Gospel of St. John

Bethesda – 05:1-15

“After this there was a feast of the Jews;  and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.  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.”  The feast of the Jews was believed to be Pentecost.  It occurred 50 days after Passover.  It celebrated receiving the Torah and the first fruits of the harvest.  The pool was located close to the gate through with sheep were brought into the temple for sacrifice.  Bethesda means “House of Mercy”.  Many people gathered around the pool at the season for the troubling of the water.

“And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.  When Jesus saw him lie, and know 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.”  Thirty-eight years is the length of time Israel was traveling in the desert after leaving Egypt.  If Jesus asked you if you wished to be made whole, you wouldn’t waste anytime saying yes.  The man was so bereft spiritually;  he didn’t even understand the offer.  He just made excuse for why he couldn’t beat the others into the pool.  It is appropriate that the people were described as blind, halt and withered.  They were blind to seeing Christ among them.  They were unable to walk worthy of the Lord.  They were withered and unable to perform work for Christ.  Don’t we see healthy people with the same spiritual limitations today?  There was a great multitude on the porches that day.  All were equally needy and all equally powerless to help themselves.  Why did Jesus pick just one?  Is it just to pick one out of many?  If so, why not 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.  The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the Sabbath day:  it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.  He answered them,  He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.  And he that was healed wist not who it was:  for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.  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.  The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.”  We know we have to respond to God to receive his grace.  This man’s response was to believe he was whole.  He provided it by rising and taking up his bed.  He did not leave it to fall back on.  And then, he who could not walk into the water walked away altogether.  He responded but still did not realize who had healed him.  It was not until Jesus reminded him in the temple that he should sin no more lest a worse thing come unto him.

Seven Fold Proof – 05:16-30

“And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the Sabbath day.  But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.  Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the Sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.”  The Jews sought to kill Jesus because he broke the Sabbath.  Did God really rest on the seventh day?  Was he so fatigued he ignored his creation during his day of rest?  He did rest from his creative activity but God never ignored the needs of his creatures.  Is it more appropriate to talk of resting from secular, worldly pursuits?  Jesus responded with the first of seven proofs of Christ’s deity.  He said He worked just as His Father worked.  He claimed equality with God.

“Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do:  for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.”  “The Son can do nothing of himself” is not intended to imply a limitation on Christ’s ability.  “But what he seeth the Father do” is the pertinent clause.  Jesus is telling those who would kill him that he does only what the Father would do.  This is the second proof of Christ’s deity.

“For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth:  and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.”  The Father does not have to show the son what to do.  He has no secrets from the Son.  He has shown His Son everything.  This is the third proof of Christ’s deity.

“For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them;  even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.”  This is the fourth proof of Christ’s deity by showing his equality with the Father in sovereign rights.  As he selected one to heal instead of healing the whole multitude, Christ showed his sovereignty.

“For the Father Judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:  That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father.  He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.  Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation;  but is passed from death unto life.”  The Father is who we would expect to be the Judge.  He is the one who was wronged.  But the Father committed all judgment unto the Son.  This is the fifth proof of his deity.

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, the Hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God:  and they that hear shall live.  For as the Father hath life in himself;  so hat he given to the Son to have life in himself.”  In this sixth proof of his deity, Christ claims absolute equality with the Father in the power to give life.

“And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.  Marvel not at this:  for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth;  they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life;  and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation”  This is the seventh proof of Christ’s deity.  He is co-equal with the Father in judicial authority and power.

Three Fold Witness – 05:31-47

We have seen the seven fold proof of Christ’s deity in just a few verses.  Now we look for the three fold witness of Christ’s deity.  It is not the witness of men.

“But I have greater witness than that of John:  for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me”  The first witness of Christ’s deity is not John the Baptist.  It is the works that he accomplishes as completion of the Father’s works.  Look at the works of Christ and try to deny his deity.

“And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me.  Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.  And ye have not his word abiding in you:  for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.”  Christ claims the Jews have not God’s word abiding in them because they do not believe the Son of God.  They are missing the word of God because they do not love him and do not seek his honor.  They refuse to come to Christ who seeks only honor for God.  It shows their lack of love for God.  The logic is difficult but it is the second witness of Christ’s deity.

“Search the scriptures;  for in them ye think ye have eternal life:  and they are they which testify of me.  And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.  I receive not honour from men.  But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.  I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not:  if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.”  John the Baptist has passed away;  the words of Christ are no longer before men’s eyes;  the voice of the Father is no more heard;  but the testimony of the Scriptures abides.  The Scriptures testified of Christ and affirmed this third witness of His deity.

Pool of Bethesda model

in the Israel Museum

Picture taken by deror avi

on 18th August 2006.