Do you want to be made well?

After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, "Do you want to be made well?" The sick man answered Him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me." Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your bed and walk." And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.

And that day was the Sabbath. The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, "It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed." He answered them, "He who made me well said to me, 'Take up your bed and walk.'" Then they asked him, "Who is the Man who said to you, 'Take up your bed and walk'?" But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place. Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you." The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, "My Father has been working until now, and I have been working." Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.

- John 5:1-18

In today's reading, we read of the third miracle or sign in the Gospel of John. The first two took place in Cana, where Jesus turned the water to wine at a wedding (The Good Wine) and healed a nobleman's son (The Second Sign).

After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. My study bible says that St. John Chrysostom and other Fathers state that this feast is the Jewish Feast of Pentecost (or the Feast of Weeks), due to the references to the Law of Moses later in the chapter. The Feast of Pentecost centers around the theme of the giving of the Law on Mt. Sinai.

Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. My study bible notes: "This double-basin pool, believed to have curative powers, has been discovered by archaeologists about 100 yards north of the temple area, near the Sheep Gate. The water for this high-ground pool came from underground springs, and it was used to wash down the sacrificial lambs before they were slain. The pool has led some Christians to see in this imagery a prefiguration of baptism."

In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. My study bible points out that these verses, a kind of explanation of the action of the pool, are omitted from many modern English translations. It appears in none of the oldest Greek manuscripts we have available to us. It explains, "Tertullian (c. A.D. 200) is the first Latin writer, and St. John Chrysostom (c. A.D. 400) the first Greek writer, to refer to it. The disturbance of the water may actually have been caused by bubbling up of the intermittent underground springs, which was understood as an angelic action. On the other hand, it is possible that angelic activity was indeed the cause for the stirring of the water. The role of spiritual powers in the world must never be discounted." It's interesting to understand this pool as a "type" from the Old Testament which Jesus fulfills in a "new" way. The angelic action is replaced by the direct action of Christ; while one at a time is healed in the pool, Christ's action is available for all at any time (and without mediation); the emphasis here is for physical or "temporal" well-being (as my study bible puts it), but baptism is a rebirth for spiritual and eternal well-being.

Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, "Do you want to be made well?" My study bible points out that Jesus asks an obvious question to stimulate the man's faith. In some ways, it seems to me that Jesus purposely engages people that he wishes to draw out, like the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well (interestingly, another sacred place of water). (See Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst.)

The sick man answered Him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me." Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your bed and walk." And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath. The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, "It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed." My study bible says, "Although the law of the Sabbath (Ex. 20:8-11; Deut. 5:12-15) does not specifically prohibit the carrying of burdens, this activity is mentioned in Jer. 17:21 and Neh. 13:19 and was explicitly forbidden by rabbinical regulations. The Jews again refers not to the Jewish people (for the paralytic was a Jew), but to the authorities, who thought of themselves as guardians of the Law."

He answered them, "He who made me well said to me, 'Take up your bed and walk.'" Then they asked him, "Who is the Man who said to you, 'Take up your bed and walk'?" But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place. Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you." My study bible notes here: "It was a common belief that illness and misfortune were divine retribution for sin. The Savior, however, does not ratify this as an absolute principle (see 9:1-3). The paralytic's cure is to lead to conversion and a righteous life." What I like about this passage is its illustration of Jesus' mysterious nature. The healing takes place with a word - it is done, while before, the man was waiting for someone to help him to get into the pool. Jesus' loving support is there for us always, we can count on it when we have no one. But He's like the wind here, the metaphor he used to demonstrate the action of the Spirit to Nicodemus, it blows where it wishes. And Jesus goes where He wishes, disappearing when He wants to. (Not quite a metaphor: Pneuma in the Greek can mean either wind - breath or Spirit; interestingly, Jesus was explaining baptism to Nicodemus.) I feel that the command to sin no more is an admonition for the man to remember where his healing comes from, to remain in loving relationship with God.

The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, "My Father has been working until now, and I have been working." Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. My study bible notes: "Confronted by His Jewish critics, Jesus argues that God's sustaining and redeeming work in the world does not cease on the Sabbath. Hearing these words, the Jews are doubly offended. Jesus not only violates scribal law, but also presents Himself as equal with God (v. 18)."

Interweaving the action of Spirit, baptism, healing, and the gift of life with a word, our story today tells of Jesus' third sign, or miracle. We remember that signs are not proofs, but rather they point to a greater reality behind them - and that they are for the faithful who have the capacity in their hearts for relationship to Christ. They strengthen faith, rather than "creating" it. In today's story, my study bible points out, we come to understand that Jesus has the gift of life. This is, of course, a divine attribute, and the conflict begins with the authorities over this subject. How can Jesus, a man, be divine? How can He make Himself equal with God? To be healed in these waters is to be bathed in the Holy Spirit, something that God offers to all of us. But how are we chosen to receive this? What is in our hearts? Can we accept this gift of grace?