Bible Lesson: Miracles Of Jesus: Diseased Cripple at Bethesda Healed.
Location: Jerusalem.
Text: John 5:1-9 KJV
1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.
3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.
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.
5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.
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?
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.
8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.
John 5:1-9 NLT
1 Afterward Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish holy days.
2 Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda, with five covered porches.
3 Crowds of sick people—blind, lame, or paralyzed—lay on the porches.
5 One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years.
6 When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, He asked him, “Would you like to get well?”
7 “I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.”
8 Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!”
9 Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! But this miracle happened on the Sabbath,
John 5:1 KJV
After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
The feast celebrated was the feast of Purim.
Esther 9:20-22 KJV
20And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent letters unto all the Jews that were in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, both nigh and far,
21To stablish this among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly,
22As the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day: that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor.
John 5:2 KJV
Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.
At the “Sheep Gate,” were animals that were brought into the city for the purpose of sacrifice, nearby was a pool called Bethesda. The pool of Bethesda (House of Grace/ House of Mercy.) had five columns or colonnades.
John 5:2 NLT
Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda, with five covered porches.
This is correct, the columns were covered as to provide shelter for the many sick that lay at the pool.
This in effect was the hospital of the day. The sick man of our story had been there some 38 years. To say this was a hospital, is to properly imply, that many were philanthropically cared for.
John 5:3 KJV
In these (Five Porches.) lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered,...
waiting for the moving of the water.
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.
Many a critic, has risen over the years saying that this is but a story.
But if we cavalierly dismiss this scripture, how far off will John 3:16 be so summarily dismissed?
II Timothy 3:16 KJV
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
II Peter 1:21 KJV
For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
In the year 1888, Professor Conrad Schick helped to discover in north Jerusalem, down some steep winding steps, two large pools, with fragments of columns. On one wall in the area he found a faded fresco of an angel in the act of troubling the waters. (G. Frederick Owen, D.D., Ed. D.)
Jesus never denied the facts of this story, neither should we. Could water be so effected as to bring health? Well one thing we know for sure, water could so be effected by our Saviour as to yield 10 pots of Wine (John 2:7-10).
John 5:5,6 KJV
5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.
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?
At what point do you finally give up hope?
A couple years, a year, a month, a week?
This man, completely lame for 38 years, year after year, living on the charity of others, never gave up hope.
Psalm 31:24 KJV
Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.
Psalm 33:18 KJV
Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His mercy;
Psalm 39:7 KJV
And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.
Psalm 42:11 KJV
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise Him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
Psalm 71:5 KJV
For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth.
Psalm 146:5 KJV
Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God:
Jeremiah 17:7 KJV
Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.
Joel 3:16 KJV
"... the Lord will be the hope of His people..."
Acts 24:15 KJV
"... have hope toward God..."
Romans 15:4 KJV
For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Titus 2:13 KJV
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Hebrews 6:16-20 KJV
16 Now when people take an oath, they call on someone greater than themselves to hold them to it. And without any question that oath is binding.
17 God also bound Himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that He would never change His mind.
18 So God has given both His promise and His oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to Him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us.
19 This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.
20 Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.
I Peter 1:3 KJV
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
John 5:7 KJV
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.
Sir-Greek: Kurios (Koo-ree-os): Respectful, Lord, Master.
The first part of any answer must be to recognize that Jesus is Lord!
This the lame man did.
But the lame one had a problem, he had no friend, to help into the troubled water, so others rushed in before him.
How wonderful to know that as Christian people we, do, have a “friend!”
What A Friend
What A Friend we have in Jesus, All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry Everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry Everything to God in Prayer!
Charles C. Converse
John 5:8,9 KJV
8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
9 And immediately the man was made whole...”
Dear friend, whatever the Lord Jesus calls you to do, He gives you strength and health to do!
Exodus 15:26 NLT
He said, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, obeying His commands and keeping all His decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.”
Deuteronomy 7:15 KJV
"And the Lord will take away from thee all sickness..."
Jeremiah 30:17 KJV
"For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord..."
Matthew 10:1 KJV
And when He had called unto Him His twelve disciples, He gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
Mark 16:17,18 KJV
17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils...
18 ...they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
III John 1:2 KJV
Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
Mark 11:22 KJV
And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
