Introduction
After moving to Capernaum, Jesus makes the long trip down to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Jews. (Some believe this was the second Passover that Jesus attended. Some believe it was the Feast of Tabernacles, thus placing the following two events about 6-7 months later.) Remember what happened last year at the Passover (John 2)? Jesus definitely shook things up then! I wonder what will happen this year. There must have been a buzz about Jesus as people made the journey from all over the world to Jerusalem to celebrate this important Jewish festival. Let’s find out what happens.
Reading [You can read as much as you can, depending on your availability]
John 5:1-17
Meditating [Use these questions to start your thinking]
- What does this passage tell us about this sick man?
- Why do you think Jesus asked him “‘Do you want to get well?’” (v. 6)?
- What is significant about the day and place Jesus healed this man?
- What did this miracle stir up in the Jews?
- How did Jesus use this moment?
- What other questions do you still have?
Sharing: Text ONE of your answers to the questions above to your team. Each team should post a sharing from a team member in the comments below.
Jesus heads south and up to Jerusalem for this Feast of the Jews. Something to keep in mind when reading your Bible is that up does not necessarily mean north, it just means up in elevation. Jerusalem is located on top of a mountain range and is at one of the highest places of elevation in the area. Jesus arrives at the Feast of the Jews and makes His way to a place just outside the wall called Bethesda, close to the Sheep Gate, where there was a multitude of sick people lying around. How many did Jesus heal? One — that’s all. A common misconception is that Jesus healed everyone. He did not. He only healed those the Father told Him to heal (John 14:10).
When only one out of many sick people is healed it points to a huge feature of how Jesus approached life. Jesus approached every person and every situation with intentionality! Each person was healed for a purpose. Jesus trusted the Father and boldly acted in this situation.
What purpose did Jesus have in healing this man on the Sabbath—the Passover Sabbath!? You find this event setting up the opportunity to preach the truth in the temple area, much like what Peter experienced in Acts 3. The Father’s definite plan was the healing of this man for a truth encounter with the religious leaders during the Jews’ festival.
It’s so natural to get caught up in the press of life, especially in the ministry. The constant demands and expectations of people make us feel like we just need to keep things going and do what is expected. But Jesus’ life challenges us to live and minister with intentionality—to think strategically about our activities and conversations. Take time today to pray. While praying, take time to listen to God. Ask Him to show you how to use the activities and conversations of this day to strategically move forward his plans for developing you and the movement He has called you into.
“What does the passage tell us about this sick man?”
The passage shows the man being more interested in his healing rather than Jesus. He only cared about himself. I’m surprised that the sick man didn’t ask who Jesus was or show appreciation for what He did. The miracle was nothing ordinary. The sick man also seemed to care more about his own reputation when he passed the blame on Jesus for healing him. It seemed as if he feared the Jewish officials more.
What is significant about the day and place Jesus healed this man?
The day is significant because it was the Sabbath where you’re not supposed to do work. This gave a reason for the Jewish people to stand against Jesus because Jesus “broke” the law. Jesus healed this man in Jerusalem – the epicenter of religion. This was also happened during The feast of the Jews, which means a lot of people were coming to Jerusalem to celebrate so many people witnessed what Jesus did. Jesus knew that healing this man will cause controversy, but it also gave him an opportunity to preach to the crowds.
This passage tells us that the sick man has been sick for a long time, and when it was time for him to get into the pool he couldn’t. That is until Jesus came and performed a miracle on him. With just a command the sick man was able to be pick up his mat and walk. I think another thing that was interested was that the man knew it was Jesus who healed him after he was found in the temple by Him. Jesus did not even tell the guy it was Him, so maybe God had something to do with it? I think the reason why Jesus asked the sick man to be healed was to see if he wanted Jesus to heal him and have the Holy Spirit intervene. It could also mean for me if I want to accept Jesus in my life and have Him help me because I cannot heal myself alone.
Jesus healing the man on the sabbath was significant in the sense that Jesus was showing the leaders that He is king and God is always working in our lives. I don’t necessarily think Jesus was picking a fight. I think he in showing his grace, caused the others to feel threatened and provoked. The way Jesus responds to them is in my opinion why it was not to start a fight. He is teaching them.