Since the man is carrying his mat on the Sabbath, some Jewish officials point out that he is breaking the Sabbath. This healing takes place during a feast of the Jews, on a Sabbath day. That Jesus would heal on the Sabbath is well known from synoptic. On the few occasions when Jesus takes the initiative in a healing, it is generally on the Sabbath (see also Mark 3: 1-6; Luke 13: 10-17; 14: 1-6).
Jesus could have easily have waited to heal the man after the Sabbath was over – the fact that He does not suggests strongly that Jesus is making some sort of a declaration by healing on the Sabbath. One of the reasons John tells us the man was an invalid for 38 years is that Jesus could have waited a few hours until sundown and then healed the man.
We have no way of knowing where the man went, but since the Pool is in the on the north end of the Temple Mount he likely came into the city where some of the Jews told him he was violating the Sabbath by carrying the mat.
The man does not know who Jesus was, but “blames” him for his breach of the Sabbath. The man may have assumed that Jesus was a religious authority since he healed him. There are other rabbis who were reputed to have been healers although nothing on the scale of Jesus. The man does not believe in Jesus as the official did in John 4. If he believed at all it was a very superficial and thin belief. He only knows that he has been healed and does not care how or why
The Jews, on the other hand, encounter a miraculous healing and are more interesting in the implications of what Jesus’ actions and words mean. Jesus is claiming to be far more than a healer in this action!
There were a number of things which were exempt from work on the Sabbath. In m.Sabb 18.3 and 19:2-3 there is a brief discussion of things various rabbis allowed as exceptions to the “no work” rule. In fact, most rabbis tried to make Sabbath rules which could be kept and permit the enjoyment of the day.
m.Sabb. 18:3 They do not deliver the young of cattle on the festival, but they help out. And they do deliver the young of a woman on the Sabbath. They call a midwife for her from a distant place, and they violate the Sabbath on her [the woman in childbirth’s] account. And they tie the umbilical cord. R. Yose says “Also: They cut it.” And all things required for circumcision do they perform on the Sabbath.
m.Sabb 19:2-3 They do prepare all that is needed for circumcision on the Sabbath: they (1) cut [the mark of circumcision], (2) tear, (3) suck [out of the wound]. And they put on it a poultice and cummin. If one did not pound it on the eve of the Sabbath, he chews it in his teeth and puts it on. If one did not mix wine and oil on the eve of the Sabbath, let this be put on by itself and that by itself. And they do not make a bandage in the first instance. But they wrap a rag around [the wound of the circumcision]. If one did not prepare [the necessary rag] on the eve of the Sabbath, he wraps [the rag] around his finger and brings it, and even from a different courtyard. 19:3 They wash off the infant, both before the circumcision and after the circumcision, and they sprinkle him, by hand but not with a utensil. R. Eleazar B. Azaraiah says, “They wash the infant on the third day after circumcision [even if it] coincides with the Sabbath, “since it says, And it came to pass on the third day when they were sore (Gen. 34:25).” [If the sexual traits of the infant are a matter of] doubt, of [if the infant] bears the sexual traits of both sexes, they do not violate the Sabbath on his account. And R. Judah permits in the care of an infant bearing the traits of both sexes.
It is possible the Jews who see the man carrying the mat think that Jesus has “made an exception” for him, in which case Jesus is setting himself up as an authority who can give rulings on how the Law ought to be kept.
Should we think of the healed man’s attitude is as strange? Rather than give credit to Jesus for healing him, he does not even know Jesus’ name and seems to shift the blame for breaking the Sabbath to Jesus. Is this man an example of “faith that is going nowhere” (Köstenberger, John, 182)? Or is the man afraid of what might happen to him if he opening breaks the Sabbath by carrying his mat? On the other hand, this is less about the faith of the healed man than Jesus’s relationship with the Pharisees and their traditions concerning the Sabbath.
It seems that the man’s actions to his healing on the Sabbath reflect that he is more scared of what the Pharisees might do rather than what Jesus did. With Jesus being an unknown man to him and the Pharisees are known as those who hold the law, the man would rather have Jesus take the blame for him carrying his mat rather than face possible punishment. However, Jesus is making a point when he heals the lame man. As God incarnate, he has authority over the Pharisees and what they say about the law of the Sabbath. Kostenbeger puts it like this, “The one who created the Sabbath has authority over it; he determines its purpose, its use, and its limitations.” (Kostenbeger, 81). As mentioned in this post, if there were a few things that the Jews allowed to overrule the law of the Sabbath, then the healing of the lame man was Jesus’s unspoken statement of “I am the lawmaker”. In his healing of the lame man, he never sinned as stated in passages like 1 Peter 2:21-22 and Hebrews 4:15, but was redefining the core of the law that the Pharisees had set in place. Luke 6:9 raises the question of doing good or keeping the Sabbath and shows that a good action that will bring others closer to God is better than an action that may be harmful but keeps to the Sabbath.
I don’t think the healed man’s attitude was strange at all because as discussed in class high ranked Jewish leaders could make exemptions on how the law is to be obeyed (P.Long). The man could of been under the impression that Jesus was an authority figure in the church. That being said the man could of believed he was actually following one of the exemptions created by a Jewish authoritative figure. According to Kostenberger Jews had made exceptions to what they deemed justified in the eyes of God and circumcision was one of them (Kostenberger, 97). It was Jewish tradition that a boy be circumcised on the eighth day and if that day landed on the Sabbath it was justified to follow through with traditions. So when the man got questioned he gave the Jewish authorities an expression that someone from the inside told him it was OK to walk around with his mat. His behavior demonstrated a sense of knowledge towards the oral commands of Jewish leaders and uses Jesus as leverage to back up his actions. However, his faith was completely detached from the miracle Jesus performed on him. The man did not acknowledge Jesus’s miracle but instead was focused on proving his case to the Jewish authorities.
The man’s attitude throughout the whole process is very queer. First, he seems to have never heard of Jesus (John 5:13). He was too focused on his own problems that he did not even stop to ask who it was that was helping him. Other examples of Jesus healing show people coming to Jesus with great faith. He seems to not follow this general description. Second, the man had given up hope and was frustrated that no one would help him when the pool would stir. The consensus was that when the pool is stirred, the first person in the pool would be healed (ESV commentary). When Jesus comes over, he seems to be in a not so pleasant state. Then it is not strange that after Jesus heals him, that he would blame Jesus for not following sabbath laws. What is definitely strange is that he is not overjoyed to have finally gotten his miracle.
Later on, when Jesus meets with him again, He tells the man that he is well and should sin no more because something worse could happen to him (John 5:14). Jesus seems to be saying that his illness was due to sin, and he must repent. Here, the man finds out who it was that healed him and took that information to the Jews who used it to persecute Jesus further (John 5:16). When we look at it this way, it makes us wonder why Jesus, knowing what would happen, would have healed a man who would not glorify him but instead put blame on him.
The man does not seem to have a very positive relationship with the religious teachers since he does not respond nicely to Jesus even though he believed that Jesus was just one of them. It is entirely possible that the man is scared of the consequences of disobeying the law as he is finally able to join society and partake in everyday activities as a normal man.
However, he was most likely already marginalized for most of his life due to his inability, so it is hard to know exactly what he is afraid of. It is possible that now he wants to get back to society and in order to do so, he must impress those who make and enforce the laws.
I believe that Jesus was mostly trying to make a point and used this man to do so. He knew that the Jews had added a lot of other burdensome rules “about what kind of ‘work’ was prohibited, including a code that forbade carrying an object ‘from one domain into another’ (Mishnah, Shabbat 7.2)” (ESV Commentary, p. 2031). Jesus does not dispute whether or not he broke the sabbath or if he worked. He agrees with them and explains that he did. He explains that His father is still working and so He is too. This statement is made to show that Jesus is Lord over the sabbath which is a claim that He is God (ESV Commentary).
I thought that it was interesting that the phrase “Jesus takes the initiative” is used to introduce this healing here. I think that this concept is something that we do not first think about when we look at this story. Jesus lived a life of example for us to be able to follow. The fact that the religious leaders of the day were not ones to set examples, but rather wanted to be praised for their good works, really shows the different mindset that God wants us to have. The world has a lot of views and beliefs that go against what the Bible says, but we are called to be the ones to make the change, or make a difference, even when others who would not agree are watching. Romans 12:2 tells us, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind so that you may prove that the will of God is good, and pleasing, and perfect.”
Another thing that has always bothered me about this story was that the man who was healed does not seem to have any interest in who Jesus is or how he was healed. Granted I am sure it would be an incredible experience, but would he really have no questions? I would have so many questions, and to think that he just walked away and into town, which is what he was told to do, but why did he not even ask Jesus for His name? It is the Jews who know the law and think that there has been an exception that start to ask the questions. Jesus is breaking the barrier between the law and the grace that He has to offer.
The healing on the Sabbath was a huge point of tension between Jesus and the Jewish officials. The Jewish leaders strict following of the Law and the statutes set around it blinded them to what Jesus was doing. Any work on the Sabbath was strictly prohibited, with very few exceptions to what did not count as work. Jesus says that “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working” (John 5:17). Kostenberger says this statement “defends himself against the following two charges: he is a sabbath-breaker, and he is blaspheming” (Kostenberger, 81). Jesus does what the Father does, because he has seen the Father do it. This invokes the idea of apprenticeship and working under a father to learn a trade. God is the creator of the Sabbath and “the one who created the Sabbath has authority over it; he determines its purpose, its use, and its limitations” (Kostenberger 81). Because God created the Sabbath, he decides what can be done, and Jesus does as the Father wishes. And since he only does as the Father wants, he is able to do these things because the Father wants it. So Jesus’ defense is that he is equal to God, and as such, he can heal on the Sabbath.
Now that I think about it, I find it strange that the man did not even bother to ask his healer who he was. It seems that the man was not thankful for the healing. He simply got up and walked away from Jesus. You would think you would at least say thank you if you were the man. It is strange because the man seems a little desperate to be healed considering he has been an invalid for 38 years, but once he is healed, he just leaves and does not care that someone had healed him and goes on to live his life. It is also interesting that the Jewish people and leaders only care that the man who had not been able to walk for 38 years (!!) was carrying his mat on the Sabbath, never mind the fact that this man is walking somehow. The leaders are so focused on making sure all people follow sabbath rules that they completely miss the sign/miracle that Jesus had performed. They simply grill Jesus about why he was doing work on the sabbath and making this man carry his mat on the sabbath. However, Jesus has the ultimate comeback and says that he has authority over them when it comes to the Sabbath because he has come from the father and “The one who created the Sabbath has authority over it”. (Köstenberger, 81) This makes the pharisees mad because he is claiming to have a direct relationship with God or to be God.
I think the man’s attitude is very strange, because he not only was healed by a man he didn’t know but also ‘blamed’ Him for the breach of the Sabbath. I don’t know about anyone else but for one I’d never take healing from someone I didn’t know or if I didn’t know what kind of power they were using to heal me. It is weird he just went along with what Jesus said, though he did not even know him; the man was thankful in the moment and didn’t know how to react so Jesus gave him commands. After a while longer when the man is caught by religious leaders carrying his mat on the sabbath he blames Jesus for what was done. Which is also weird, a man who has been a complete invalid for 38 years, they didn’t bother to ask how he was healed, or what he must have felt, the only thing they cared about was why he was disobeying the law and who told him to do such an act. I feel as though like P. Long may have a point in being correct when he said this might have been a man who was scared to admit he was openly breaking the Sabbath; there were unimaginable things done to people for breaking the laws so out of fear the man starts blaming Christ. But, if he fully understood the healing powers of God, and what Christ intended by his healing I don’t think he would have any problem with admitting that he was openly braking the Sabbath. Like Kostenberger said in Encountering John ” The one who created the Sabbath has authority over it.” (81), if the man had faith above all of this he would know that Jesus would have full reign over the situation.
We shouldn’t focus on the mans attitude too much. Clearly he was responding as anyone who would fear the power of the officials. The healed man knows the law, and the law speaks as to what can clearly be done on the Sabbath. i feel as if the man is only acting out what he knows. I think he is very afraid of what would happen to him if people found out he was healed on the Sabbath. Just knowing the story, and knowing that the officials went to his parents due to their unbelief, were questioning them. Obviously we know that the officials were very much interested in taking someone down. I don’t think we need to even think of this man and his faith, I think the reason Jesus did this was to put Glory to God (Kostenberger, 103). “Neither this man, nor his parents sinned”, when referring to his blindness, God caused this to bring about future glory through this man. Now although the officials were very upset with the working on the Sabbath, they had to believe in the sign that had just been done through Jesus. The man picked up his mat, and left. I honestly believe he was acting out fear for the officials, instead of fear for the one who just healed him. You’d think, if he has the power to cure you of blindness, wouldn’t he be able to just do something bad as well? This man acts in a weird manner, because I would be much more afraid of someone I didn’t know, healing people and having such power.
Wow it is crazy to me the rules about the Sabbath that one had to follow. I never knew about that people were not allowed to help a woman give birth on the Sabbath, but they had to call a midwife. This is so crazy to think about today how serious they were about keeping the Sabbath. Today, we do not see that much honor, but rather our rest is focused mostly on ourselves- watching TV, taking naps, eating food and so on, instead of our rest being about the Lord. While these things are not bad and are good for us to take part in, it is also a treasure to truly rest with the Lord.
When we see in the story about the man picking up his mat and walking, we see how the Jews- God’s chosen people, cursed the man for doing so. How often do we curse others for picking up their mats in ways that we would not. How often do we look down upon people for obeying God, but we see it as disrespectful?
First of all, I love how Jesus knows that He is head over all, and He is the one that has written thees laws, and He knows that He has written these rules so that people will remember the sabbath, and keep it holy to remember God and all that He has done for them. God did not create the sabbath so people could un around telling people who broke the sabbath that they were sinning. we need to remember that man was not created for the sabbath, but rather the Sabbath was created by man. when I read stories like this I think of old tv show Little House on the Prarie, and I think of the episode where the paw was working three jobs. the sawmill, the farm, and he got a job stacking wheat. he was so tired by the end of the week that he could not get up to go to church, so the mom and the three daughters went without him. on the way home from church the mom and the girls saw that dad out in the field, the mom then goes out to the field to greet the dad who is dripping in sweat from working so hard. The mom the procides to ell at the father, because he was working on the sabbath, just like the Pharisees, did to Jesus. the dad then interrupts and says I know God wants me to rest on the sabbath, and im sorry but I think God understands the sabbath, and God understands me, and God also understands farmers. this was such a cool moment, and it reminds me very much of this story where everyone is mad at Jesus but in reality, Jesus is helping the man.
It is interesting why the large number of years this man was invalid was documented, it is clearly a purposeful act on Jesus part. I agree with Long that Jesus is far more concerned with breaking down the religious rule nature of the Pharisees who were nearby accusing the man. Although the man’s reaction is quite odd, confusing even that He doesn’t recognize Jesus doing this action but blames Him while the Pharisees are by. He must be scared that the Pharisees would hold Him still accountable for carrying His mat further on the Sabbath, rather than as Long said, waiting a few more hours until sundown which wouldn’t have been much time considering the 38 years He had been invalid.
One of the things I loved most about Jesus and His ministry on earth is that He had a divine mission to challenge the status quo of the beliefs of Pharisees and religious leaders of that time. This situation that we find Jesus in, in John 5 is no exception. In order to fully grasp the weight of Jesus’ actions, we have to take a second of putting ourselves into that time period and that moment. Before Jesus healed on the sabbath, any action even resembling healing on the sabbath was unheard of and strictly forbidden. The fact that Jesus partook in this action was extremely bold, but, it was of course just a small part of Jesus coming to fulfill the law, and to establish his glory-filled grace and truth. In John 5, the behavior of this man who Jesus healed is rather interesting. I don’t personally believe it is strange. If I put myself in his shoes, with no knowledge of Jesus or the messiah, and then I was healed, I would be shocked and would not know what to do. If I were in his shoes, perhaps I would have also blamed this man for healing on the sabbath, because this was all I knew leading up to that point. Also, I hardly even know of the man who healed me. The behavior of the healed seems like a pretty normal human reaction, that you or I would have probably made. But as this blog post mentions, it is quite noteworthy that Jesus chooses to perform this miracle on the sabbath. It is absolutely intentional and I believe it’s the showing and revealing of God’s glory.
Throughout the Gospels we find that Jesus is more concerned about the spiritual health of others over the physical health. Both spiritual and physical wellbeing are important to Him, yet the spiritual aspect takes a precedent. This is seen once more in the healing of the lame man in John 5. Before Jesus heals the man, who had been sick for 38 years (John 5:5), Jesus asks him if he would like to be healed. I believe this is a form of spiritual question since it is obvious that the man would want to be healed. Köstenberger suggests Jesus asked the man if he would like to be healed to address the deeper-rooted issue the man is struggling with, loneliness and the loss of hope (p. 79). Jesus also uses this sign to address “a religiously shortsighted people who have forgotten the true intent of the Law and, more important still, of the God who gave it to them” (Köstenberger, p. 79). Jesus goes a step beyond the physical healing and beyond the oral traditions; Jesus addresses the heart issue and works from the inside out. As is with any long-term healing process, it can be uncomfortable at times. When the lame man is first healed, he seems to be uncomfortable confronting the Pharisees about his experience with Jesus. This is normal and should not be seen as strange since the man did not know who Jesus was at the time (Long, 4) or what the Pharisees would do to him if he broke the Sabbath. The Pharisees also are uncomfortable when Jesus claims to be the Son of God (John 5:17). Just as Jesus dealt with the spiritual heart of the lame man and the Pharisees, Christ also values our spiritual well-being. By asking God to search our hearts and guide us in His ways (Psalm 139:23-24) we can grow to become more like Christ Himself.
I have always found the approach of the Pharisees to being really interesting. They have the law, they follow it, and then they practically idolize it. While they know the commands of God, the Pharisees truly turned the law into a tradition that must be followed explicitly, specifically keeping the Sabbath day. This story of Jesus healing the invalid man on the Sabbath targeted the oral tradition upheld by the Pharisees. They were often angry of finding people going against the law, and the laws in which they created. John 5:10 says that the Jews told the man that it was unlawful for him to move his bed (ESV), who in turn redirected the blame to the “man that healed me” (John 5:11, ESV). This man was just obeying, at the same time he was breaking the laws created by the Jews. After the Jews tracked down Jesus, and accused Him of healing someone on the Sabbath, He answered by telling them that He was doing His Father’s work (verse 17). The textbook mentions that, “the one who created the Sabbath has authority over it; he determines its purpose, its use, and its limitations” (Köstenberger, p. 81). Because Jesus is the Son of God, He has the ultimate authority over the Law and can determine whether or not He wants to “break it” in order to heal a man. The Jews were so focused on keeping their own laws, that they forget the purpose of their initial creation. The laws were meant to show mankind their sin, and as a reason to live a life similar to that of Christ’s. While this story of Jesus healing the man on the Sabbath has much to do with the faith of the man, I think that it is more important to reflect on the responses of the Pharisees. At this point, they have idolized their laws that they completely missed the miracle that Jesus performed and were ignorant of the sovereignty He had just demonstrated. This is definitely something that Christians can learn from today. Are we idolizing the law, or religion? Or are we actually trusting in a faith in Jesus and having a relationship with Him?
The rules regarding the Sabbath are found in the Old Testament but they are based off the creation week in Genesis. God labored for six days throughout creation week and then he rested on the seventh. In the same way that God rested we are commanded to take a day of rest. “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8). The Bible says specifically not to work on the sabbath. The Jewish officials criticize Jesus for breaking the sabbath by performing a miracle. The people in the city even go far enough to attack the man that has just been healed, for carrying his matt around, even though Jesus commanded him to do so. Jesus responds that he will continue to work just as his father is always working. Exceptions are made to the sabbath laws to allow treatment of medical emergencies, childbirth, and circumcisions. Circumcisions are allowed because the sacrament that they represent is rated more important than the rules of the sabbath. The man who was healed did not know who Jesus was or the significance of why he was healed that way that he was. When Jesus asks the man if he wants to be healed, he is giving him a choice. The choice is the same as we are face with every day, to sit on the sidelines and watch the world pass by, or to be an active light to others reflecting the love of Christ, whether or not they themselves believe.
On the Sabbath, Jesus heals a man who has been an invalid for 38 years of his life. There is a Jewish rule that states no Jewish people are not allowed to work on that day. “Work” would involve carrying things or even turning on lights. The man that was healed had a mat with him that Jesus told him to pick up and take with him. When the healed man did so he broke the Sabbath rule. Jewish officials instead of rejoicing that this man was healed after 38 years were upset because he was carrying his mat with him. They told him that he had broken the Sabbath rule and he began to blame Jesus for his actions because he was told by Jesus to take the mat. The healed man doesn’t know who Jesus is nor does he likely believe in him. Jesus just healed this man after 38 years as an outcast and the first thing he does in return is blame Him for his actions. Yes Jesus told him to take the mat with him and this can be a foreshadowing for today’s society. Today people may put the blame on God if they don’t like the outcome when in reality they built that reality for themselves because God has a greater plan for them that won’t destroy them. Jesus told the healed man to pick up his mat because God is greater and He goes above the Sabbath rules; What God says is Greater and it shows the power He has.
It seems to me that the behavior of the man who was healed indicates that he was too caught up in the moment to care about particular details of who healed him or what the repercussions of his actions might be. His responses to the questions that are posed to him are seemingly spur of the moment and note carefully thought out. The shortsightedness of the man’s actions stands as a comparison to the spiritual shortsightedness that Kostenberger points out (Kostenberger, John, 79). Like the people of Israel, he is caught up in facts and occurrences without realizing their meaning and purpose. He blindly does what he is told simply because he was told to do it. Similarly, the people of Israel blindly follow the command to refrain from working on the Sabbath without giving much thought to its purpose, resulting in an over-legalization of physically resting on the Sabbath at the cost of having the Sabbath be mentally and spiritually restful.
The laws that Jews held in the day of Jesus are insane. It baffles me that they believed that they needed these strict rules to honor the sabbath; Although looking the lame mans testimony I am shocked a little. I do not know how the man did not believe or care to know who Jesus was. All he cared was that he could walk and did not want to face the wrath of the pharisees. As discussed above there are exceptions to the rules. The childbirth one makes sense but I do not see why they allow circumcision because that could be done another day. The laws that the Jews set up appear to be there so they may be in charge and in power.
The healing on the Sabbath was an amazing and interesting story indeed. To have a crippled man for 38 years to be fully healed and can walk like he knew how to for years is an amazing miracle. Nevertheless what it seems like a rebellious Jesus of healing on the Sabbath as well telling the man to carry his mat was quite the scandal. I found it even more curious that Jesus had asked the man “if he wants to get well?” (John 5:6). He did that to “draw out the man’s own perception of the obstacle that has kept him from getting well up to this point” (Köstenberger, 95). I think this also helped for the lame man in the long run as for the Temple have used both superstition and medical science to achieve healing (which probably wouldn’t have worked on him) (Long, 75).
At first I found the lame man’s attitude was strange from being healed, but in his perspective I would have imagined that he would be overwhelmed from being completely healed after 38 years of being crippled. He could be an example from what Köstenberger says the “faith that is going nowhere” (182). Especially when Jesus had to warn him to stop sinning or something worse may happen to him (John 5:14). Otherwise it was a very captivating story.
This reminds me of the amount of power the officials had on the jews regarding Sabbath. From my understanding, the Sabbath and the rules that followed were in place to keep everyone controlled and in check. Anyone who was to break the sabbath was not only disrespecting the law but also disrespecting God. To “prove them wrong” Jesus was 100% making a point as he healed on the Sabbath – stating that God the Father works every day, constantly (5:17)! I think the man’s response to being healed is unfortunate, but honestly, his reaction also makes sense when you consider that there were other authorities that claimed healing and made “exceptions” on the Sabbath. I would agree that this is less about the faith of the healed man and instead more about the Pharisees and their traditions/rules for the Sabbath. Jesus definitely challenged their definition of “work” as he performed miracles, Sabbath or not, and proved that it is low key a waste of time to worship these traditions. The Sabbath’s rules were so intense that it is obvious how much control the Pharisees enjoyed having. Jesus came to share the news that God actually holds all control and allows you to follow and honor him with your whole life, 7 days a week.
It appears that the man maybe thought Jesus was one of the Pharisees. This would explain why that man did not question Jesus when he asked him to carry his mat and walk away on the Sabbath. Or perhaps he was too focused on the fact that he was healed he forgot it was the Sabbath. Whatever the case, I definitely believe that Jesus healed this man on the Sabbath on purpose instead of waiting one more day. He knew the Pharisees took the Sabbath too literally. This was not the only example of the Pharisees skewed view on the laws in the Bible. They would rather follow the rules to prevent themselves from breaking the Sabbath than focusing on the things that truly matter such as helping people. However, these verses do make one wonder what happened to the faith of this healed man. Was his life changed spiritually by this event? Or did he carry on living like nothing miraculous had happened to him?
I think the thought question at the end of the article has good intentions, however I do think it is important to be careful with our guesses. We are not supposed to be in charge of determining the heart and intentions of another person. Matthew 7:1 warns “Judge not, that you be not judged”. This is what the Pharisees were doing throughout all of Jesus’ ministry-judging. The Jews were more concerned about how the man had disobeyed the laws they had added to God’s law by carrying his mat, than they were about praising God for the life-changing miracle he performed. They were so caught up with living according to the law that they despised grace and the gospel. Jesus could have waited for the Sabbath to be over, to please the Pharisees, but he doesn’t. As the article says, he makes “some sort of a declaration by healing on the Sabbath”. God created the Sabbath to be a blessing, not a burden. The Pharisees had turned the purpose around. It is one day of the week reserved for rest and for God. In it there shouldn’t be work, but there should be worship. What better way to worship than to transform the life of this man. He was now able to walk, to attend church, to dance. The focus of the miracle should be on the power of Jesus rather than the faith of the man. The “work” that Jesus did on the Sabbath brought glory to God. Loving one another, as He commands, brings him glory. We also should lovingly help others. Jesus offers us a life transformation as well. He restores us to be whole and holy before God. He removes our sins and invites us into a true Sabbath for eternity, one of rest, one of worship through salvation, by the grace that the Pharisees despised.
The interaction between the healed man, the Pharisees, and Jesus in John 5:1-18 raises several interesting points and questions about the man’s attitude. The broader context of this passage highlights the ongoing tension between Jesus and the Pharisees regarding the interpretation of the Sabbath laws. In this passage, the focus appears to be less on the faith of the healed man and more on Jesus’ deliberate confrontation with the Pharisees regarding their strict Sabbath observance. Jesus uses this healing as a means to reveal His divine authority and challenge the Pharisees’ rigid interpretation of the Sabbath laws. The healed man’s initial response may reflect his uncertainty or fear rather than a lack of faith. Ultimately, the passage highlights the growing opposition to Jesus by religious leaders due to His willingness to challenge their traditions and assert His divine identity.
The situation after the lame man’s healing does seem odd- rather than seeming extremely grateful for being healed after 38 years of disability, he instead left without even learning who this man was. Soon after his miraculous healing, the man was stopped by Jews who demanded to know who healed him. It is interesting to note that the Jews had no reaction to this man’s healing- rather than thanking God for such a miraculous act, they wanted to know who performed it so that the healer could be persecuted for breaking their law. It would appear from the context that this man was afraid of the Jews, and this is why he told them about Jesus. We do not know exactly what Jews may have done to someone who was caught breaking their law on the Sabbath, but we can infer that they were a prominent group who held power. And, this man did not want to face a potential punishment- so, he gave them what they asked for, even if it meant that the man who healed him would have to pay the price. We do not see any attempt from the lame man to present any sort of defense against Jesus- instead, potentially out of fear, we see him “hand him over” to the religious leaders. This would not be the last time that Jesus was willingly handed over to those seeking to persecute him. When the religious leaders confront Jesus, he answers them in a way that is unexpected: “my Father is working until now, and I am working”. Was this Jesus denouncing the Sabbath? I think here, Jesus is making a point. Some things that the Pharisees had labeled “work” was of their own accord- they were not laws that God made. In this, perhaps Jesus is trying to demonstrate that even God does not keep their man made Sabbath.
I agree that the reaction of the healed man on the Sabbath was a little strange. Considering he had been lame for thirty-eight years and then suddenly picked up his mat and walked at the mere words of someone, he should have at least shown a little interest. Or some gratitude? But in the story we see an opposite reaction, where he blames the man who just healed him for breaking the Sabbath. We could possibly explain his reaction as him not knowing who Jesus was and also being solely focused on being physically healed. Maybe after some time, once the shock left, his understanding and comprehension deepens. Also, it sounds like the Pharisees took the law very seriously and made sure it was never broken so maybe the lame man at the pool was scared to be caught breaking the law in the presence of said Pharisees and did not want to face the consequences. However, we should not overlook how in the Gospel of John there is some form of conflict between the religious leaders and Jesus, especially concerning the laws (which includes the Sabbath). In Matthew 23, Jesus confronts these religious leaders as they are more focused on the laws than they are on acts. For example, they are more concerned about the man carrying the mat on the Sabbath (John 5:16), even though this man has started walking from being lame for the last thirty-eight years. Kostenberger calls this bibliolatry, which is the worship of scripture itself ( page 171).
A healing on the Sabbath of a lame man was another miracle of Jesus that John wanted to inform readers about. Jesus went up to the temple and passed the pool of Bethesda “House of Mercy” and at this pool is where crowds would gather because they believed that the pool had heating powers. Jesus noticed one man in particular and the mans helplessness set him apart from the rest. After 38 years the Lord healed him from his sickness but would later talk to him about his sins. The Lords compassion for this man is showing his love because this man was full of self pity but did not ask for help nor did he show any appreciation for Jesus. But by doing this Jesus was must have awakened something in the man and he had hope. This can tie into today and our lives because the Lord gave the man three commands which was to “Get up”, “Pick up your mat” and “Walk”. This is so significant because only those who believe will experience his power. When Jesus told him to pick up his mat, it was new to the man because he was used to everyone else helping him but the Lord gave him the strength. Next Jesus said to the man “Walk” and this was so the man could go out and do what the Lord has prepared him to do. When we believe is Jesus and rely on him he will give us the strength to go through our own situations. He has given us awareness that begins with trusting him and he will give us a new life like he did for the lame man.
On the Sabbath day at the Pool of Bethesda, Jesus healed a man who had been lame for thirty-eight years even though his ailment was not life-threatening. This miracle was in contrast to the traditions and rules surrounding the Sabbath held by the religious leaders of the time. The temple officials noticed the man who had been healed and was carrying his mat, so they confronted him and accused him of violating Sabbath rest by engaging in labor. Interestingly, the man did not know the identity of his healer, but he shifted the focus of blame onto the one who had granted him the ability to walk saying that he was commanded to pick up his mat and walk. Once they discovered that it was Jesus who had performed this remarkable healing, the Jewish leaders began to persecute Him. In response, Jesus defended His actions by explaining that He and the Father are one. He stated that the reason He could do anything was because He had seen the Father do it first (Kostenberger, p. 81). He illustrated the concept which is called apprenticeship analogy. Stating that He and God are one made the officials upset as they did not recognize Him as Messiah nor accepted Him as an authority to decide exceptions to the Sabbath regulations, which caused more conflict.
Jesus telling the man to pick up his mat and walk on the Sabbath was a sign for the man to be proven that he is healed, and to show everyone around him. The great works of God. You would think the Jews would be happy to see a man healed, especially in Gods name. But they were actually the opposite. They were upset with Jesus for committing these acts on the sabbath day. The Jews believe that no work should be done on the Sabbath, so in their eyes, the man picking up his Matt was a against the law. In my own idea, I have a feeling that Jesus did this to show that God can surpass even on the day of the Sabbath to show that that law is not important anymore, or to show that the Lords work can still be done on the sabbath day. God gave that man the strength and improve the strength that he had Jesus told him to get up and walk the show and prove to himself that he doesn’t need anybody’s help anymore. This all could be one of the reasons why in the Christian beliefs and protestant beliefs the sabbath isn’t looked at as a day were no word can be done, especially work that has to do with healing somebody or spreading God’s love.