Scripture reading – John 5
The title of today’s devotional commentary is haunting. “Sir, I have no man” (5:7), are words spoken by a man whom the Scriptures described as having “had an infirmity thirty and eight years” (5:5)!
Jesus and His disciples had returned to Jerusalem for the Passover (5:1). Making His way to the Temple, Jesus passed through the sheep gate (notice the word “market” is in italics in your Bible and was added by translators). The pool of water (5:2) in our story was located near the “sheep gate” through which sheep were led into the city and to the Temple Mount to be sacrificed.
The pool was called, “Bethesda,” meaning “House of Mercy” (5:2), was shaded by five porches. As Jesus passed by, He gazed upon a miserable lot of souls who had gathered there, “a great multitude of impotent folk [sick; feeble], of blind, halt [lame], withered [shrunken limb], waiting for the moving [stirring] of the water (5:3).
Why was this crowd of suffering souls waiting at the pool called Bethesda?
John writes, they were “waiting for the moving of the water. 4For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had” (5:4).
In the midst of this multitude of needy souls, there was one man who had been afflicted with an ailment for thirty-eight years (5:5). Described as having an “infirmity,” he was suffering from a chronic, debilitating disease, perhaps a stroke. John 5:7 describes the same man as “impotent.”
An earlier devotion revealed that Jesus “knew what was in man” (John 2:25). John 5:6 reveals that Jesus knew the man and his suffering: “Jesus saw [beheld; lit. knowing the man and understanding his need] him lie, and knew [perceived; understood] that he had been now a long time [much time] in that case.” Taking pity on the man, Jesus asked, Wilt thou [Do you wish] be made whole [sound]?”
Though his outward affliction was obvious, it was the anguish of the man’s soul that I find troubling: He had “no man” (5:7).
There was no one who looked upon his helpless state, and waited with him at the pool, eager to assist him to the healing waters when they were stirred. No man had mercy. None who were suffering were willing to defer their distress, and prefer the man who had suffered thirty-eight years.
I invite you to consider with me three divine attributes Jesus exhibited on that day. The first, Jesus was Omniscient: He “saw” the man and knew not only how long he had been afflicted, but also the reason for his suffering (“sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee” – 5:14).
A second divine attribute is Grace. Only one man was the object of Jesus’ grace that day. Though Jesus knew the man, and his sin, He took pity on the man and asked, “Wilt thou be made whole?” (5:6c, 8) Why this man, when there were so many who were suffering? He was no more deserving than any other, but it was grace, not merit that moved Jesus to heal the man. An interesting side note, when asked if he wished to be healed, he answered with a despairing grievance: “I have no man!” (5:7)
Thirdly, Jesus displayed authority over disease and divine Omnipotence when He commanded, “Rise, take up thy bed, and walk” (5:8). “Immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked” (5:9). Thirty-eight years he had suffered, and with the power of Jesus’ spoken Word, he was instantaneously made whole.
There is much more to this story, especially the scene that follows when the religious hypocrites of that day, rebuked the man who had been healed for carrying his bed on the Sabbath (5:10). I wonder, how many times those religious leaders had passed Bethesda, and never took pity on the multitude of souls gathered there?
How many hurting souls do you and I pass every day, but never take pity on their sorrows? They may not be sick, maimed, blind, or crippled; but do we pass by being insensitive to their troubles?
How many might say, “I have no man who cares for my soul?”
Copyright 2020 – Travis D. Smith