The Miracles of Jesus Lesson 9: Jesus Heals the Lame Man John 5:1-18

Jesus Heals the Lame Man Background to the Miracle  It occurred at a “feast of the Jews” (John 5:1; cp. 2:13; 6:4; 7:2; 10:22; 13:1-2).  It occurred “in Jerusalem by the sheep gate” (John 5:2).  It occurred at a pool with five porches known as Bethesda (John 5:2).

Jerusalem in Jesus’ Day

Archeology at the Pool of Bethesda The Pool of Bethesda is located near the Sheep Gate just north of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. In his gospel account, John describes such a pool, surrounded by five covered colonnades (John 5:2). Until the 19th century, there was no archaeological evidence for the Pool of Bethesda. Today, there’s really no question that archaeologists have uncovered the actual Pool of Bethesda where Jesus healed the invalid (John 5:1-15).

Site of the Pool of Bethesda

Looking Down into Bethesda Pool

Model of the Pool of Bethesda with the Temple in the Background

Textual Issue in John 5:3-4  Some translations, such as the New American Standard, omit the words from the last phrase of John 5:3 through verse four. The words are included in a footnote.  The New King James includes the words, but notes that they are omitted in the Nestle Greek text. The matter is difficult even for Greek textual scholars. The King James New Testament is translated from a Greek text that relies on a large number of manuscripts that are copies of copies of copies… The New American Standard and similar modern versions rely heavily on a few recently discovered ancient manuscripts (e.g. Alexandrinus, Vaticanus and Sinaiticus)

The Ryland’s Fragment of John 18:31-38

Textual Issue in John 5:3-4  Two things we know: God promised that His word endures forever (1 Peter 1:25) The lame man believed that he could be helped if he got in the water when the it was stirred (5:7).  The question is, did an angel actually came down to stir the water, or was it merely a superstition? If it occurred, would this periodic miracle have conformed to what we know from Scripture about the purpose of miracles?

Jesus Heals the Lame Man John 5:1-18 Details of the miracle  A multitude of afflicted lay in the porches of the pool waiting for the stirring of the water (5:3-4)  The lame man had been infirm for 38 years (5:5).  Jesus knew of the lame man’s long affliction and inquired if he wanted to be made well (5:6)  The lame man believed two things prevented his cure (5:7): He had no one to put him in the water. When he attempts to get in, another gets there first.

Jesus Heals the Lame Man John 5:1-18 Details of the miracle  Jesus gave three commands, which the lame man obeyed as he was healed (5:8-9a)  It was the Sabbath (5:9b, cp 7:22-23; 9:14-16)  The Jews objected to the man carrying his bed on the Sabbath, and questioned him about it (5:10-13; cf. Jeremiah 17:21; Luke 14:5)  Jesus later told the man to “sin no more” lest a “worse thing” come upon him (5:14)  The lame man revealed to the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him (5:15)

Jesus Heals the Lame Man John 5:1-18 Result of the Miracle  The Jews sought to persecute and kill because He had healed on the Sabbath (5:16)  Jesus asserted that His identity as God’s Son meant that He must continually work – the miracle was a SIGN of this fact (5:17)  The Jews sought to kill Jesus because, in their estimation, He had worked on the Sabbath and made Himself equal with God (5:18)