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Lesson 3 |
Healing at the pool of Bethesda |
John Chapter 5 |
v1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
v2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.
Bethesda means the House of Mercy .
It is good to be at the place where mercy is shown..
Five porches The number of Grace.
It is even better to be surrounded by grace.
Mercy holds back that which we deserve while Grace gives what we dont deserve.
v3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.
Waiting for something that would never come to pass.
It was impossible to have deliverance because of sin.
v4 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.
This should be read as follows (It was said )
God would never have a system where angels came and provided healing on the bases of a gamble.
v5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.
This is a picture of Israel's wasted years in the wilderness.
They spent 40 years but only journeyed two.
v6 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?
There must be willingness in the part of the sinner to see the need of deliverance.
v7 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.
This system was like the law which could never save a man.. At the best offer a longer life on earth.
v8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
v9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.
Ro 6:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
The bed that he would die on is now above him because he has power over it.
This is what Christ can do for the sinner.
v10 The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.
No complaint about his healing on the Sabbath but by carrying his bed this constituted work
Little did they know that because of sin the true Sabbath was broken.
v11 He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.
v12 Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?
v13 And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.
Mt 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
The serpent knows when to move away from danger and the dove knows when to come back to safety.
v14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.
When a sinner is healed by the Savior it is good sign to find him in the temple.
v15 The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.
Two good signs of being healed are that he wanted to worship and witness.
v16 And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.
v17 But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.
The Lord pointed out that a true Sabbath can only be established when sin is dealt with.
v18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
The third sign had now established its purpose by proving that God was now in their midst. For only God could heal and bring hope to a nation who had rejected the true Messiah.