And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.
The verse describes the moment after the Sabbath healing at the Pool of Bethesda of the helpless paralytic afflicted for thirty-eight years, when Jesus slipped quietly and unnoticed away into the multitude in that place. The healed man therefore did not know who had healed him and could not name Him when the rulers pressed him for carrying his bed, though he longed to thank his deliverer and went on rejoicing in new strength and telling all of the wonderful work done for him. Jesus directed him to carry his bed so the cure would be made public and lead people to consider who had healed him and what was lawful on the Sabbath. He purposely performed the healing on the Sabbath to challenge the added, burdensome restrictions heaped on the day and to uphold its holy purpose. That healing proclaimed His divine Sonship and equal work with the Father, yet it provoked sharp controversy and uproar in which the authorities persecuted Jesus and sought His death for Sabbath-breaking.
Healing Setting and Moment
This is the Sabbath healing at the Pool of Bethesda of the helpless paralytic, the impotent man who had been carried to the pool as a sufferer and had been afflicted for thirty-eight years. Jesus at once slipped away, disappearing quietly and unnoticed into the crowd and multitude in that place. The healed man therefore did not know who had healed him.
When the Pharisees and rulers pressed him for who had healed him and told him to carry his bed, he could not name Him. He looked around for his deliverer and longed to pour out gratitude and thanks to the stranger, but was disappointed not to find Him and feared he would not recognize Him again if they met. Yet he went on toward Jerusalem with firm, free step, praising God and rejoicing in new-found strength. Having been brought to the pool as a helpless sufferer, he now left it in perfect soundness, made whole, rolling up his mat and blanket with joy and ease, and filled with gratitude he could not refrain from telling all he met and all with whom he came in contact of the wonderful work wrought for him.
Jesus had chosen this cure and directed the man to carry his bed so the work would be made public and lead people to consider who had healed him and what was lawful on the Sabbath.
Sabbath Teaching and Opposition
The healing belonged to the Sabbath by deliberate choice, to strip from the day the encumbrances and added, burdensome restrictions heaped upon it and to uphold its holy purpose. The public cure and the direction to carry the bed were meant to make the work known, so that people would consider who had done the healing and what was lawful on the Sabbath. That open act raised the question of Sabbath law and gave occasion to defend its true claims.
Together with His miracles and teaching, the healing at Bethesda proclaimed His divine Sonship. When accused, He answered by declaring equal rights with God, doing a work equally sacred and of the same character as His Father's work in heaven. This was taken not only as breaking the law according to their understanding but as declaring Himself equal with God.
As the healed man went on his way he met the Pharisees and told them of his cure, but when pressed for who had told him to carry his bed he could not name Him. They listened with coolness and frowns instead of joy that the poor sufferer had been made whole, thinking more of the blanket he was carrying than of the glorious restoration. They interrupted him to accuse him of breaking the Sabbath. The Jewish leaders knew He had restored the man, but they wanted direct proof so they could accuse Him of Sabbath-breaking.
The cure caused great uproar in the court of the temple and sharp controversy over the true claims of the Sabbath law. Despite the miracle the authorities remained prejudiced, persecuted Jesus and sought His death, and would have harmed Him and slain Him on the spot if they had been able to condemn Him then. The people justified Him for healing the man who had been afflicted thirty-eight years, and only their interference held the enraged authorities back.
After the leading Jews plotted against His life it was no longer safe to remain in Jerusalem, so He went to Galilee and made Capernaum a center of His work. The account of the healing of the impotent man at the pool of Bethesda is a great subject. It stands connected to and continues with His discourse after the Jews accused Him of breaking the Sabbath.
The verse describes the moment after the Sabbath healing at the Pool of Bethesda of the helpless paralytic afflicted for thirty-eight years, when Jesus slipped quietly and unnoticed away into the multitude in that place. The healed man therefore did not know who had healed him and could not name Him when the rulers pressed him for carrying his bed, though he longed to thank his deliverer and went on rejoicing in new strength and telling all of the wonderful work done for him. Jesus directed him to carry his bed so the cure would be made public and lead people to consider who had healed him and what was lawful on the Sabbath. He purposely performed the healing on the Sabbath to challenge the added, burdensome restrictions heaped on the day and to uphold its holy purpose. That healing proclaimed His divine Sonship and equal work with the Father, yet it provoked sharp controversy and uproar in which the authorities persecuted Jesus and sought His death for Sabbath-breaking.
Healing Setting and Moment
This is the Sabbath healing at the Pool of Bethesda of the helpless paralytic, the impotent man who had been carried to the pool as a sufferer and had been afflicted for thirty-eight years. Jesus at once slipped away, disappearing quietly and unnoticed into the crowd and multitude in that place. The healed man therefore did not know who had healed him.
When the Pharisees and rulers pressed him for who had healed him and told him to carry his bed, he could not name Him. He looked around for his deliverer and longed to pour out gratitude and thanks to the stranger, but was disappointed not to find Him and feared he would not recognize Him again if they met. Yet he went on toward Jerusalem with firm, free step, praising God and rejoicing in new-found strength. Having been brought to the pool as a helpless sufferer, he now left it in perfect soundness, made whole, rolling up his mat and blanket with joy and ease, and filled with gratitude he could not refrain from telling all he met and all with whom he came in contact of the wonderful work wrought for him.
Jesus had chosen this cure and directed the man to carry his bed so the work would be made public and lead people to consider who had healed him and what was lawful on the Sabbath.
Sabbath Teaching and Opposition
The healing belonged to the Sabbath by deliberate choice, to strip from the day the encumbrances and added, burdensome restrictions heaped upon it and to uphold its holy purpose. The public cure and the direction to carry the bed were meant to make the work known, so that people would consider who had done the healing and what was lawful on the Sabbath. That open act raised the question of Sabbath law and gave occasion to defend its true claims.
Together with His miracles and teaching, the healing at Bethesda proclaimed His divine Sonship. When accused, He answered by declaring equal rights with God, doing a work equally sacred and of the same character as His Father's work in heaven. This was taken not only as breaking the law according to their understanding but as declaring Himself equal with God.
As the healed man went on his way he met the Pharisees and told them of his cure, but when pressed for who had told him to carry his bed he could not name Him. They listened with coolness and frowns instead of joy that the poor sufferer had been made whole, thinking more of the blanket he was carrying than of the glorious restoration. They interrupted him to accuse him of breaking the Sabbath. The Jewish leaders knew He had restored the man, but they wanted direct proof so they could accuse Him of Sabbath-breaking.
The cure caused great uproar in the court of the temple and sharp controversy over the true claims of the Sabbath law. Despite the miracle the authorities remained prejudiced, persecuted Jesus and sought His death, and would have harmed Him and slain Him on the spot if they had been able to condemn Him then. The people justified Him for healing the man who had been afflicted thirty-eight years, and only their interference held the enraged authorities back.
After the leading Jews plotted against His life it was no longer safe to remain in Jerusalem, so He went to Galilee and made Capernaum a center of His work. The account of the healing of the impotent man at the pool of Bethesda is a great subject. It stands connected to and continues with His discourse after the Jews accused Him of breaking the Sabbath.