Sorry for kicking this horse again but there is just so much in these verses and I fear I am so poor at writing and explaining that I wish to study these first few verses of chapter 5 once more. I pray God takes my inabilities and stirs the waters of faith and grace and uses this to enlighten instead of confuse. May we feast on His words and search the scriptures for ourselves.
Jhn 5:2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.
Jhn 5:3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.
Jhn 5:4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.
Jhn 5:5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.
Jhn 5:6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?
Jhn 5:7 The impotent 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.
Jhn 5:8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
Jhn 5:9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.
- Why did Jesus choose this man from the multitude?
- Anything to be taken from Jesus commanding in verse 8 instead of asking?
- What can we learn from the timing in the response of the man?
I wish to re-visit once more the symbolism in these verses. My fears are that the shinning of light only served to reveal how great the darkness is.
Depravity - the blind, lame, paralyzed, and diseased unable to see, unable to move, and soon to die in their current condition with nothing they can do to save themselves or prevent it.
Grace - continuously 5 is used in the scriptures as divine design in relationship to favor (Gen 43:34; 45:22). In this text to see also the unmerited favor of the Lord in that the man did nothing to receive it.
Mercy - pool of Bethesda, this is Hebrew for mercy. It is clear that at this pool of mercy it was Christ that chose the man and by His will made him whole.
Sacrifice - the sheep gate where all entered bringing their sacrifice to the temple. Where the Father would enter and bring the sacrifice for his family to redeem them of their sins.
Finished work - made whole from what ever diseased you had. You entered the waters of mercy only once and were made completely well.
Calling - welt thou be made whole. The Spirit coming to call His saints to know that they are saved.
Effect and perseverance - the man immediately picked up his bed and walked away and never again faced the infirmities he once had.
May God grant us grace to wait inside the sheep gate and wait for the Spirit to stir the waters and show us mercy that it may be reveal to us that the sacrifice has already been made in His Son so that we may now joyfully heed the calling and cast off our heavy burdens and pick up our beds and walk.
