“Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. 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. And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. 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? 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. Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.“
John 5:2-9
The third miracle that John presents as evidence for the deity of Christ demonstrates His ability and His compassion for the helpless. This miracle is also significant because of the events that immediately followed it – namely the conversation between Jesus and the Jews regarding the person and authority of Jesus.
I believe a major theme to consider in this miracle is that of helplessness. When we sing the hymn, “Abide with me,” one of the lines addresses our Lord as the “Help of the helpless,” and what a fitting title this is! In this miracle, we find an impotent man lying on a porch beside a healing pool. The word “impotent” literally refers to someone who is without strength or ability. This man has been in this condition for some 38 years and is clearly passed the help of physicians, as evidenced by his presence at a pool of apparently miraculous healing. Each time the waters were troubled, this infirmed man would attempt, in vain, to immerse himself in the water and be healed. Each time, another afflicted person would reach the water first and effectively block this poor man from healing. When Jesus comes on the scene, His question to the impotent man is “Wilt thou be made whole?” I believe Jesus asked this question with the intention of displaying the utter helplessness of the situation. Listen to the man’s answer: “I have no man…” What a heartbreaking condition! Not only was this man entirely unable to help himself, but he was also destitute of a good friend or family member to lift him into the pool. This is a blatant and effective illustration of our natural state – we were “without strength” (Romans 5:6). Without the help of Jesus Christ, we would be utterly helpless.
Several other details of this miracle are very striking. First, this miracle was personal. Although there were a multitude of people in need of healing, Jesus went specifically to this impotent man. This is a clear lesson in God’s grace and blessing: God works on the individual level. He chose a particular people, not some multitude at random. This ought to be reassuring to us! The all-wise God Who knows even the thoughts and intents of our hearts works personally with us in blessing, chastisement, guidance, and answer to prayer. Like in the case of this impotent man, God goes directly to His children, working effectually and personally.
Another detail of this miracle, which is common in the other miracles as well, is the amazing fact that the miracle was instantaneous. The impotent man, who had been disabled for 38 years, was immediately healed and given sufficient strength to carry his bed. Notice that there was no long-term therapy requirement to strengthen his body, no drug to ease the affliction, and no training on how to walk. Jesus simply restored the man from his infirmity with the command of His voice. Does this sound familiar? It should! The voice that said, “Rise, take up thy bed, and walk” is the same voice that said “Let there be light” in creation, and it is the same voice we now wait to hear call the dead out of their graves in the resurrection. “For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast” (Psalm 33:9).
In the conversation that followed, Jesus made some of the boldest statements regarding His person that we have recorded in the gospels. The Jews, blinded to the glory of this miracle by the legalism of their religious system, condemned the healed man for carrying his bed on the sabbath day. When the man told the Jews that he had been healed by Jesus, the Jews persecuted Jesus and sought to kill Him. Verse 18 gives their motivation: “Because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.” Of course, Jesus had not sinned in healing on the sabbath day, but He had absolutely declared His divine nature. Throughout this discourse, Jesus would affirm His person through other statements, which we will consider Lord willing in the next article.