Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

In my opinion, the main point of the account in the cited chapter was to testify to Jesus' position and authority as the Son of God -- both in the power that He displayed in healing the crippled man, and in His correction of the "man-made" (rather than God-ordained) rules or traditions that had been added over time to commandments given to Israel by God (in this case, the definition of "work" as it applied to activities performed or permitted on the Jewish Sabbath).

In both instances, Jesus was taking actions that only God had the ability or authority to perform, as well as testifying through His words to His rightful entitlement to do so.

May 14 2021 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Singapore Moses Messenger of God, CEO in IT industry, Astronaut, Scientist

❖ Why Jesus singled out this patient? 
Why Jesus did not heal others, but he chose to heal this particular man is explained. This impotent man was there, with an infirmity for about thirty and eight years. (John 5:5) - This man must be shrunk or paralyzed (Mt. 12:10; Mk. 3:3; Lk. 6:6-8). for thirty-eight years. Longest physical affliction in Biblical records. That is why Christ singled this one out from the rest. Those long in affliction, may comfort themselves that God keeps account how long. When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time (Jn. 5:6). Jesus volunteered asking him, Wilt thou be made whole? The Lord took the initiative because the man did not know Jesus. 

❖ What Christ wanted to teach the religious leaders who were the hypocrites? 
Jesus swept away the traditional healing from the waters stirred up by the angel of God. He simply used His authority, "Rise, take up thy bed, and walk" -The third great miracle recorded in John (cp. Jn. 2:11; 4:54). What a joyful surprise to the poor cripple, to find himself of a sudden so easy, so strong, so able to help himself!. Therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day. (John 5:16). Sabbath law always brought persecution. Is it any wonder that God finally hated sabbaths and predicted He would do away with them (Isa. 1:13-15 Hos. 2:11)? God hates any church law, ritual, or form of religion that violates good and exalts pride and hypocrisy.

❖ Why did Jesus could not heal others on that day of Sabbath?
Rabbis made it unlawful to carry anything from a public place to a private place, and vice versa (John 5:1cp. Talmud, Sabb. 6, a; see Jer. 17:21). Many similar laws they made which they strictly enforced when possible. He withdrew from the multitude that was in that place. (Jn. 5:13). He knew the hatred of the leaders and the result of His breaking their man-made laws. This is one reason perhaps He did not stay to heal more. He simply did not want to endanger Himself needlessly at this place 

❖ MAJOR LESSON FOR ALL FROM THIS EPISODE:
Jesus answered them that His Father worketh on Sabbath too (Jn 5:17). God rested on the seventh day after His work of creation and sanctified it (Gen 2:2,3). When the first man was fallen within the week, God had to work on all days ever since to bring the salvation of the lost. God works on sabbaths as well as on other days in upholding the universe and running its infinite mechanism; He works in providence, watching over and caring for all creation of dependent creatures, so here Christ worked in healing on the sabbath, in providing food for he hungry, and performing acts of mercy and love. This is the true principle of sabbath observance if there is to be any recognition of one day above another (Rom. 14:5-6). We are not to rest in indolence or merely rest from physical and mental toil, but we are to follow the divine examples and "do good on the sabbath days" (Mt. 12:12 Mk. 2:27-28; 3:4; Lk. 6:9; 13:16; Jn. 7:22-23 Gal. 4:9-10 Col. 2:14-17).

Referring to the delegated authority given Him by the Father (Jn. 5:19-40 Heb. 1:1-2), Christ Himself was working the works that the Father gave Him to do, and since the Father worked on sabbaths, He was also under orders to work on the sabbath.

☆｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:☆

May 29 2021 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Ben Jones Retired Professional Photographer

Jesus could have healed everyone in the "great multitude" that was at the pool but He only healed one man! Someone said that the healing of just one man caused the Jews to want to kill Him. Verse 18 "This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God." If healing one man caused this, what would healing 1000 people do? Make them want to kill Him 1000 times? I think not. It was per-determined from the foundation of the world that Christ would be crucified on a cross at Calvary at the exact time that it happened. He could not have been killed by the hateful Jews for healing someone ever.

So why didn't He heal everyone that day? Because He even today doesn't heal everyone. Millions of born again Christians have prayed billions of times for the healing of a loved one yet they died anyway. It is obvious that it is not in God's will that He heal everyone. If He did no one would ever die. We would stay on earth in a state of eternal temptation and sinfulness instead of entering our eternal rest that we all look forward to.

Another possibility is that the man He healed was the only man in that crowd that had faith in the Messiah and not in the angel that stirred up the water. We are never told to have faith in angels. If he didn't have faith in the stirred up water then why did he stay there anyway? His parents ordered him to go perhaps, or maybe that is where his stretcher bearers took him because they too believed in the power of an angel.

June 25 2021 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report