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About-Him Devotional 05-17-03
The life of Christ, from His baptism to His ascension, following the Harmony of the Gospels.
72: The Second Passover - Jn. 5:1
John 5:1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
This feast is unnamed, but most scholars feel that it is the Passover. The Passovers are used as markers in the life of Jesus. It has now been one year since Jesus cleansed the temple of the money changers and talked to Nicodemus concerning the new birth.
73: The Man at the Pool Healed - Jn. 5:2-16
John 5:5 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.
When Jesus healed the man at the pool of Bethesda, the stage was set for a major confrontation with the religious leaders over the proper observance of the Sabbath. From the one commandment to remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy, about fifteen hundred rules and regulations had been issued to keep one from doing so.
The pool of Bethesda had five porches filled with all manner of impotent folk waiting for an angel to trouble the water. The first of these halt, blind or withered, who could step into the pool after the waters had been troubled was healed of their affliction.
Jesus approached a man who had had an infirmity of thirty eight years and asked, "Will you be healed." The man replied, "Sir, I have no one to put me in the pool. Somebody else always gets there first." Jesus simply answered, "Rise, take up your bed and walk."
When the man picked up his bed, he was subject to death by stoning for carrying a burden on the Sabbath. Rather than rejoice, the religious leaders condemned and questioned the man as to who had dared to heal on the Sabbath. The man couldn't say who had healed him. Without a trace of thankfulness he replied, "The one who healed me commanded me to take up my bed and walk." He was probably sent to the temple to pay some lesser fine for his transgression. Jesus saw him there and told him to quit sinning, lest some worst thing should come upon him. The ungrateful healed man immediately point to Jesus as the one who had healed him.
Conclusion and Application:
The man at the pool correctly stated, "Sir, I have no man." When it gets down to brass tacks, we don't either. But we have Jesus and that's all we need.
Jesus was eager to heal even though He knew the man was unthankful.
We, like the religious leaders of the day can get bogged with legalism to where we can't see the forest for the trees.
Once again, the text couples sin and sickness.
Next Week: The Discourse on His Divinity
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A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband.
A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.
Quote
Man's best possession is a sympathetic wife. _ Euripides
Keep Looking Up!
Don & Marie Spooner
About Him! Ministries
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