BETHESDA, THE HOUSE OF MERCY
JOHN 5:1-9
Introduction:
Bethesada was a pool (a pond or bath) of water in Jerusalem where appeared the sick and diseased to be healed. “Dr. Lightfoot’s conjecture is that this was the upper pool (Isaiah 7:3), and the old pool, Isaiah 22:11; that it had been used for washing from ceremonial pollutions, for convenience of which the porches were built to dress and undress in, but it was lately become medicinal.” —Matthew Henry.
I. IT WAS IN JERUSALEM
A. The Pool, Bethesda – “house of mercy,” near the Temple.
B. The great number of disabled people pictures the sad spiritual plight of the world, v. 3, “In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.”
II. THE LORD AT WORK ON THE SABBATH
A. The paralyzed man had lived with death for 38 years, v. 5, “And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.”
1. The Lord knew about him, v. 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?”
a. The Lord knows everything about us, John 21:17, “He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.”
b. There is nothing hid from Him, Hebrews 4:13, “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”
2. “Wilt thou be made whole?”
a. God offers SPIRITUAL HEALING to a rebellious people, Isaiah 65:2, “I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts;”
b. This question was put to a blind man, Luke 18:41-42, “Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. 42And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee.”
B. This man was so EMPTY OF HOPE that he had to be asked, “Do you want to get well?”
1. The pool of Bethesda was a healing pool, vs. 3-4, “In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. 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.”
2. This man had A REAL PROBLEM besides his disease, v. 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. He had NO HELPER, Psalm 72:12, “For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.”
b. NO ONE CARED for his soul, Psalm 142:4, “I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.”
c. No one that is, BUT JESUS, Romans 5:6-8, “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
C. The LORD heals the impotent man, vs. 8-9, “Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. 9And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.”
1. No mention of faith until later.
2. The man responds immediately, v. 9.
a. The Lord does some things in reverse order, Matthew 9:6-7, “But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. 7And he arose, and departed to his house.”
b. The man’s problem was related to sin, v. 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.”
c. The woman with the issue of blood found immediate healing, Mark 5:29, “And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.”
3. It was done on the Sabbath, vs. 10-11, “The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. 11He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.”
a. He was to do no work on the Sabbath, Exodus 20:10, ” But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:”
b. Jesus was always at odds with the Jews over the Sabbath.
1) The case of eating grain in the field on the Sabbath, Mark 2:23, “And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn. 24And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?”
2) The case “to do good on the Sabbath,” Mark 3:4-5, “And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace. 5And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.”
CONCLUSION:
The Lord did a great work in the life of this impotent man not only by healing him, but by saving his soul also. Next week we will see what is involved in the conflict over the Sabbath.