John 5:5-9 (WEL) A certain man was there who had been sick for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be well?” 7 The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me in the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, someone else gets in before me.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk.” 9 Immediately, the man was healed, picked up his mat, and walked. This day happened to be a Sabbath.
V5 A certain man was there who had been sick for thirty-eight years.
The disease is unknown. That is one long time to be sick. Nothing is impossible with God.
V6 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be well?”
Why did Jesus choose this man? Possibly because He saw the man had a small but present faith. Jesus can heal if one has a weak faith (Mark 9:24) or a strong faith (Matthew 8:10).
Seems like a stupid question, but Jesus has a purpose. He wants this man to state/say that he does want to be healed. If doing so, Jesus now tests this man to see if he has faith, which will be seen in what the man does. Jesus knows all things, but must test us to see what is in our heart, which means for us to know what is in our heart. It stirs up/reveals faith. It is a challenge of sorts, “Will this person state out loud that I can heal?”
V7 The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to throw me in the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, someone else gets in before me.”
The family and friends might have become discouraged and given up.
The Greek word for put in most translations is G906 βάλλω bállō, which means to throw, not place into the water. To get the person in the water, speed was essential.
(Robertson’s Word Pictures): “Final use of hina and the second aorist active subjunctive of ballō, “that he throw me in” quickly before any one else. For this use of ballō see Mark 7:30; Luke 16:20.”
Others:
(Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (Abridged – Little Kittel)) ‘to throw, propel,’
(Baker Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words) “The meaning of this Greek verb is often simple and straightforward: “throw” or “cast.” Peter and his brother Andrew “were casting a net into the sea” (Matthew 4:18).”
V8 Jesus said to him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk.”
This is the command. If the man believes Jesus, then he will stand up, pick up his mat, and walk.
The same idea regards the Gospel. God commands (Acts 17:30, 2 Thessalonians 1:8, and 1 Peter 4:17) all to obey the Gospel. Will I obey? If I do, it means that I believe in what Jesus, or the Gospel, says.
Principle: Faith is not just an agreement; it is an active verb and seen by others.
Principle: There is a reason for confession as in Romans 10:9.
V9 Immediately, the man was healed, picked up his mat, and walked. This day happened to be a Sabbath.
Jesus can do anything that He commands, but God does require faith (Hebrews 11:6).
John mentions the Sabbath because healing was considered a work to avoid by the law of the Pharisees. Jesus wanted them to know the truth that healing is not a work, just like faith is not a work. Compare Luke 13:15, Luke 14:15, and John 7:21-24.
We learn:
- To heal is not a work to avoid on the Sabbath.
- To show mercy is not a work.
- Jesus tests us to see if we will confess our faith.
Questions:
- Do you believe that faith, mercy, and healing are work?
- Do you help others when it is necessary or only on certain days?