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The healing of the disabled man at the pool of Bethesda

The article analyses Jesus' healing of the disabled man at the pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath, illustrating Jesus' affirmation of himself as Lord of the Sabbath and the tensions with the Pharisees. John's account describes this miracle as a deliberate act intended to provoke reflection on the laws of Judaism, revealing the distortions in their interpretation by the religious authorities of the time.

3 min healing Sabbath Pharisees Bethesda Jerusalem 1 verse 1 book

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Biblical texts

Matthew

Matthew (King James Version) not cited in the book

Mark

Mark (King James Version) not cited in the book

Luke

Luke (King James Version) not cited in the book

John

John 5.2-16 (King James Version)

Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.

In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.

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.

And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

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?

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.

Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.

He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.

Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?

And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.

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.

The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.

And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.

King James Version (1769), domaine public — texte : eBible.org

Technical details

Location: The city of Jerusalem in Judea

Date: The of March 29, AD 31

Method: We continue with John

Note on the approach: John alone records this festival

During the , Jesus the Messiah performs a miracle by healing a disabled man. This act, perceived by the religious authorities as a violation of the , arouses fierce opposition.

The healing of the disabled man at the pool of Bethesda

Comments

We continue our study following the chronology established by John. The event takes place at the , situated in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate, close to the Temple, according to John's indications.

Two questions arise:

Did Jesus the Messiah deliberately choose to heal this man precisely on a ?

Was he trying to provoke the , at the risk of causing a conflict?

It is important to observe that Jesus the Messiah was staying in Jerusalem throughout that week. He could therefore have chosen another day to go to the , particularly since the sick were always present there. By acting on this particular day, he highlights his position as Lord of the . From then on, the religious leaders have only two options: enter into conflict with him or recognise him as God's Messiah.

Their refusal to acknowledge Jesus' messiahship leads them to misinterpret the situation. They now see this Teacher as a threat to Judaism, their ancestors' religion, of which they consider themselves guardians.

The logical consequence of their choice is an unequivocal condemnation of the actions of Jesus the Messiah, who nevertheless opposes not Judaism itself but only the political and religious system that stems from it.

In this account, John seeks to highlight the absurdity of these distortions of Judaism advocated by the . These religious men, who were awaiting a messiah, now see him with irrefutable evidence, yet they reject him and even want him dead, as John reports!

Observance of ancestral rites, particularly the , originally instituted by God, appears more important than God's own will, manifested in Jesus the Messiah. We are therefore inclined to think that Jesus the Messiah deliberately chose to heal this disabled man on the to demonstrate his position as Lord of the .

La guérison de l’infirme à la piscine de Bethesda. L'article analyse la guérison de l'infirme par Jésus à la piscine de Bethesda durant le sabbat, illustrant l'affirmation de Jésus comme maître du sabbat et les tensions avec les pharisiens. Le récit de Jean décrit ce miracle comme un acte délibéré pour provoquer une réflexion sur les lois du judaïsme, en révélant les dérives de son interprétation par les autorités religieuses de l'époque. Commentaires. Nous continuons notre étude en respectant la chronologie établie par Jean. L’événement se déroule à la piscine de Bethesda, située à Jérusalem, près de la Porte des Brebis, à proximité du Temple, selon les indications de Jean. Deux questions se posent : Jésus, le Messie, a-t-il délibérément choisi de guérir cet homme précisément un jour de sabbat ? Cherchait-il à provoquer les pharisiens, au risque d’engendrer un conflit ? Il est important de noter que Jésus, le Messie, séjournait à Jérusalem toute cette semaine. Il aurait donc pu choisir un autre jour pour se rendre à la piscine de Bethesda, d’autant plus que les malades y étaient présents en permanence. En agissant ce jour précis, il met en lumière sa position de maître du sabbat. Dès lors, les religieux n’ont que deux options : entrer en conflit avec lui ou le reconnaître comme le Messie de Dieu. Leur refus d'admettre la messianité de Jésus les conduit à une interprétation erronée de la situation. Ils perçoivent désormais ce Maître comme une menace pour le Judaïsme, la religion de leurs ancêtres, dont ils se considèrent comme les gardiens. La conséquence logique de leur choix est une condamnation sans appel des actes de Jésus, le Messie, qui pourtant ne s’oppose pas au Judaïsme en soi, mais uniquement au système politico-religieux qui en découle. Jean cherche à mettre en évidence, dans ce récit, l’absurdité de ces dérives du judaïsme prônées par les pharisiens. Ces religieux, qui attendaient un messie, le voient maintenant avec des preuves irréfutables et pourtant, ils le rejettent et souhaitent même sa mort, comme le rapporte Jean ! Le respect des rites ancestraux et en particulier du sabbat, pourtant instauré à l’origine par Dieu, apparait plus important que la volonté même de Dieu, manifestée en Jésus le Messie. Nous sommes donc enclins à penser que Jésus, le Messie, a délibérément choisi de guérir cet homme infirme le jour du sabbat afin de démontrer sa position de maître du sabbat.