Jesus heals, the leaders do not rejoice

 

Joh 5:1  After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 

Joh 5:2  Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. 

Joh 5:3  In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. 

Joh 5:4  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.

By the sheep market There was a pool called Bethesda. What does Bethesda mean? House of mercy or house of Grace. So this pool is called house of mercy, for at a certain season an angel came down and roiled the waters.

Quick question how many of you read this and take it at full face value? Now do not be so quick to raise your hands. For we have never seen such a thing as this, so lets ask, if we were tourists and the tour guide told you this pool had healing powers, what would you think? And just for a kicker on the description the tour guide gives, he tells you no matter what disease or ailment, when the waters were roiled the person was healed from being in the water first? An all curing miracle heal? From roiled up waters?

Of course you would just mark it down as old wives tales, legend myth. Yet John who was there saw a great multitude of folks who were waiting for the “troubling” of the waters. To be frank if it was not in God’s Word I would throw a suspicious eye at such a tale. However, in the God Inspired Word it is wrote and therefore to be believed whole heartedly. The folks who were waiting fully believed, and if they were there and saw the results of what happened to the one who entered first then they believed enough to be there at this certain season. Eyewitness testimony is so much more valuable and encouraging than just having it heard, So just like the 500 in the upper room that saw Christ, we have a great multitude who believed and were waiting for it.

As a side note, in reading a few commentaries on this section of Scripture I saw a lot of discourse on the location of the pool, the source of the waters and the healing properties, which while some may find important, as I was reading all it did for me was distract from the central message, they went off in all directions and it led to so many different strands of thought and investigation. For instance in reading the Word it says one was healed, if the waters themselves had healing properties, or if as some suggest the waters were stirred up from the bottom and made it healing through the mineral properties in the water then why just the one healed? Why not all who were touched by the water?

Yet in reading the Word of God and taking it at face value it led me straight to the point, the pool and the area? they were reference points to the location. A place with 5 porches in the temple area. That should have nailed down the historicity with out trying to explain every little detail.  I realize most of the commentaries
I read were at least a hundred years old, before modern technology where we hear of new finds, new excavations, and there was still a lot of mystery. They didn’t hear of every new find, new excavation immediately as we do today. They spent a lot of time on speculation and details, to make it real for the imaginations of their readers. They could not hop a plane and be there in 5 hours or google the area and get a 3-d map. They needed a lot more faith than we do today in the places and descriptions, we are far more blessed than those of yesteryear. Outside of the ones actually there at that time we have more information than anyone in history of these areas.

In 1964 near a pool, a place with 5 porticoes or porches was unearthed in excavations in the Temple area, there it is. Spend less time on the commentaries and more on the Scripture, God explains it all in His time to you. God said it, that settles it.

Joh 5:5  And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. 

Joh 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? 

Joh 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. 

A certain man, no name given, no disease listed, for that is not the point, the point is God, Jesus, who heals whom He wills. You say, that’s awful harsh, God wants every one healed and whole, healthy and happy.

Really? If that’s the case then why did He {Jesus} not heal the whole multitude there at the pool?

Why this man? He had the infirmity for a long time, and we know it was debilitative for he could not get to the pool fast enough to be healed by himself. So why then didn’t he just get closer to the water? This question has never to my knowledge been answered until right now, at this very moment. I don’t know. that is just one of the little details we won’t have an answer to on this side of heaven. We can speculate and suggest but no clear answer other than just because God wanted us to know of it.

He had no family, no friends, you say how do we know that? For no one was there to help him get to the water. If your mom, dad, brother, sister, or child were sick for 30 some years and there was a place and a time for them to be healed would you not have them there? Even if you had to carry them and wait for a day or two for the chance that they would be made whole? Just a chance of healing? Of course you would we do it all the time when we take them to the doctor or hospital.

Joh 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 Him, When the Lord looked upon this man and knew Him and all about Him instantly, knew him as we will never know another, as we will never see the problems and ills of another, God saw, knew and, wait for it, had compassion and mercy on this man. He was found worthy in the eyes of the Lord. He was singled out amongst all the multitude at the pool. He alone was seen and healed amongst the great multitude there waiting.

Jesus saw and had mercy, and this man had done nothing to draw attention to himself, he had not begged and pleaded and called out to Jesus. This man had a need and God saw it, with all the other people with problems this man was singled out, this man was seen. Isn’t this what God does for us? He saw us amongst all the people of this earth and He had mercy and compassion on us. He cast His eyes upon us and we were found to be worthy. Why? Was it something in our hearts, something we needed to do, something He saw that was redeemable? God heals whom He wills, God saves those that are receptive to Him, even when we do not know ourselves that we will be receptive, He knows. He cares and He has mercy.

Just as when God calls on us, the Spirit knocks on the door and we open it. We are made whole. The question isn’t the single person called, the single person who answers, the question is why doesn’t everyone heed the call? For they can see, hear and feel what we do. For God calls all men to repentance, yet only a few heed the call. This man laying in a great multitude was the one called, for he answered the call. He was receptive and open to the Word of the Lord.

Why us? Because we answered the call, we believed. That’s why. Why this man? He believed and answered in faith. God knew the faith was there before He called on this man.

Joh 5:8  Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. 

Joh 5:9  And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

Here it is. Immediately the man was made whole, he didn’t speak, he didn’t hesitate. He picked up his bed and walked. Jesus spoke and it was. Folks, the Word of the Lord has power, He speaks and it is so.

This man, was made whole, he took his bed and went on about his life. In fact he left so fast he didn’t even get the name of the man who had healed him! He didn’t wait, he did as he was told and he did it immediately.

How do I know this? Because the Bible tells me so. True words in our children songs that we as adults seem to have forgotten.

This man exhibited the same faith that has made the widow with the two mites, Rahab, and the centurion, immortalized in the pages of the Bible. So many who searched for God, who were healed, who had the faith to accept that healing, the faith to make a stand, the faith of acts of sacrifice knowing God was True. So many “common” people who have become uncommon, who have become examples, of faithfulness for us. Their legacy is forever being read of and talked about. One act, one instance of pure unwavering faith was enough to get these folks in their very own hall of fame.

Ok that’s the positive side of the account.

Joh 5:10  The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. 

Joh 5:11  He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. 

Joh 5:12  Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? 

Joh 5:13  And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.

Uh oh, here come the “religious” folks.

The Sabbath day, he could not carry his bed. Nevermind that he had just been healed. Never mind the rejoicing that they should have done, never mind the praise they should have shouted. Oh no let’s focus on the bed he was carrying, the tradition broke, not on the manifested power of God evident in the situation.

He even tells them that the man that healed him bade him take up His bed, apparently they knew he was infirmed for they never questioned the veracity of his claims, they never doubted he was healed. Yet they focused on the bed carrying.

So when questioned what does he do? He quotes the Word of the Lord. For that was all he had to rely on at this point. He says The guy who healed me told me too, so I did. For He had the power to heal who am I to doubt? This kind of faith is rare let alone this testimony. The Word of God says so therefore I did.

They ask who told him. They do not yet fully know who Jesus is, He is still early in His ministry. So they didn’t automatically know it was Jesus yet.

Also of note is the wording they did not search after the one who healed him, but the one who told him to break the sabbath. They were not worried about the healing they were worried about their traditions, their law. They were worried about who went against their authority. Not the One who had the power to heal in such a manner, but One who went against their ways.

So this guy infirmed for 38 years, gets healed and the big thing isn’t universal praising and joy, no the immediate response is negative.

He on the other hand was so happy to be healed he had walked away without getting Jesus’ name so when they asked him he had to confess ignorance.

Joh 5:14  Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. 

Joh 5:15  The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole. 

Joh 5:16  And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day. 

I love the way that this is worded, Jesus findeth him in the temple, as if Jesus didn’t know where he was the whole time. God knew, God was aware of where this man was  at every moment. This man was destined for great things. You ask How do I know that? Because here we are 2000 years later reading of and talking about this guy, that is a legacy!

So what does Jesus say to him? Your physical part is healed, sin no more lest your spiritual side pays an even bigger price.

This implies it was sin that caused the infirmity, it was sin that he had suffered from for 38 years. God when He healed the man forgave the man’s sin as He healed the infirmity. Sin destroys, sin can affect you for decades. He says sin no more.

Also I think it bears noting He didn’t call the man out for carrying his bed on the sabbath as the religious did. So this lets us know that the onerous traditions, and customs of the Pharisees were made up. Jesus while He was here kept every bit of the Law, not the traditions and customs. His obedience was to God, not to silly men and their attempts to expand their influence.

It is amazing what we see as important and what God sees as important. They got upset over him carrying his bed on the sabbath, yet Jesus warned the man of sinning. They cared for their authority and power, Jesus cared for the man and the judgment to come. What kind of example is this right here for us? We should be more worried for their souls than their dress or condition, we can not heal, but we can lead them to the one who can forgive them and bring them into the next world., away from death and eternal destruction. We can lead them to the one who knows them, can heal them, forgive them, and give them eternal life.

Perhaps we need to get on God’s agenda of warning people of sin and it’s effect rather than man made tradition and minutiae.

Joh 5:15  The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole. 

Joh 5:16  And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day. 

This guy leaves Jesus and then goes to the Jewish leaders and let’s them know exactly who had healed him.

These guys, the elites, the leaders of the people, then sought to persecute Jesus for He broke their sabbath day.

The Jews sought to persecute Jesus because He did these things on the sabbath. It boggles the mind. Because He did things on the sabbath. Kind of like Capone being put in prison for tax evasion. They are missing the entire big picture, the forest for the trees.

Nevermind the healing going on, the sheer power it took to do all these things, nevermind the lives changed, futures altered, no let’s focus on one itty bitty side  thing. They were so caught up in their little minds with this minute fact that they missed all of the prophecies being fulfilled. That the very Messiah they were searching for was walking amongst them.

When a mighty work is done, they got caught up in the details, only God could have done what Jesus did, with this power and  this authority. They should have searched after Him or was this kind of thing so commonplace, this power, the healings that they were so used to it that they just overlooked it?

Somehow I don’t think that this healing was commonplace, for there was a great multitude at the pool waiting for the waters to be roiled.

Why then did they focus on the sabbath breaking, not the healer, not even the one healed? Were they that consumed with the legalities that they couldn’t even rejoice with this man? That they couldn’t even recognize who was walking among them?

There are so many things in this little passage, the presence of God, the healing, the faith of a man. If this doesn’t break your heart, this blindness, this inability to see and hear God, then nothing will.

The takeaways?

God knows you, All of you. He knows what is important for you. He knows what is best for you. He also knows you will have the faith to be receptive.

Not everyone is healed, Not every one is receptive to the Word of God. Straight is the way and narrow is the gate.

When there is a miracle, or salvation, which is a miracle in and of itself, For there is a mighty struggle going on in the hearts and minds for the souls of men. When one accepts Christ there is a rejoicing that should be going on. When one is healed there is a joy that should be evident. Even if you are not a part of it, you should be rejoicing in the restoration of a sister or brother whether its physical or spiritual.

If all of heaven rejoices when one sinner comes to Christ then why oh why are we not more celebratory?

We need a heart for God and for His Will, then when someone gets healed or saved, we will shout and jump and praise. For ALL that Christ did was for the one. You. Me. That was His whole purpose. The sinner. Folks we need to return to the simple faith this man exhibited. Which while so very simple was so very profound. He had faith to be made whole.

That faith, that pure unadulterated faith is rarely evident in this world.

Believing, that He can do it and that He will.

Revival.

Healing.

Rejoicing

Pray believing.

Just as this man believed so much that he didn’t even stop to get the name of his benefactor. So should we pray and believe.

This is an account of the power and compassion of Christ, yet as I go through it almost feels as if He is a side player while others are the main focus. The actions and reactions of the others in this account are what makes it such a draw for me to read and delve into it.

Yet it turns into the faith of the man, and the cynicism and apostasy of the Jews.

Let us pray that we keep our eyes on God and that when He works we rejoice, we praise. Never let it be said of us that we questioned the bed carrying instead of rejoicing of a sinner converted, a healing praised for. Let us be innocent of heart, pure in our joy, and like this man faith filled that we might hear the Lord speak and then get to it.