John chapter 5

vs 1

"Some time later" really gives us no idea how long it is. There are any number of Jewish festivals, and the fact that John doesn't name it shows again that this gospel is written for gentiles as much as anybody. This might also be why he left out the festival's name - he didn't want it to become more important than it should -the story of Jesus should take precedence.

One interesting thing about John is how many times Jesus visits Jerusalem. The other gospels sort of pretend that Jesus spends 3 1/2 years trekking towards the city. But John shows that he actually visits it several times.

vs 2

Sheep gate could also mean "place pertaining to sheep". So if you're ever there, look for the five covered collonades and the pool. It's almost a tourist guide. Probably not there anymore.

vs 3

A bunch of sick people sat around here, which probably did not make this gate a popular place to be. You will notice in the NIV that there's a verse missing, and that it is from "less important manuscripts". By less important, they mean late. So it is possible that this story is a traditional one that somehow found its way into the copied scripts at a later time. What does that mean? It means don't base any theology on it.

The fact is that the only thing this missing verse adds to the story is that an angel stirs the waters. Everything else we already know from the surrounding verses.

vs 5

That's a long time to be alive, let alone to be an invalid. It's a fairly sad life, considering that most all of your kinfolk and fellow citizens see you as unclean and will give you a wide berth.

vs 6

Here's a question - it says that Jesus learned that he had been in this condition a long time. Could we perhaps suppose that Jesus doesn't know everything? It doesn't really matter - even if Jesus knew exactly what was wrong with this man, and how long he had been ill for, he still learned it according to John 5:6. What does this mean? It means he must have been there, talking to people like this man! These sickies, who no one would go near for fear of becoming unclean, were being talked to by Jesus.

And when Jesus finds out that he's been sick for so long, he asks him if he even wants to get well. It reminds me of the leper sketch in Monty Python's Life of Brian. It sounds stupid, but some people who are sick sometimes learn to value their sickness as part of their personality.

vs 7

The guy's response shows that he does want to be well, because he does try to get into the pool, but he's so crippled that others get in before him and he just can't. I can't think of anything more frustrating, actually.

vs 8

Jesus dispenses with angel-spilling whirlpools and just tells the guy to be well. We find out later that his command to the man is more loaded than just for him to be well, but at the moment, we see him just telling the guy to get better. Doesn't seem like a big deal, until...

vs 9

until it actually works, that is. I mean, we can go around all day telling people "get well soon" but it doesn't make them actually get cured. That is what we can safely call power over sickness I think.

Now we find out that this took place on the Sabbath.And we are about to discover the meaning of the term "legalist". The Sabbath and food laws were more legislated than probably any other part of Jewish religious practices.

vs 10

This is actually complete crap. The closest you will get is Jer 17:21, which says you can't carry a load on the Sabbath, and is much more linked with the idea of trading than of carrying your mat. Does that mean that if your feet hurt, you can't carry your shoes? Or if your hat blows off, you can't pick it up again? Legalist insanity. The guy's a beggar anyway, what has God done for him? Where were these Jews when he was sick and needing someone to help him into the pool?

vs 11

And this is the proof of the pudding. These legalists tell him he can't carry his mat, but have done nothing for him. Jesus healed him and told him to carry his mat, so he does that. Jesus didn't tell him to break any biblical laws, only the laws of the crazy religious leaders. Human laws.

vs 12

Now the religious leaders are suspicious. There is someone going around telling people to break the laws of their forefathers. Sure, he might be healing people too, but that's secondary to the fact that he's telling people to break these laws, the laws which give them power over people. He must be stopped!