“AFTER these things 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 multitude of them that were sick, blind, halt, withered. 4 For an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool, and troubled the water; whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole, with whatsoever disease he was holden. 5 And a certain man was there, which had been thirty and eight years in his infirmity. 6 When Jesus saw him lying, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, 7 Wouldest thou be made whole? The sick 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. 8 Jesus saith unto him, Arise, take up thy bed, and walk. 9 And straightway the man was made whole, and took up his bed and walked. 10 Now it was the Sabbath on that day. So the Jews said unto him that was cured, It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for thee to take up thy bed. 11 But he answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. 12 They asked him, Who is the man that said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? 13 But he that was healed wist not who it was; for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in the place. 14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole; sin no more, lest a worse thing befall thee. 15 The man went away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus which had made him whole. 16 And for this cause did the Jews persecute Jesus, because he did these things on the Sabbath. 17 But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh even until now, and I work. 18 For this cause therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only brake the Sabbath, but also called God his own Father, making himself equal with God.”
QUESTIONS.
1. To what city did Jesus next go? What was the occasion of his visit?
2. What noted pool is mentioned? How many entrances did it have?
3. Who were gathered in these entrances?
4. What special case is described?
5. Did Jesus know it was a chronic case?
6. What question did he put to the man?
7. What reply was given?
8. What did Jesus tell him to do?
9. What was the effect upon the man? What did he do? What day was it?
10. How did the Jews exhibit their devotion to ceremonialism?
11. What defense did the man make of his action?
12. What inquiry did the Jews make?
13. Could the man answer it? Where was Jesus?
14. Where did Jesus and the man meet again?
15. What instruction did he give to him?
16. What information did the man then give to the Jews?
17. What course did they pursue toward Jesus? What was their charge against him?
18. How did Jesus justify his Sabbath miracle?
19. What influence had this upon the Jews?
20. What additional charge did they now bring against him?
NOTES.
1. “Jesus did not ask this wretched sufferer to exercise faith in him. He simply inquired, ‘Desirest thou to become whole?’ But, on hearing the voice of command, he believed Christ’s word, believed that he was made whole, and he made the effort at once. He willed to walk, and he walked. He acted on the word of God, and God gave the power. Would that the same simple trusting faith were exercised by every soul in need of spiritual healing. We are stricken, diseased through sin. By transgression man has been severed13from the life of God. His soul is palsied. Only through the vivifying influence of the grace of Christ is it possible for us to be restored. Many have long been waiting and vainly striving to obtain by their own efforts that spiritual life which will bring them into communion and harmony with God, but in vain. They find themselves weak in moral power, in slavery to doubt, and controlled by the habits of their life of sin. O weary, struggling ones, look up! The Saviour is bending over the purchase of his blood, saying with inexpressible tenderness, pity, and love, ‘Wilt thou be made whole?’ If you believe Christ’s promise, believe that you do receive life from him, and will to serve him, you will receive strength.”
2. Christ commanded the man to do three things: “Rise,” “take,” “walk.” The power for rising was in the word “rise;” for taking, in the word “take;” for walking, in the word “walk.” Apply the principle in other scriptures: Isa. 60:1; Matt. 11:29; Col. 2:6. The fruit of the man’s faith was seen in what he did. He did it all by faith. He lived by faith (Rom. 1:17), and he walked by faith (2 Cor. 5:8). The words accomplished what they commanded. The man “was made whole,” “took,” and “walked.”
3. The whole controversy between Christ and the Jews gathered around three miracles, of which this is the first. The other two will be considered in the study of chapters 9 and 11. A new element,—the question of what constitutes proper Sabbath-keeping,—is now introduced. “Jesus had purposely chosen the Sabbath day upon which to perform the miracle at the pool. . . . A wise purpose underlay every act of Christ’s life on earth; everything he did was important in itself and in its teaching. . . . The Sabbath, instead of being the blessing it was designed to be, had become a curse through the added requirements of the Jews. Jesus wished to rid it of these encumbrances, and leave it standing upon its own holy dignity. Therefore he chose the Sabbath for this special work. . . . This would raise the question of what it was lawful to do on the Sabbath day, and would give him an opportunity to denounce the narrow prejudice and restrictions of the Jews in regard to the Lord’s day, and declare their bigotry and traditions void.”—Spirit of Prophecy, pp. 161, 162.
4. “Jesus sought to impress upon the narrow minds of the Jews a sense of the folly of their view of the Sabbath. He showed them that God’s work never ceases. It is even greater upon the Sabbath than upon ordinary occasions; for at that time his people leave their usual employments and spend their time in prayerful meditation and worship. They ask more favors of him upon the Sabbath than upon other days; they demand his special attention; they crave his choicest blessings; they offer importunate prayers for special favors. God does not wait for the Sabbath to pass before he grants those requests, but he deals to the petitioners, with judicious wisdom, whatever is best for them to have. Heaven’s work never ceases for a moment, and men should never rest from doing good.” It should be remembered that “the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath,” and that what he did on that day was in itself Sabbath-keeping.
5. Christ was persecuted by the Jews, who would have put him to death at once if they could have had their way, because he would not keep the Sabbath according to their ideas of Sabbath-keeping. Cain persisted in making an offering to God according to his own mind, and slew Abel because he would not join him in his way of worshiping God. The contest always has been, and still is, between God’s way and man’s way. Now a controversy about the Sabbath question has been entered upon, which will end only in the effort to put to death those who will not yield to the demand to keep the Sabbath according to man’s command (Rev. 13:15); but God will work deliverance for his people. Read the whole book of Esther upon this subject, but especially chapters 3, 8, and 9.
Suggestions for Further Study.
1. Was there any controversy between Christ and the Jews at any time as to which day was the Sabbath?
2. Bigotry does not hesitate to break one of the commandments in its efforts to sustain its interpretation of another.
3. Notice the effect upon his work of Christ’s first public declaration of his equality with God.
4. Here is another lesson of “life only in Christ.” What class is represented by the impotent man?
