(I want to acknowledge the source of most of the material for these lessons is found in: The Miracles of Jesus Christ by Rick Renner. These video lessons can be found on Renner.org and on YouTube.)
John 21:25 NKJV And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.
Jesus’s miracle ministry has never ended!
Hebrews 13:8 NKJV Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
What Jesus did, He still does!
I want you to get to know Jesus in a deeper way!
As we study these miracles of Jesus, I want us to remember that Jesus WANTS to move on our behalf. All He is looking for is FAITH.
(I want to acknowledge the source of most of the material for these lessons is found in: The Miracles of Jesus Christ by Rick Renner. These video lessons can be found on Renner.org and on YouTube.)
Jesus Heals a Man at the Pool of Bethesda
SCRIPTURES
John 5:1-15 | NKJV After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. (2) Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. (3) In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. (4) For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. (5) Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. (6) When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” (7) The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” (8) Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” (9) And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath. (10) The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.” (11) He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’ ” (12) Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” (13) But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place. (14) Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.” (15) The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.
GREEK WORDS
- “pool” — κολυμβήθρα (kolumbethra): a pool; a highly sophisticated, beautiful, developed place
- “lay” — περίκειμαι (perikeimai): pictures people stacked on top of people
- “impotent (folk)” — ἀσθένεια (astheneia): an all-encompassing term for all types of sickness, disease, or conditions
- “long time” — χρόνος (chronos): in context, a long-lasting, chronic condition
- “whole” — ὑγιής (hugies): whole; healthy; pictures a normal physical condition compared to a sickly condition
- “impotent man” — ἀσθενέω (astheneo): a word that generally describes a person frail in health; pictures one who is feeble, fragile, faint, incapacitated, disabled, or simply in such poor health that it would be unthinkable to transport him; a shut-in or one who is homebound; can also mean to be in financial need
- “cured” — θεραπεύω (therapeuo): therapy; a healing touch that requires corresponding actions
- “worse thing” — χείρων (cheiron): worse; in this case, a sickness that is becoming more severe
(John 5:1-2 NKJV) After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. (2) Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches.
- The pool was by the Sheep Gate used for bringing the sheep into the Temple for sacrifice.
- It is no accident that Jesus comes by this Gate.
- Pool of Bethesda was not always named this.
- At one time it was a beautiful place for the rich and educated of the day to go and bathe and have some spa treatment.
- It was usually spring fed either with warm spring water or fresh, natural, and clean spring water.
- It was ornately decorated with marble and frescos – similar to what we see has been excavated in Pompeii, Italy today.
- Over time the spring water must have dried up as we see the water was not moving.
- Because of the five porches surrounding the pool, the wind did not even stir the water and it must have become stagnant.
- Because of this, the wealthy and the educated moved to another pool and the sick people moved in.
- The Scripture says that there was a great multitude of sick people lying there almost on top of each other waiting to be healed.
- The name “Bethesda” means “house of mercy” or “place where mercy was poured out”.
- The sick people waited for the angel to come and stir and agitate the water and then the first one in would get healed.
(John 5:3 NKJV) In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water.
- These are critical, serious physical conditions that are listed. One translation says some were shriveled. They could have been born this way or perhaps were injured.
- They were waiting for the stirring of the water. They had no idea when this might happen and that is why they lived there. They stayed and watched for the moving of the water.
- The people had no idea when the water would be troubled. These people had critical illnesses and were willing to wait a long time if necessary.
(John 5:4 NKJV) For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.
- The angel was not a healer as Jesus is the Healer. The angel was a carrier of the healing power of God that would show up when the water would be troubled.
- There was not an unlimited amount of healing power because only one would be healed.
- (Testimony of Healing of Mom Hagin receiving a new heart that was brought to her by an angel.)
- Notice that the condition of the person did not matter to the Healing Power of God. There were blind, lame, paralyzed, etc. people that were present at the pool. Their condition did not matter as if they were first in the water, they were healed.
- There was not anything magical about the water. Matter of fact, God did not want the faith of the people to be in the water. Also, this wasn’t some type of cruel joke on the people to only allow the “first” one to be healed. God’s desire is that the faith of all those people gathered on that porch would be ignited to receive what God desired to do for all of them, if they would believe.
(John 5:5-6 NKJV) Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. (6) When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”
Suppositions about the man:
- This man had been in this condition 38 years.
- We can assume that he first went there with faith in his heart that he would get healed, but maybe over time, he had lost hope.
- He had seen many of his friends get healed and yet he was still lying there.
- Jesus received a Word of Knowledge about the length of time of the man’s condition. Yet, Jesus asked him, “Do you want to be made well?”. Why did Jesus ask him that? To see where the man’s faith level was at that moment. The man could be at the right place but not expecting to receive anything from the Lord. He was really asking the man, “What do you believe?”.
- Jesus could see this man’s heart.
- He could see that the man had faith at one time but had lost hope of being healed.
- Jesus asks the man a very unusual question, “Do you want to be made well?”
- This question is very important.
- After a long time of waiting and lying there in the same sick condition, year after year, he had begun to adapt to his circumstances.
- He thought and acted like a sick person.
- All of his friends were sick people that had been lying there with him.
- All of their conversations must have been about their conditions and what they were feeling that day.
- Someone had been providing for him – food, clothing, etc.
- Once he was healed, he would have to begin assuming some responsibility.
- If he is healed, he would have to get a job.
- If he is healed, he might have to get some education.
- If he is healed, he would have to get some new friends and become a healthy member of society.
- Jesus was really asking him, “Do you really want me to radically change your life? Do you want everything in your life to be transformed?
- Receiving healing was not just about feeling better.
- Many people today say they want to change and experience Jesus’ miracle working power in their lives – until they really understand what will be required of them.
- They have grown accustomed to their dysfunction, their sickness, or their financial situation.
- To leave these would be to leave what they understand as normal and that with which they have grown comfortable.
(John 5:7 NKJV) The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”
- Notice, the man did not answer Jesus’ question. Jesus didn’t ask the man if he wanted to get into the water. He asked the man, “Do you want to be made well?”. This was a yes or no question.
- Jesus found out the man’s focus was on whether he could get into the water and not on God, who actually was behind the stirring up the water. His focus was on his lack of help to get into the water and not on what God desired to do for him.
- The man offered a detailed excuse as to why he was still sick and in the condition that he was.
- Many times, I have seen people do the same thing when asked a similar question.
- “I would be changed but my husband…” or “I would be changed but my wife…” or “My boss…”
- Perhaps we have not received our miracle because we are not through making excuses and being willing to change to the new well condition.
- Jesus then seeing through the man’s excuses gives him a command of faith.
(John 5:8 NKJV) Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.”
- Jesus gave the man something to obey.
(John 5:9-10 NKJV) And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath. (10) The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.”
- The man that was healed was stopped by the religious leaders and scolded because he was carrying his bed on the Sabbath. They were not excited in the least that this man had been healed. They were more concerned that he was violating their rules about the Sabbath.
- Jesus did this healing on the Sabbath to make a statement about healing being something worthy of the Sabbath.
- The Greek word for “cured” is the word “therapeuo” which is where we get the word “therapy”. This word means a healing touch that requires corresponding action.
- Think about it, someone gets some kind of surgery such as knee replacement or hip replacement, it usually requires physical therapy to aid in the healing process.
- Jesus did not just release His miracle-working power, the man responded to it with corresponding action to cooperate with and confirm the healing process.
- You do not have to wait 38 years for your situation to change. When the man obeyed Jesus’ instruction the power of God took root in him, and he was completely healed. After 38 years, this man’s time had come. Your time has come too!
- One thing to note is that the religious leaders were blinded and offended at the miracle this man had received.
- Instead of seeing God’s goodness, they saw him violating the rules.
- Not everyone is going to celebrate with you that you have decided to change your situation and receive your miracle.
- Don’t let that stop you from receiving your miracle – make up your mind you will receive what God has for you and transform your life.
(John 5:11-13 NKJV) He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’ ” (12) Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” (13) But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place.
- The man must not have ever heard of Jesus because of what he said in verse 13. This means that Jesus ministered to this man out of the mercy and grace of God. Jesus brought this man to a place of simple faith and obedience to pick up his bed and walk.
(John 5:14-15 NKJV) Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.” (15) The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.
- As soon as this man was healed, he was found in the Temple. Jesus is not only concerned with the man being healed but STAYING healed.
- (Ephesians 4:26-27 NKJV) “BE ANGRY, AND DO NOT SIN”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, (27) nor give place to the devil.
- Jesus wants you to be able to keep your healing! You can receive your healing, but if you don’t stay in the Word and in faith, you can lose your healing. (FF Bosworth – the counterattack)
- Jesus is not demanding perfection because the man could not perform in that way. Jesus is referring to a lifestyle of sin. Do not return to your old lifestyle of sin. Jesus said if you do this, something worse can come on you because you open yourself up to it.
(John 5:16-17 NKJV) For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath. (17) But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.”
Jesus called healing the work of the Father. Jesus did not work independent of His Father. Healing is the Father’s work and it pleases the Father for us to be h