John 5:1-9 record a unique miracle only found in the Gospel of John--the healing of a man who had been ill for 38 years. On that day Jesus and His disciples arrived in Jerusalem for a festival. A group of sick people lying beside the Pool of Bethesda caught Jesus’ attention. These individuals stayed by the pool day and night with one hope: to be the first to jump into the water when it was stirred. According to the legend, the first person to enter the pool after the water was stirred would be healed of any disease. The Bible does not confirm the truth of the legend. Among these people was a man who had been sick for 38 years and, due to his inability to move, had never managed to be the first to jump into the water. Until that day, when he encountered Jesus, who healed him and transformed his life. This is an important story about change and healing. By examining the healing process of this man, we can gain insights into how healing and transformation in life occur.
Making a Choice
Many Biblical scholars believe that the man was paralyzed, which is why he could not walk for 38 years. He might have often found ways to get close to the pool, waiting for a slim chance. When Jesus saw him lying there, Jesus asked a seemingly unbelievable question: “Do you want to get well?” The question might have surprised or even offended the man and those around him. Wasn’t his daily presence at the pool a clear indication of his desire to be healed? Could there be any wish more urgent for him than to be made well?
However, if we reflect on it, Jesus’ question was not without reason. After years of fruitless attempts to find a cure and the seemingly endless wait by the Pool of Bethesda, this man’s hope for healing might have faded, replaced by despair and numbness. Perhaps he had grown accustomed to his condition and resigned himself to a life of paralysis. Moreover, he might have realized that being healed would mean no longer relying on the charity of others. He would need to find work to support himself, pay taxes, offer sacrifices, and fulfill his duties and responsibilities to his family and society. Life could become even more challenging. The people around him might stop showing sympathy and start mocking his perceived uselessness. All these potential changes posed significant challenges. Healing would bring not only physical health but also greater responsibilities. It’s understandable to fear these challenges.
Are you willing to abandon your own methods, to stop fixating on the waters of Bethesda, and instead follow Jesus’ way -- rising up to receive His healing, while also facing new challenges? Embracing a new way of life requires a firm decision, as no one else can make it for you. Change comes with a cost. Others may alter their attitudes and reactions toward you. The attention and sympathy you once received may diminish. You will face higher expectations and new responsibilities will become part of your life. By being willing to accept challenges and take on responsibilities, you can make the right choice, leaving behind weakness and paralysis, and embracing healing.
When Jesus asked the man, “Do you want to get well?” He was respecting the man’s freedom to choose. If the man wanted to be healed, Jesus could heal him; if he chose to remain in his familiar circumstances, Jesus would not force him. We have the ability to make different choices in every aspect of our lives, and it’s important to remember that the life we live today is the result of the choices we made in the past.
No More Excuses
The man’s response to Jesus’ question was quite intriguing. He said, “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” (John 5:7). Instead of directly answering Jesus’ question, he offered an explanation for why he hadn’t been healed. At the Pool of Bethesda, everyone was focused on their own healing, and no one paid attention to this man who was unable to move. What should have been a place of compassion, Bethesda, became a stage for human indifference and selfishness. Despite the tragic circumstances, the man still did not answer Jesus’ question: “Do you want to get well?”
Many people find reasons for their negative behaviors and attitudes. “My pessimism is because I grew up in a dysfunctional family.” “I am often depressed due to my poor health.” “I am irritable because of the unfair treatment I receive from others.” It is common for individuals to justify their rudeness, poor decisions, and bad temper by blaming others or their environment.
But if you continue to use these reasons to complain and blame, it will inevitably affect your relationships with God, others, and even yourself, leading to a paralyzed life. If you want to break free from this paralysis, you must stop using past experiences, traumas, your environment, and other people as excuses for your poor decisions and negative attitudes today.
The paralytic man’s reaction to his situation was self-pity and blaming others. Self-pity only deepens the sense of helplessness, while blaming others blinds you to your own responsibilities. Many remain trapped in their suffering, repeatedly sharing their stories but subconsciously not expecting to heal, even relying on the harm others have caused them--thinking, “If it weren’t for that person or event, my life would be successful and wonderful!”
Jesus, however, directly told the man, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk” (John 5:8). Jesus made it clear that if you want to be healed, you must stop blaming others and feeling sorry for yourself. The key is to take up your mat and accept the responsibilities in your life.
When the Lord Jesus asked the man, “Do you want to get well?” the man replied, “I have no one to help me into the water.” When the Lord asks you, “Are you willing to be healed and forgive others?” will you respond with, “Lord, you don’t know how deep my wounds are!”? When the Lord asks, “Do you want to be free from a certain bad habit or sin?” will you say, “Lord, everyone around me is like this, and you don’t know how strong the temptations are!”?
The premise of healing is to stop making excuses for ourselves.
Acts of Submission
A commonly held belief is that healing comes first, and then it transforms our lives. However, Christian psychologist Henry Cloud presents a different perspective in his book “Changes That Heal”--we must change before we can experience healing. The Bible provides examples of this, such as the story of Naaman’s healing from leprosy in 2 Kings 5:1-19. Before Naaman was healed, he underwent several changes: First, a change in attitude, moving from pride to humility; second, a shift in mindset, realizing that complex problems might have simple solutions; and third, a change in method, moving from relying on money and power to accepting God’s grace freely.
Notice Jesus’ response to the paralytic man. Jesus did not say, “How pitiful you are!” Instead, He looked at the man and said, “If you truly want to be healed, to live a normal life, and to end this situation, here is what you must do: pick up your mat and walk!” When the man obeyed Jesus’ command and picked up his mat, he was healed and able to walk.
Why did Jesus instruct the man to get up and carry his mat? Why not just tell him to walk away? The mat, having been used for so long, was likely old, worn, and unpleasant. Moreover, carrying it on the Sabbath would violate Jewish law and cause criticism. So why did Jesus give this command?
One reason for Jesus’ command was to help the man understand that he was completely healed. Previously, the mat carried him, but now he could carry the mat himself. This action also encouraged the man to change his way of living. For 38 years, his lifestyle was dictated by his illness, but now he needed to develop new habits to match his healthy body. If he had left the mat by the Pool of Bethesda, it would have been like leaving a way to retreat. When faced with challenges in his new life, he might have thought, “This is too hard,” and been tempted to return to his old ways, lying back on the mat. The mat represented his comfort zone or safe zone, much like the pot of meat that tempted the Israelites to remain in slavery in Egypt. Therefore, Jesus instructed him to get up, walk, and carry his mat, to fully leave his past behind.
To recover from paralysis and experience change, we must make a conscious choice and take responsibility for our lives. We need to stop making excuses for staying in our old ways. Instead, we should rise, pick up our mat, and move forward, embracing a new dawn and living a vibrant, renewed life.
Author: Liu Lingwei
Translaltor: Bei Feng
Home
Wap
APP