What is the meaning of John 5:5? One man • The verse begins by narrowing our attention to a single individual in a multitude. In John 5:3 we read that “a great number of the sick, blind, lame, and paralyzed were lying” at Bethesda, yet verse 5 highlights just “one man.” • Scripture often shows the Lord focusing on one needy soul: “What do you want Me to do for you?” (Mark 10:51) to blind Bartimaeus, or the shepherd leaving ninety-nine to find one sheep (Luke 15:4-7). • John 3:16 promises salvation to “whoever believes,” stressing the worth of the individual. Here, before any miracle occurs, we are reminded that God sees each person personally. there • “There” anchors the man in a real place—Bethesda, beside the Sheep Gate pool (John 5:2). This is not a parable or myth; it is a historical setting. • Acts 17:26 teaches that God “determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings.” The man’s presence at that pool on that day was no accident; divine providence had arranged the meeting with Jesus. • Scripture repeatedly ties encounters with God to specific locations—Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:1-2) or Jacob at Bethel (Genesis 28:16-17)—underscoring that God works within tangible history. had been • These words point to a long-standing condition, not a recent mishap. The verb hints at years of disappointment, unanswered hopes, and perhaps fading faith. • The man born blind in John 9:1-3 had likewise “been blind from birth,” and Jesus used that extended suffering “so that the works of God might be displayed.” • Galatians 6:9 urges believers not to grow weary “for at the proper time we will reap a harvest.” Decades of waiting did not disqualify this man from God’s timing; instead, they set the stage for a greater revelation. an invalid • His specific ailment is unnamed, but the term conveys helplessness. He could not reach the water himself (John 5:7). • Physical infirmity often pictures spiritual need. In Matthew 9:2 Jesus told a paralytic, “Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven.” Healing the body pointed to healing the soul. • Psalm 103:2-3 praises the Lord “who forgives all your iniquity and heals all your diseases,” reminding us that both kinds of healing flow from the same compassionate heart. for thirty-eight years • The length is striking—almost four decades. Israel wandered thirty-eight of its forty wilderness years after Kadesh-barnea (Deuteronomy 2:14); both narratives highlight prolonged waiting caused by human limitation. • Acts 3:2 mentions a man “lame from birth” who was over forty when healed, showing again that no span of time is too great for God to break in. • Second Peter 3:8 notes that “with the Lord one day is as a thousand years,” encouraging patience. God’s delay is never neglect; it serves His perfect purpose. summary John 5:5 draws our eyes to one specific, real man—helpless, long-suffering, and seemingly forgotten—whom Jesus is about to transform. Every detail underscores God’s personal care, sovereign timing, and power to redeem years of pain in a moment. The verse invites us to trust that the Lord who noticed and healed this man still sees, knows, and is able to act in our lives today. |
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