Jesus Christ Healing a Paralyzed Man By The Pool

John the gospel writer wrote an account of Jesus healing a man paralyzed for thirty-eight years (John 5: 1-15). The miracle happened when Jesus visited Jerusalem for a Jewish feast. In Jerusalem, Jesus dropped by the Sheep Gate, a pool called Bethesda.

The Jews, of that period, believed that the pool had healing powers every time an angel passed over the waters. There were so many disabled (blind, lame, paralyzed) people lying around the pool watching for that movement on the water. I could just imagine all the disabled scrambling to jump in the pool when the water stirs.

One of the disabled was a invalid who had been in that condition for thirty-eight years. Jesus saw that man lying there and went over to him and learned of his long-term condition. Jesus then asked him, "Do you want to get well?" The invalid didn't knew who Jesus was. He probably hadn't heard that Jesus was a healer.

Instead of saying yes to Jesus, the invalid replied, "Sir, I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me." The invalid was so wrapped up in his misery that he failed to see the offer of healing in front of him.

Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick-up your mat and walk." At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. Notice that Jesus was emphatic when he told the man to get up. 

The invalid didn't question the command. He didn't mention something like, "Are you for real?" He just followed what Jesus told him and stood up.

In our own lives, we experience long-term difficulties. They maybe about our health, our relationship, or our finances. Because it had affected us for a long time, we tend to believe that it will not pass. We become so wrapped up in it that our minds have been stuck in a sense of hopelessness. 

Reflecting about the miracle at the pool, Jesus has a way of snapping us out of our long-term misery. Just like what he did for the paralyzed man by the pool. Remember, the man suffered from that condition for thirty-eight long years.

Jesus uses people, situations, serendipity, and inspiring words to nudge us out of our mental rut caused by our long-term misery. He replaces our sense of despair with a sense of hope. All we have to do is listen and respond to his nudge.

The miracle story didn't end with the invalid standing up and picking up his mat. The Jews, probably Pharisees, asked the invalid who ordered him to pick up his mat. They said it's not allowed because it's a Sabbath. The healed invalid didn't know Jesus. They weren't able to confront Jesus because he disappeared into the crowd.

Later, Jesus met the healed invalid at the temple. Perhaps, the man wanted to thank God for his healing. When they bumped into each other, Jesus said to the man, "See you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you." In that part of the story, Jesus was concerned not only about the man's physical condition but also about his spiritual condition. 

Unfortunately, the healed man finally aware of Jesus' identity told the Pharisees that it was Jesus who told him to pick up his mat. Talk about being ungrateful. 

Jesus performed the miracle even though it was risky for him and it had not been appreciated. That shows that Jesus goes out of his way for us no matter what.

The Covid-19 pandemic has raged on for twenty months now and we see no end in sight. It has clouded us with a sense of despair. Sadly, it has hit close to home. 

Placing faith in the account of the healing of the invalid by the pool, Jesus Christ is always around to snap us out of our mental rut caused by the pandemic. He is also concerned with our spiritual well-being and works to snap us out of our sins and idols. He says it's for our own good. All we need to do is to listen and respond when he nudges us out of our miseries and our sins.