John 5:7, commentary and pictures

The sufferer at Bethesda had been helpless and unable to walk for thirty-eight years, and his reply explains that he has no one to carry him into the pool when its water is stirred and that another always reaches it ahead of him. He depended on being first into the pool for healing, while stronger rivals crowded past him and left weaker ones like him unhealed beside it. Long failure and lack of help had worn him down until his hope had nearly faded and he was close to despair, not knowing that Christ standing beside him could heal him. When Jesus spoke he received no promise beforehand, yet he trusted Christ's word and acted before he could walk, and as he willed to walk God gave him power and made him whole. His inability to walk shows that those cut off from God by sin cannot make themselves live a holy life by their own striving, but Christ the great Physician can free and strengthen sinners for body and soul as they trust and act on His word.

Setting at Bethesda

The reply belongs to the healing at Bethesda of a palsied, paralytic, impotent man who could not walk and had lain helpless for thirty-eight years. He was the worst and most afflicted case among those waiting at the pool. His helplessness illustrates the condition of those who long for spiritual life yet cannot gain it by their own striving.

He believed healing came only by being put into the pool first after its water was troubled, stirred, or disturbed. He depended on the pool for healing before Jesus restored him, thinking he could reach its benefit only when someone put him into the water after it was stirred. The pool was believed to heal whoever entered first.

The sick crowded around the pool and rushed toward it when the water was troubled. Stronger and selfish competitors repeatedly reached it first while he struggled toward it, with someone stronger stepping down before him. The crowded rush left weaker people unable to get in despite repeatedly coming to the pool, and some even died beside it. After years of illness he could not compete with the selfish crowd, which explains his long helplessness and why he had not been healed there.

The healing took place on the Sabbath. Jesus chose this most afflicted man and healed him on that day, making him an especially striking case. Having him carry his bed made the cure public, brought attention to Jesus, and raised the question of what the Sabbath law permitted and what was lawful on the Sabbath.

Meaning of His Reply

In the verse the man explains that he has no man, no one, no friend to help, carry, or put him into the pool when the water is troubled, stirred, or disturbed, and that while he is coming another steps down before him. His words explain his long helplessness and his dependence on the pool for healing before he was restored. He did not know that Christ standing beside him could heal him.

His answer reveals helplessness, isolation, weakness, and dependence after years of illness, and shows why he had not been healed at the pool. The pool was believed to heal whoever entered first, so the sick crowded and rushed toward it, and stronger, selfish competitors repeatedly reached it first while he struggled toward it. Weaker people were thus left unable to get in despite repeatedly coming, and some even died beside the pool.

Repeated failure and lack of help had worn down his strength, left him weary and anxious, and faded his hope until he had little hope and had almost lost hope. His words express the disappointment of years spent hoping for healing and the loss of his hoped-for chance to be healed. He was near despair, believed his chance for healing had passed, and feared he might not live to try again. After years of illness and repeated failure he could not compete with the selfish crowd, yet his helplessness and despair made him an especially striking case to heal.

Healing by Christ's Word

He entered the healing with no prior guarantee that he would be cured. When Jesus spoke, he put confidence in that word and moved at once without delay, even though he still could not walk. In willing to walk and acting upon that command, divine power was imparted to him and he was restored whole by that power.

Sabbath Dispute and Aftermath

Jesus deliberately chose this most afflicted, helpless sufferer as a striking case to heal on the Sabbath, and by bidding him carry his bed He made the cure public so as to raise the question of what is lawful on the Sabbath. He used the occasion to confront restrictive Jewish traditions and to show that acts of mercy honor the Sabbath. The healing taught the sanctity of God's law and statutes freed from senseless human restrictions. This stood in contrast to the Pharisees, who were strict for the exactions of the law yet failed to carry out and keep its principles.

The act was in accordance with the Sabbath law, for if it is lawful to circumcise on the Sabbath it is certainly right to relieve the afflicted and to make a man every whit whole on that day. Such a work is to be judged not according to appearance but by righteous judgment that interprets the spirit of the law. The healing displayed divine power and was evidence that Jesus was the promised Messiah. The common people candidly listened to Him and justified Him in it, putting the rulers to shame.

His opponents used the Sabbath healing as a mere pretext to condemn Him. The rulers could offer no argument against it, evaded His teaching concerning the Sabbath, and in hatred sought to stir up anger against Him because He had made Himself equal with God. Because He had healed on the Sabbath the Pharisees persecuted Him with a determined purpose to compass His death and kill Him, eagerly watching for an opportunity to accomplish it. That Sabbath healing so kindled the malice of the leading Jews that they plotted against His life, and it was no longer safe for Him to remain in Jerusalem, so He left for Galilee and made Capernaum the scene and place of His labors and work. The healing on the Sabbath led to a dispute over the Sabbath law, and the account of the impotent man at Bethesda is a great subject leading into Christ's great discourse after He was accused by the Jews of Sabbath breaking.

Spiritual Lessons for Sinners

The man's inability to walk illustrates the condition of those severed from God by sin, who cannot make themselves live a holy life, and those who long for spiritual life cannot gain it by their own striving. The healing at the pool of the impotent man shows Christ's power for the healing of the soul. Christ can deliver sinners and give them strength as they trust and act on His word.

As the helpless man of thirty-eight years believed Christ's word and acted on it before he could walk, with God supplying the power, so it is with the sinner. The sinner cannot atone for past sins nor change the heart by himself. He can trust God's promise of forgiveness and cleansing, confess his sin, and choose to serve Him, and God will fulfill His promise.

The healing shows Christ's work of caring for the friendless, suffering, and hopeless. Christ is the great Physician, able and willing to heal both body and soul. He frees those held captive by weakness or by evil practices and passions.