John 5

John 5

 

THE PARALYTIC HEALED ON THE SABBATH 5:1-15 

John has us now in Jerusalem and the pool of Bethesda where numerous crippled and diseased people gathered hoping for a chance to be healed, having heard legends or superstitions about the “stirring of the waters” at certain seasons by an angel.  Supposedly, the first one in after the stirring would be healed v. 1-4.  There seems adequate proof that part of this is not included in the original scripts, but with part of it cut out, the man’s words would make little sense.  Why would anyone especially a man sick for so many years, remain in one place if nothing special was occurring.  If nothing had ever happened to anyone in 38 years, why wouldn’t they have gone elsewhere to find healing or after such a long time would have lost hope … something extraordinary kept them at the pool. 

 

The man acknowledged the LIE he had been believing for 38 years… along with a lot of others! 

 

The real focus here is not about the multitudes or the pool itself, but on a CERTAIN MAN who had been sick for 38 years, perhaps from birth.  Jesus asked the question, Do you wish to get well? – designed to see if the man still had any desire or hope of being healed left v. 6.  While the desire to be healed was there…hope was waning. V. 7 Jesus did not reveal His identity not did He demand faith on the part of the man. 

 

Jesus did not hesitate at all but commanded the man to Arise, take up your pallet, and walk – in those words was the healing the man so desperately desired v. 8 .  The healing was instantaneous and complete.  This miracle was a divine act of God’s sovereign grace.

V. 9 …is not an idle comment for it was not so much the healing miracle which stirred up the Jews as it was the day on which it occurred.  Controversies over the Sabbath play a major role in the ministry of Jesus.  Keep in mind that the concept of the Sabbath was pre-law Gen. 2:1-3.  And Jesus never abrogated the Sabbath concept but He did refute the false legalistic interpretations which the Pharisees placed on the Sabbath. 

 

Suddenly the Jews accused the healed man of violating the Sabbath by carrying his pallet WORKING which on its face is ludicrous v. 10.  The man begged off by placing the responsibility on Jesus v. 11. 

 

Jews sought to discover the identity of the healer, but Jesus had slipped away as He often did. V. 12-13

 

Jesus sought out the man later in the temple and warns him to sin no more. V. 14.  While it is not absolutely clear, the implication is that this man’s sickness was the specific result of sin. 9:1-3.  If not then Jesus may have been referring to his lack of gratefulness and praise to Christ.  The man then informed the Jews that it was Jesus, setting the stage for a direct confrontation as the Jewish religious establishment rejects Jesus and seeks to kill Him.!

 

The point of this miracle is not so much to demonstrate the power of Jesus to heal BUT HIS AUTHORITY OVER THE SABBATH…He is God!!!  Jesus is brining to light how utterly wrong the Jews are in their view of not only the Sabbath, but God, Himself.

 

The text describes no belief, gratitude, praise, etc. on the part of the healed man.  Christ healed this man of His own initiative as an act of mercy regardless of the lack of faith of the man.  The major emphasis is on the response of the Jews, not the one healed, setting up the controversy which follows. 

 

The healing on the Sabbath of the man who had been an invalid for 38 yrs. Sets the stage for the first major confrontation between Jesus and the Jewish religious leaders.  Jesus’ teaching discourse which follows is one of the most significant in Scripture on His Sonship.  There are 2 major divisions dealing with WHO Jesus is (His person) a nd dealing with WHAT Jesus has been doing (His works/mission).

 Key verse:  “You search the Scriptures…and it is these that bear witness of Me.” 5:39

Focus:  Why believe that Jesus is God?    The reality of Jesus as God is attested to by five credible witnesses:

1.    What others say about HIM v. 33-35  Witness of John the  Baptist

2.   What HE does v. 36 Witness of HIS sign-miracles.  Jesus Himself points to His activities generally and HIS sign-miracles specifically as attesting to the fact that HE has been sent by God the Father.  MANY miracles were performed but not recorded which demonstrated that HE is God.  4:45, 20:30-31

3.   What the Father says of HIM  v. 37-38  Witness of God the Father.  The Jews would not receive Jesus referral to HIS baptism, or His transfiguration, or to His resurrection…If they had received Christ, the Father would have borne witness to them.

4.   What God’s Word says of HIM v. 39-44  Witness of the Scriptures.  The written Word of God leads to the lving Word of God…that is Its function.  The real problem with these Jews is that they are “unwilling to come to Me.”  Because of that refusal, they have no life.  Furthermore, they seek their own glory not God’s and the love of God is not in them.

5.   What Moses said of Him v. 45-47  Witness of Moses.  The Jews had placed their hope in Moses, relying on self-righteousness based on external conformity to the Mosaic Law instead of Christ to Whom Moses points…Luke 24_27,44.  And it is the law on which they rely which itself will condemn them.  Matt.  5:17 -20

Gal. 3:19-24  Rom. 2:12.  But the Jews had demonstrated that they neither understood nor really believed Moses.  If they had they would believe Jesus.

 

CONCLUSION:  OF THE five-fold witness to Jesus, which is the most important and why?  John 4:39-42.  What is Scripture designed to do?  Rom. 1:16, Heb. 4:12; II Tim. 3:14-17, Psa. 19:7-14; Isa. 55:11, Rom. 10-16-1