Episode 36 - Do you want to be healed?
John 5:1-9
1 After this 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, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. 3 In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. 5 One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” 7 The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” 9 And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath.
The section begins the third sign that John specifically includes in his gospel account. You should notice that this one takes place back in Jerusalem. We have no idea how much time has passed since he was in Galilee. But, Jerusalem is the center of Jewish worship at the temple and we already know that the Jewish rulers are antagonists. They have heard that Jesus has become more popular than John the Baptist. By now, they’ve probably heard about him healing the man’s son in Galilee without even being present with the son.
The details of this setting is that there is a man who has been lame for thirty-eight years and it would appear that he resides near this pool that is believed to have some power to heal people of their infirmities if they can only get into the pool in a timely manner. He has not been able to achieve that. It is clear that he doesn’t know who Jesus is. He does not send anyone to ask Jesus to heal him. Jesus initiates the meeting. Jesus is aware that he’s been there a long time.
It seems to me that Jesus’ question to him is such an important question for everyone. “Do you want to be healed?” We might be inclined to think of that as a silly question for someone who has been lame for so long. The question expects a yes or no answer and we’d be inclined to think that everyone would answer yes. But, the man doesn’t answer yes or no. Instead, he provides an excuse as to why he’s not been able to get into the pool quick enough. It’s a “Yes, but . . .” kind of answer that leaves us wondering if he really does want to be healed. Jesus seems content with the answer. Perhaps Jesus perceives in that response a little bit of faith that he can be healed, but that the man’s expectation that getting into the pool at the right time needs to be corrected. Jesus simply commands him to get up, pick up his bed and walk. John tells us the man was healed instantly. We’re seeing a consistent pattern here, aren’t we. The Word of God speaks and God’s power and will are immediately effective.
The final part of verse nine is John informing us that this occurred on the Sabbath. We will see in our next section why this is important. But, in this opening segment of this story, I would encourage you to ask yourself, “Do I want to be healed?” You may say, “But, I’m not lame, blind, or deaf.” But, you are dying. We are all dying; a result of mankinds’ disobedience to God. We are broken and not whole. God is offering to make us well through faith in Jesus. Do we want God to make us whole or will we make excuses about how we’ve not been able to accomplish it ourselves. The fact of the matter is that we cannot do it ourselves. We need Jesus.