Gospel of John –Lesson 14

By Joyce Webb 2025

John       Chp. 5     Vs. 1-16

Verse 1 It is time for Holy Feast days for the Jews. They gather at the temple in Jerusalem. Jesus goes there, too.

Vs. 2 At Jerusalem there is a sheep market. It is by a pool called Bethesda. It had 5 porches—or entry ways into the pool.

Vs. 3 There were a lot of people there. The Bible says “important folk”. Some were blind, some were crippled, some had hands, arms or legs that were paralyzed and “withered” (drawn up so they could not use them).

They were all waiting for the moving of the water.

Vs. 4 Something strange and wonderful happened at this pool.
At certain times—-an angel went down into the pool—and “troubled” or stirred the water. Then whoever got into the pool first after that happened—was healed !

Vs. 5 There was a man there—for 38 years he had his physical problem. The Bible does not say what it was. (But later, Jesus told the man to get up and walk—so he must have had some problem with walking.)

Vs. 6 Jesus saw him there and knew that he had been there a long time. Jesus asked him, “Will you be made whole?”

(Doesn’t this seem like a strange question? Of course, the man was there —-to be healed.

In asking that question—-Jesus was suggesting to the man—that maybe healing could come another way than by the pool.

The man’s answer—shows that “the pool” seemed to be the only way the man thought he could be healed.

Later, in the verses, we learn that the man did not know who Jesus was.

So, here is a strange man asking him if he wants to be healed.

Will he be willing to do what this strange man asks him to do?)

Vs. 7 The man answered—that he had no one to help him get into the pool when the waters had been moved. Always someone else got into the waters first.

Vs. 8 Jesus said to him—”Rise, take up your bed, and walk.”

His “bed” probably was a mat of some kind that could be rolled up.

Vs. 9 It seems the man did not question Jesus. He did what Jesus said. And the man walked.

It was the Sabbath day. Meaning the Jews Holy Day—like our Sunday. The Jews Holy Day was Saturday.

The Jews were not to do any work on the Sabbath day. Through the years, the Jewish leaders made up more and more rules about what was considered “work”.

The Jewish leaders considered “healing” someone —was “work”.

So the Jewish leaders said to the man who was healed—
What man said to you to take up your bed and walk?

Vs. 13 The man did not know who Jesus was. Jesus had walked away by now and was not seen.

Vs. 14 Later, Jesus saw the man in the temple. He said to the man—You are healed and made whole. Go, but sin no more—so that a worse thing does not happen to you.

(It makes us wonder—if something the man did brought this problem on him. Or if Jesus said this as a matter of instruction—- that the man needed to live a life that was right and not sin.)

Vs. 15 The man left Jesus—and went to the Jewish leaders and told them that the man who healed him was Jesus.

Vs. 16 The Jewish leaders were angry. They said that Jesus was wrong to heal this man on the Sabbath day.
They began to persecute Jesus and tried to kill him.

To persecute means to make trouble for a person—to do things that hurt them—to hurt them physically or to do things that make trouble for them.

The Jewish leaders were jealous of the attention Jesus got from the people. Many people followed Jesus to hear him preach and many followed Jesus hoping to be healed.

The Jewish leaders were afraid that Jesus would become so popular that the people would make him into a great leader and then they (Jewish leaders) would lose their positions and authority.

They wanted to get rid of Jesus.

Imagine—these “holy” leaders—planning to kill someone—just because they were jealous and afraid.

Of course, they said—the reason they were against Jesus—was because Jesus was a “bad” person who did not keep the Jewish laws——–after all, he healed a man on the Sabbath day.

They said that he was dangerous to have around influencing the people.

In the next, lesson we will learn what else they said.

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Questions Gospel of John –Lesson 14

By Joyce Webb 2025

John       Chp. 5       Vs. 1-16

1. Why was Jesus in Jerusalem at this time? __________________
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2. Jesus met a certain man there. Where was this man and what was wrong with him? _________________________________
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3. What was the strange thing that happened at this place?
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4. What did Jesus ask this man? ____________________________
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5. The Jewish leaders were angry with Jesus. Why? ___________
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6. These leaders were so angry—they wanted to do what? _______
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