John 5:10 Themes and Topics

After these things Jesus went up to Jerusalem to [attend] a Jewish festival. Now in Jerusalem there was a pool of water near the Sheep Gate [Note: This was a city gate in the north wall]. It had five porticos [i.e., covered open areas along the outside of the Temple]. In the Hebrew language it was called Bethesda. Under these porticos a large number of sick, blind, crippled and deformed people were placed {{A few ancient authorities add "to wait for the water [of the pool] to become choppy. read more.
For an angel of the Lord came down to the pool [from heaven] at certain times and stirred up the water. Then the first person to enter the pool after the water became choppy was healed from whatever disease he had."}} And a certain man was there who had been sick for thirty-eight years [Note: He was probably a crippled person]. When Jesus saw him lying [there by the pool], and knew that he had been [in that condition] a long time, He said to him, "Do you want to get well?" The sick man answered Him, "Sir, I do not have anyone to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but [just] when I am about to enter [it] someone else goes down [into the water] before me." [So], Jesus said to him, "Get up; pick up your cot and walk." And immediately the man was made well and picked up his cot and walked. Now this happened on the Sabbath day. So, the Jews said to the man who was healed, "It is not permissible for you to pick up your cot because it is the Sabbath day." But he replied to them, "The same man who made me well said to me, 'Pick up your cot and walk.'" [Then] they asked him, "Who is this man who said to you, 'Pick up your cot and walk.'?" But the man who was healed did not know who it was, because Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there. Later on Jesus found the man in the Temple, and said to him, "Look, you have been made well; stop sinning or else something worse [i.e., than the handicap you had] will happen to you." [Then] the man left and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. So, for this reason the Jews began persecuting Jesus, because He did these [kinds of] things on the Sabbath day.

"I am a Jew, born in Tarsus, in Cilicia, but raised [here] in this city [i.e., Jerusalem]. [I was] instructed by Gamaliel [i.e., a renowned Jewish rabbi of the time] according to the strictest methods of observing the law of our forefathers. [I was very] eager to serve God, just as all of you are here today. Verse Concepts

Paul wanted him to travel with him [on a preaching mission] so he had him circumcised in order to avoid prejudice by the Jews in that area, for everyone knew that his father was a Greek. Verse Concepts

And when they heard [all] this, they gave honor to God, then said to Paul, "Brother, you can see how many thousands of Jewish believers [in Christ] there are [everywhere] and all of them are eager to observe the [requirements of the] law of Moses. Verse Concepts

But certain Pharisees said, "Why are you doing what is against the law of Moses on the Sabbath day?" Verse Concepts

I advanced in the Jewish religion beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen. I have been extremely more zealous in advocating the traditions [taught] by my forefathers. Verse Concepts

But certain believers, [who had been] members of the sect called Pharisees [i.e., a strict sect of the Jewish religion], began saying, "It is necessary to circumcise people [see verse 1] and require them to keep [the ordinances of] the law of Moses." Verse Concepts

And the Pharisees asked Him, "Look, why are they [i.e., Jesus' disciples] doing what is against the law of Moses on the Sabbath day?" Verse Concepts

But the official of the synagogue became angry because Jesus had healed [someone] on the Sabbath day. [Note: This was viewed as a violation of proper Sabbath day observance by certain Jews who interpreted the law of Moses with narrow legalism]. So, the official said to the crowd, "There are six days [in the week] for people to work. Therefore, you should come to be healed on one of them, and not on the Sabbath day." Verse Concepts

So, the Jews said to the man who was healed, "It is not permissible for you to pick up your cot because it is the Sabbath day." Verse Concepts

For I can testify that they have an enthusiasm for God, but it is without [true] knowledge. Verse Concepts