Lexical Summary Béthesda: Bethesda Original Word: Βηθεσδά Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Bethesda. Of Chaldee origin (compare bayith and checed); house of kindness; Beth-esda, a pool in Jerusalem -- Bethesda. see HEBREW bayith see HEBREW checed NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originprobably of Aramaic origin Definition Bethesda, a pool in Jer. NASB Translation Bethesda (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 964: ΒηθεσδάΒηθεσδά, ἡ, indec. (Chaldean חֶסְדָּא בֵּית, i. e. house of mercy, or place for receiving and caring for the sick), Bethesda, the name of a pool near the sheep-gate at Jerusalem, the waters of which had curative powers: John 5:2 (here L marginal reading WH marginal reading read Βηθσαϊδά, T WH text Βηθζαθά (which see)). What locality in the modern city is its representative is not clear; cf. Winers RWB under the word; Arnold in Herzog ii., p. 117f; Robinson i. 330f, 342f; (B. D. under the word; The Recovery of Jerusalem (see index)). STRONGS NT 964a: ΒηθζαθάΒηθζαθά, ἡ (perhaps from Chaldean זַיְתָא בֵּית, house of olives; not, as some suppose, חֲדַתָּא בֵּית, house of newness, German Neuhaus, since it cannot be shown that the Hebrew letter chet ח is ever represented by the Greek zeta ζ'), Bethzatha: John 5:2 T (WH text) after manuscripts א L D and other authorities (no doubt a corrupt reading, yet approved by Keim, ii., p. 177 (see also WHs Appendix, ad loc.)), for Rec. Βηθεσδά, which see (Cf. Kautzsch, Gram. d. Biblical-Aram., p. 9.) Bethzatha was a pool complex situated inside Jerusalem’s walls, just north of the Temple precinct, adjacent to the Sheep Gate (John 5:2). Archaeology has confirmed a double-pool arrangement with five surrounding porticoes, matching John’s description. The name, rendered Bethzatha in several early manuscripts, carries the idea of “house of the olive” or “house of mercy,” both fitting a site noted for healing expectations. Biblical Occurrence and Context The lone New Testament reference appears in John 5:1-9. Crowds of the sick gathered under the colonnades, hoping for miraculous relief. Into that setting Jesus entered, addressed a man who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years, and healed him with a word on the Sabbath. The event functions as the third sign in John’s Gospel, sharpening the conflict with the Jewish leaders and demonstrating the life-giving authority of the Son. “Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool with five covered colonnades, which in Hebrew is called Bethesda.” (John 5:2) Historical and Cultural Background Second-Temple Jews often associated certain springs or pools with divine activity. Whether through natural mineral properties or popular tradition, Bethzatha had become a place where the infirm assembled. The porticoes provided shade, enabling extended stays. The miseries of blindness, lameness, and paralysis pictured Israel’s larger need for messianic restoration foretold in Isaiah 35:3-6. By choosing this location, Jesus visibly fulfilled those prophetic hopes. Textual Variants and Manuscript Evidence Early witnesses diverge between Bethzatha (Βηθζαθά), Bethesda (Βηθεσδά), and, in a few later copies, Bethsaida (Βηθσαϊδά). The external evidence is nearly balanced, though the Alexandrian tradition favors Bethzatha, the Western favors Bethesda, and the Byzantine later harmonized toward Bethesda. Regardless of spelling, the site is the same and the narrative unchanged: one pool, one Sabbath, one Sign, one Lord. Archaeological Insights Nineteenth-century excavations north of Saint Anne’s Church uncovered twin reservoirs from the Second-Temple period, separated by a central dam that supplied five covered walkways. Later Roman and Byzantine structures atop the pools attest to a continuing memory of healing. The discovery corroborates John’s detailed topography, reinforcing the Gospel’s historical reliability. Theological and Ministry Significance 1. Christ’s sovereignty over sickness: The healing illustrates divine initiative; the man did not even know who Jesus was (John 5:13). Applications for Ministry Today • Compassionate Presence: Churches can model Christ’s initiative by meeting human need where suffering concentrates—hospitals, shelters, and neglected neighborhoods. Bethzatha stands as a tangible testimony to Jesus’ power, the credibility of John’s record, and the continuing call to proclaim healing and life in His name. |
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