There was no denying the fact, the man was healed and now was in the temple, surely to offer the appropriate sacrifice.

There was no denying to fact to the multitude that saw the man, who was afflicted for 38 years suddenly walking without being put into the pool when it was stirred.

There was no denying the fact that those in the temple that walked by the pool often going to the temple knew the man who was now standing in their midst.

Jesus admonished sin

Jesus told him to sin no more, so what does that mean? It means he was a sinner. And that he could be in a worse state if he returns to sin.

Was it sin that afflicted the man for 38 years, it could be.

What we can also see, or not see, is that there is no mention of forgiveness of sins.

There is no confession of belief in Jesus

So, there was a healing but it did not mean there was a forgiveness of sins. Jesus did it from a place of love, grace, mercy, but God is just and sin must be dealt with and the man had to face that.

The man sold-out Jesus to the Jews

Why did he do it? Was he scared of being put of the temple that he just went into for the first time in 38 years?

Why did he do it? Was it because he was so excited about Jesus who healed him?

We don’t know, but what we do know is that he named Jesus and this sets up for the reason for this divine appointment with a certain man next week.