Jesus Heals on the Sabbath at the Pool of Bethesda: John 5
Jesus Heals at the Pool of Bethesda: A Study of John 5
Jesus’ healing at the pool of Bethesda is a story about compassion breaking through rigid boundaries and new life entering a place filled with longing. In this passage, we encounter a man whose suffering has stretched across decades, and we see Jesus’ willingness to act, undeterred by rules and restrictions. This story speaks not only to the power of healing but also to Jesus’ authority, which challenges every limiting structure set around faith and practice.
Jesus Meets the Man at Bethesda (John 5:1-5)
After one of the Jewish festivals, Jesus went to Jerusalem and stopped by the pool of Bethesda. One can imagine that Jesus went to the pool to heal, for he knew who gathered there. Jesus sought out the distraught. What an example.
This pool, located near the Sheep Gate, was a gathering place for those who were sick, blind, paralyzed, or otherwise afflicted. They were waiting for a chance to be healed, believing that when the waters were stirred, the first person to enter would be cured. It was a place filled with both hope and heartbreak.
Among them was a man who had been paralyzed for 38 years. That’s a long time to wait. We can imagine how he must have felt—discouraged, hopeless, maybe even invisible. He couldn’t get into the pool quickly enough when the waters moved, so he stayed, year after year, stuck in his suffering.
Imagine his life. For nearly four decades, this man was unable to walk, unable to experience the freedom of movement so many take for granted. He had lived in a cycle of hope deferred and dreams postponed. This setting, while crowded with people, was often a lonely place. And yet, Jesus chose this man, whose suffering was almost synonymous with the place itself. He didn’t just observe the need—he moved toward it, giving us a glimpse of a Savior who doesn’t avoid suffering but steps directly into it.
Jesus’ Question: “Do You Want to Be Made Well?” (John 5:6-7)
When Jesus approached the man, he asked a seemingly obvious question: “Do you want to be made well?” It might sound simple, but it cuts to the core of his pain. Jesus was inviting the man to move from his place of resignation to one of hope. Rather than assuming the man’s wishes, Jesus gave him a choice, an opportunity to announce his need, asking him to confront his long-buried desire for wholeness, like Bartimaeus.
The man’s response speaks to years of disappointment: “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me” (John 5:7). He had resigned himself to a life without change, even as he lay beside what he believed was the source of healing. His statement—“I have no one”—is one of isolation and defeat.
This man speaks for many at the pool and also many in the pool of humanity - "I have no helper!" Yet, the Helper is near!
Jesus reveals that true healing doesn’t depend on “the right moment” or “the right place” but on an encounter with God himself.
Jesus’ Command: “Get Up and Walk” (John 5:8-9)
In response, Jesus didn’t offer sympathy—he offered a command. With a straightforward statement, Jesus told him, “Get up, pick up your mat, and walk” (John 5:8). What!? There was no sign of the cross? No big show? No grand gesture to get everyone's attention? There were no rituals, no magical formulas, no complex instructions. Jesus simply spoke, and the man was healed. It was as if years of suffering melted away in a single moment.
Imagine the shock and wonder he must have felt as he stood up, feeling strength and freedom in his body for the first time in decades. He picked up his mat and walked, leaving behind a lifetime of paralysis. Jesus didn’t just heal the man’s body; he restored his agency, his ability to move freely, and his dignity. Healing was complete, immediate, and transformative—showing that when Jesus acts, no obstacle is too great.
Jesus Healed on the Sabbath: A Bold Statement (John 5:10-18)
It didn’t take long for the controversy to arise. The man was soon stopped by the religious leaders who questioned him for carrying his mat on the Sabbath. There are always gatekeepers. In their eyes, his action qualified as work, violating the Sabbath law. Instead of rejoicing in his healing, they were more concerned with what they saw as a breach of tradition.
Jesus’ healing on the Sabbath was not an isolated event. Throughout the Gospels, he chose to heal on this sacred day, challenging the boundaries set by tradition. Here are some other instances where he healed on the Sabbath:
• The man with a shriveled hand in the synagogue (Matthew 12:9-13)
• A woman crippled for 18 years (Luke 13:10-17)
• A man with dropsy at a Pharisee’s house (Luke 14:1-6)
• A blind man healed in Jerusalem (John 9:1-16)
In each instance, Jesus put compassion over ritual. His actions boldly proclaimed that God’s mercy doesn’t fit into a human-made schedule. Indeed, God loves the world so much!
Jesus was restoring the true meaning of the Sabbath—a time for life-giving freedom, not for enforcing legalistic boundaries. When the religious leaders confronted Jesus about this, he replied, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working” (John 5:17). He made it clear that God’s compassion has no days off.
Reflection: Where Do We Wait for Healing?
This encounter challenges us to consider where we find ourselves waiting, hoping, yet feeling stuck. Like the man at Bethesda, we may find ourselves waiting by a “pool” that we think will bring us relief—be it in a routine, a ritual, or even in people who don’t quite understand our needs. In these places, Jesus meets us, not to reinforce what we’ve always done but to invite us into new life.
