'Afterward Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish
holy days. Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of
Bethesda, with five covered porches. Crowds of sick people—blind,
lame, or paralyzed—lay on the porches. One of the men lying
there had been sick for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him
and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would
you like to get well?” “I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have
no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone
else always gets there ahead of me.” Jesus told him, “Stand up,
pick up your mat, and walk!” Instantly, the man was healed! He
rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! But this miracle
happened on the Sabbath, so the Jewish leaders objected. They
said to the man who was cured, “You can’t work on the Sabbath!
The law doesn’t allow you to carry that sleeping mat!” But he replied,
“The man who healed me told me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’”
“Who said such a thing as that?” they demanded. The man didn’t
know, for Jesus had disappeared into the crowd. But afterward
Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, “Now you are well;
so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you.”
Then the man went and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus
who had healed him. So the Jewish leaders began harassing Jesus
for breaking the Sabbath rules. But Jesus replied, “My Father is
always working, and so am I.” So the Jewish leaders tried all the
harder to find a way to kill him. For he not only broke the Sabbath,
he called God his Father, thereby making himself equal with God. ' John 5:1-3,5-18 https://my.bible.com/bible/116/JHN.5.1-3,5-18
holy days. Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of
Bethesda, with five covered porches. Crowds of sick people—blind,
lame, or paralyzed—lay on the porches. One of the men lying
there had been sick for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him
and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would
you like to get well?” “I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have
no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone
else always gets there ahead of me.” Jesus told him, “Stand up,
pick up your mat, and walk!” Instantly, the man was healed! He
rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! But this miracle
happened on the Sabbath, so the Jewish leaders objected. They
said to the man who was cured, “You can’t work on the Sabbath!
The law doesn’t allow you to carry that sleeping mat!” But he replied,
“The man who healed me told me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’”
“Who said such a thing as that?” they demanded. The man didn’t
know, for Jesus had disappeared into the crowd. But afterward
Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, “Now you are well;
so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you.”
Then the man went and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus
who had healed him. So the Jewish leaders began harassing Jesus
for breaking the Sabbath rules. But Jesus replied, “My Father is
always working, and so am I.” So the Jewish leaders tried all the
harder to find a way to kill him. For he not only broke the Sabbath,
he called God his Father, thereby making himself equal with God. ' John 5:1-3,5-18 https://my.bible.com/bible/116/JHN.5.1-3,5-18
As I read the Bible I am always filled with questions, I want to know more details in the background of each story I read. The trip to Israel has helped me fill so many gaps in the stories. Sometimes, as with our visit to the Pool of Bethesda, new questions arise.
The man in this story had been sick for 38 years. We are given the impression that he had been here many times to be healed and the ONLY reason he wasn't healed was that he was too slow getting in the pool as the water bubbled up. CAN WE ASSUME THIS POOL REALLY HAD SOME HEALING POWER? This man had to believe the waters had some healing power or he wouldn't come back again and again and again.
You may not have noticed, that right in the middle of the story verse 4 has been removed from most modern translations. The King James Version is one of the few that includes verse four and this verse gives a description of an angel coming down stirring the water from time to time and the first person to step in would be healed. BUT, regardless if this verse belongs in the original or was added later, this sick man had the faith that he would be healed. He must have had enough proof that he could be healed. Even without the removed verse, he had reason to believe, probably a strong reason to believe, he would be healed if ONLY HE HAD A HELPER!
AHHA! In steps Jesus!
JESUS WAS HIS HELPER! But, Jesus didn't need the help of this miraculous pool to heal the man. He had all the power he needed. Don't you just love the thought that Jesus is our helper?
I am going through a season that requires extreme faith. We are raising money to get our ministry off the ground. We are using our own limited resources to get started, trusting that God will provide at the right time. I am sitting at the edge of the pool, knowing a miracle will happen, just like the lame man. AND, I also know Jesus is the helper I need to get that miracle. The lame man didn't know that until it happened.
I praise God as I await and expect a miracle. I have faith that Jesus, my helper, will show up at the right time. He does not need any outside help. He doesn't need some bubbling pool of water. He, in his own power, will help me! Praise God.
The video below contains a few of the pictures of the ruins at the Pool of Bethesda AND it contains pictures of St. Anne's church very near the Pool. I did not know who St. Anne was until it was explained this was Mary's mother. The acoustics in this church was amazing and I am including the recording of our group of voices singing inside. I believe it was one of the many highlights of the trip!
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