Theological Significance of John 5; 1-9 - Essay Example

Theological Significance of John 5 9 The portion of scripture narrates about a Jewish feast day, when Jesus went up to Jerusalem. It speaks about a pool called by the Hebrew language Bethesda, which means to be healed, and that the pool had five porches wherein lay many sick people, blind, halt, and withered, waiting for the moving of the waters. An angel would come at a certain time and stir the water and, whoever would enter first after the stirring of the water would be healed. There was a man with an infirmity who had lay at the pool for 38 years (Koontz). Jesus appeared and since He knows all things, asked the man a question which seems obvious, ‘do you want to be made whole?’ The man answered Jesus about what had happened all along, that other invalids who probably were stronger than him would move faster and enter into the well before him and get healed while he continued ailing. This trend had continued for the past 38 years and thus the question must have seemed strange to the sick man (Bruce 67). Jesus continued and told the man rise, take up his mat and walk in spite of his protestations that he had no man to place him inside the pool when the water was troubled. As he obeyed the command of Jesus, the narrative continues, he was made whole, took up his bed and walked, and that the day was on a Sabbath. The narrative may look like an ordinary story of healing, but on closer examination, it has deep theological significance. The very first area of significance is the pool and its five porches, whereby number five in the Bible signifies Grace, the unmerited favor that God has extended unto mankind. It is through grace that the man was healed and not through his personal effort since he was very disadvantaged physically. Romans 5; 6 says that, “for when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." This condition of the invalid ably describes the condition of sinful man before salvation where he is spiritually helpless, blind and naked until Christ comes along. It is then that man recognizes he has been blind when Christ illumes his heart and realizes how near the answer was in Christ after much suffering (Gospel Chapel Ministries). The sick man’s hope lay into one day being the first to enter into the pool, since this was the way to receive healing. This was very disadvantageous to the man since he was sick and other invalids were probably stronger than him, coupled with the fact that he had suffered for long, and the sickness had taken its toll on him (Boomershine). He had logical reasoning when Jesus asked him whether he wanted to be made whole answering, ‘I have no man to put me into the pool’. He was just aware of human ability, but Jesus wanted to bring him into the realm of understanding about the power of God. The man would not understand at this time about grace, mercy, supernatural ability and etcetera, just as unregenerate man cannot. It cannot even be explained why Jesus chose him in the midst of others, to perform this great miracle in his life, just as difficult it is to understand about the Grace of God when one receives salvation where God reaches someone before others. Jesus also diverted from the norm where he did not help the man into the water, but told him to stand and walk, which the man did and was made whole and was also able to walk. Jesus gave the man more than physical healing, enabling him to move from an inactive state of 38 years to a new life of wholeness and significance just by obeying His word. This is what the word of God which is Jesus, does to all who stop seeking remedies from material things, their own strength and methods, and chose to seek God’s way (Bruce 87). While the man had hoped that his method would work one day, it was the answer or solution from Jesus that had real restorative capacity. He probably would have died without ever getting an answer if not for this visit by Jesus because his method was wrong. It is important to note that the act of obedience resulted in a great and wholesome miracle, where this man was ready to forego the normal method and embrace the way of Jesus. Many people are willing to be delivered from their predicament but are not ready to let go their way and surrender to the will of God, wanting to serve Him in their own way and not according to His will (Boomershine). This is aptly narrated in Isaiah 4; 1 where seven women get hold of one man saying, "We will eat our own food and wear our own apparel but only to be called by your name." Embracing and obedience to the will of God is will cause complete restoration and healing to the life of man. Jesus’ very first words when he started preaching the gospel was, ‘repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand’ Mathew 4; 17. This meant that since man was corrupted by sin after the fall, he was to make a complete turn around and come again under the Kingship of the Kingdom of God (Dockery 23). The Bible also says in Mathew 16; 33 about "seeking the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all this things shall be added unto man". This in essence means that when man rises up from his methods and embraces the will of God, all things including healing, prosperity and etcetera will be added unto him as God had intended when He created man to have control over all things, Genesis1; 26. The narrative continues in John 5; 6 that Jesus saw the man lay and knew he had been there for a long time in that case, signifying the ability of Jesus as the Son of God to know all about man. There were also many sick people at the pool yet Jesus seems to deal with the case of this invalid in a special way. It portrays the fact that God deals with people at an individual level, having created man uniquely and having a special plan for everyone. He also knows the condition of every heart and what is necessary to bring the required result in each individual (Koontz). The fact that Jesus healed the invalid on Sabbath in contrast to the laws on Sabbath was to illustrate that Sabbath was a day of freedom, just as it was on it the Israelites left Egypt, it was a day to do good and that he was also the Lord of the Sabbath. This passage has a lot of theological significance today about grace, mercy and the power of God as was demonstrated by Christ. Jesus who is the same yesterday, today and forever is still carrying out the work of restoration in the lives of people today, standing at the door of the heart Revelation 3; 20 and knocking, because just as he asked the invalid whether he wanted to get healed, he will never force His way into one’s life. His grace is abundant, and through it, man can be reconciled to God and cease to labor, toil or feel helpless. Just as He was able to reach an individual invalid, He reaches out to individuals even today. Man’s major problem is not physical but spiritual as illustrated by this narrative, though many continue to suffer as they look for solutions. Jesus would tell some people to go because their sins were forgiven, signifying spiritual connection. Works Cited Boomershine Thomas. A story telling commentary on John 5; 1-9. Gol ell communications. Available at: http://www.gotell.org/pdf/commentary/John/Jn05_01-09_commentary.pdf Bruce J. Malina. Social-Science Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels. Augsburg: Augsburg Books; 2 edition, 2002. Dockery David S. Holman Concise Bible Commentary. Tennessee: B&H Publishing Group, 2011. Gospel Chapel Ministries. The Pool at Bethsaida, #31. Conrad, Montana Available at: http://www.gospelchapel.com/sermons/john/31.htm Hayes John Haralson & Holladay Carl R. Bibical Exegesis: A Beginner's Handbook. Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 2007. Koontz Lee. First Look: John 5:1-9. Reflectious, 2010. Available at: http://reflectious.com/2010/05/03/first-look-john-51-9/ White Ellen G. The Conflict of the Ages Illustrated in the Life of Christ: Bethesda and the Sanhedrin. Estate, Inc. 1999. Available at: http://www.whiteestate.org/books/da/da21.html Read More