Now That Day Was the Sabbath

Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.”  John 5:8

John 5:1–17 – That You May Believe
25th Sunday in Ordinary Time  – November 10, 2024 (am)    

This is an odd story. It doesn’t so much throw us a curveball, like we saw last week, but it does present us with some challenges mainly because we just don’t have a category for a sick person who seems to be ambivalent about getting well, and especially not in the Gospels where people were chasing Jesus down in order to receive healing, like the official in last week’s text (4:46-53).

But this man by the pool at Bethesda (2) was a unique fellow. We wondered openly about the official, whether he had any interest in Jesus personally or any knowledge of Who He was; there’s just no indication there of any such conversation between him and Jesus. But here today with this man, it’s a step further down still! He didn’t even come to Jesus and ask! And when Jesus asked him about his long-term circumstances and whether he wanted to be healed, he answered with excuses! 

Let’s get into this story and see what we learn about Jesus—about believing in Him such that [we] have life in His name (20:31). This account comes in two parts.

Jesus Sovereignly Heals a Helpless Man – 1-9a

1 After this there was a feast of the Jews, we don’t know which one it was (Carson 1991 241), whether it was a Passover or one of the other two feasts for which Israel assembled at the temple (Mounce 441), and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, this name is varied ways, but this is now the most likely (house of outpouring [Carson 1991 241]; house of mercy [Köstenberger 2008]), which has five roofed colonnades. 3 In these, in the shade under these roofs, lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. At the end of v.3 some MSS add the clause “and they waited for the moving of the waters.” This [was inserted at some point to set up] v.7 regarding the [stirring] of the water, which likely resulted from intermittent springs under the water. The same MSS also add a v.4 that [repeats] a popular belief about angels stirring the water and the magical healing powers of that water for the first person to enter the pool when a disturbance took place (Mounce 422, see nas), but none of that is in the best manuscripts. 5 One man was there who had been an invalid, perhaps paralyzed, but for some reason unable to walk for thirty-eight years. It’s not likely he was there by the pool continuously, but regularly, especially when there was some expectation that the water may be stirred (Carson 1991 242). 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, out of the blue, “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.”

We need to pause and think about this. The setting of this situation sort of masks the true nature of this man’s answer. What we’re hearing from him is essentially an excuse for his condition; he’s in the state he’s been in for nearing four decades because of either the selfishness or calloused heart of others. We don’t know if anyone was ever healed in this water, but that was the belief. And it was a blessing that was always bestowed on others from his perspective, at times virtually stolen from him because of the slowness brought on by his infirmity.

Later on in this passage, after he was healed when he and Jesus met again in the temple, 14 … Jesus… said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, or even, stop sinning (Kruse 150), leave your sinful ways (Mounce 423, see neb), so that nothing worse may happen to you.” These two clauses… cannot be interpreted independently. They are tied together: the 246 meaning is ‘Stop sinning lest something worse happen to you’. The unavoidable implication is that the bad thing that has already happened was [brought on] by the sin which the person must not [continue] (Carson 1991 245-6). Now, we know this isn’t always the case. Elsewhere Jesus Himself made the point that those who were killed in a tragic accident in Jerusalem were no worse [sinners] than all the others who lived [there] (Luk.13:4). And further down the road right here in John, when Jesus 9:1 … saw a man blind from birth, 2 … his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Perhaps they were asking because of what they heard right here with this man at the pool of Bethesda. But there, 3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. We’ll get to that text in due course, but clearly we know that all suffering isn’t tied to direct acts of personal sin. Ananias and Sapphira events (Act.5: 1-11) are rare even in Scripture. But it does appear to be the case here in Joh.5; this man’s suffering was brought on by some particular expression of his own sin.

Put this together with his initial response to Jesus and I believe his excuse, his self-defensiveness, is amplified a bit, perhaps even clarified. How tempting is it for us to respond defensively when someone asks about the circumstances of our life in an area where sin, especially hidden sin, has us feeling compromised, even if our life circumstances aren’t as clear as this man’s—an invalid laying beside a healing pool? I think we each know the sense of defeat and self-pity, even self-loathing, that can arise within us when our sin is getting the better of us, when it’s creating discernible consequences, ones other people begin to see. We can be pretty hard on this man, seemingly as dimwitted spiritually as he was impaired physically, not even able to answer, Yes, when asked if [he wanted] to be healed (6), just feeling the need to recite yet again the emptiness of his rote rationale for his pitiful existence. This is surely a heavy and hopeless scene.

But it was about to come to an end. 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. Thirty-eight years of suffering was brought to an end with a single sentence from Jesus, unsought, unsolicited, just sovereignly asserted.

Jesus Sovereignly Displays God’s Intention for the Sabbath – 9b-17

9 … Now that day was the Sabbath. This is a big statement. The dispute between Jesus and the religious leaders of His day regarding how to understand and use the Sabbath is one of the key themes of His earthly life and ministry here in John, but maybe even more prominently in the other Gospels. 10 So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.” Can you even imagine a more strange response? 11 But he answered them, “The man who healed me, that man said to me, ‘Take up your bed, and walk.’” 12 They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” Wow. I’m going to use Gwen Wright as an example because all who’ve been here at GCD for a while know her, and those of you who don’t know her should, even though she’s not been able to attend for some years. Gwen is likely streaming today from DuPage Care Center. She has MS and has been confined to a wheelchair since before I came here nearing twenty years ago. If Gwen came walking in the doors right now, do you think the first word from any of us would be: Gwen, you’re kind of late for the service. Who told you it was okay to come in late? It’s like these Jews think that man’s the problem here, not the fact that they’re talking to this man about carrying his bed when he’s walking for the first time in thirty-eight years! But it gets even more strange.

13 Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was—he didn’t even know who had healed him!—for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. 14 Afterward—some indefinite amount of time later (Carson 1991 245); it may actually have been a while or John could’ve said this differently—Jesus found him in the temple, we don’t know why he was there, [but this is when Jesus] said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” And the next thing John reports is this man’s response that’s every bit as strange as the Jews’ original statement to him (10). 15 The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. There’s no way to read this other than that this man identified Jesus, turned Him in, to those who were displeased with Him because He told this thirty-eight year invalid to take up his bed [now that he can] walk! (8) 16 And more, this was actually why the Jews were persecuting Jesus increasingly during this section of John’s Gospel (cc. 5-10 [Köstenberger 2008]), because he was doing [things like this] on the Sabbath. He was healing people! He was bringing rest to those who [were] weary and burdened (Mat.11:28 niv), languishing under the weight of sin—this world’s and also their own, like this man. He was doing just what God would have Him do—God’s work! 17 [As] Jesus [put it], “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” We’ll talk more about that next week, God willing, as this encounter continues, but this is a good stopping place today.

Conclusion

So, what is our takeaway? Apart from marveling at the compassion and mercy of God, His willingness to heal people who aren’t even asking for it, to bless people apart from their seeking Him, just because He sovereignly purposes to do so, I’d say we should hear His word to this man and receive it as faithful instruction on how best to respond to any and all blessings of God that are sovereignly outpoured—Bethesda (house of outpouring, mercy).

If your life is characterized by some besetting sin that’s bearing bad fruit, turn away from it by embracing God’s grace through faith in His Son, the One John reports has 10:10 … [come] that [we] may have life and have it abundantly.

If it’s the sinfulness of this world that presses in upon you, don’t receive the grace and intervention of God in the dull and thoughtless way this man did. What God has provided for us in Christ is immeasurably beyond a thirty-eight year invalid rising up to walk! He delivers all of us who believe from that ‘[something] worse’ [which would surely] happen to [us], namely, His enteral judgment, the wrath of God that remains on [us] if we do not believe and obey the Son (3:36).

That’s Jesus’ word to this man he healed on the Sabbath. Again, He’ll have more to say to those who critiqued Him for it, but that’s next week. Today, let’s just recognize that it’s possible to have the blessing of God descend upon us and not even recognize it for what it is! We can be so disheartened at times that we’re more sullen and self-defensive than thankful and rejoicing for God’s mercy, even after we’re confident it’s delivered us from His eternal wrath. God help us! Seek Him today, my friends! Ask Him to open your eyes to His sovereignly dispensed blessings that bear eternal fruit as we receive them in repentance and faith, turning away from our sin and embracing a life lived for Him.

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Resources

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Barclay, William. 1975. The Daily Study Bible Series. The Gospel of John, Revised Edition. Louisville: Westminster John Knox.

Beale, G. K., & D. A. Carson, eds. 2007. Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament. John, by Andreas J. Köstenberger, 415-512. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic.

Bruce, F. F. 1983. The Gospel of John. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

                  , Gordon D. Fee, & Ned B. Stonehouse, gen. eds. 1995. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. The Gospel According to John, Revised Edition, by Leon Morris. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Calvin, John. 1553. Commentary on the Gospel According to John, trans. by, William Pringle. Logos.

Carson, D. A., gen. ed. 1991. The Pillar New Testament Commentary. The Gospel According to John, by D. A. Carson. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

                  , R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, & G. J. Wenham, eds. 1994. New Bible Commentary 21st Century Edition. John, by Donald Guthrie, 1021-1065. Leicester, Eng.: InterVarsity.

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Morris, Leon, gen. ed. 2003. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Vol. 4, John, by Colin G. Kruse. Downers Grove: InterVarsity.

Osborne, Grant, ed. 1993. Life Application Bible Commentary. John, by Bruce B. Barton, Philip W. Comfort, David R. Veerman, & Neil Wilson. Wheaton: Tyndale.

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Tenney, Merrill C. 1976. John: The Gospel of Belief. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

NEXT SUNDAY: So Also the Son Gives Life, John 5:18–29