Understanding Biblical Structure and Context

John 5.9
November 10th 2013

Welcome. Let’s pray.

Establishing a Prayer Team

PRAYER

Speaking of prayer, I have it on my mind to establish a team of people who are willing to pray for the ministry and church. What this means is a commitment to praying for the ministry on or at an assigned time during the week. We’ll have to see who is willing and lead to participate and that will tell us the span etc. So, we’ll start with those who are interesting in being a part of the prayer team and then we’ll construct it around that.

We are NOT a ministry or church of means – and never have been – but we are a ministry of substance, and part of this corporate substance is our ability to appeal to the Father on behalf of our needs. So, there is a list at the back of the room. Please sign it if you are willing to join the CAMPUS prayer team.

Okay, let’s reflect upon the Word of God set to music and then we’ll take a few moment in silent praise and reflection before getting back and finishing John 4.

MUSIC
REFLECTION

The Structure of the Bible

Alright, Jesus has just been two days in Samaria and this brings us to verse 43 of chapter 4. Last week I said we had wrapped chapter four up but I neglected to see there is one more story included therein.

Remember, the Bible did not come in chapter and verse originally. First it was separate revelations, recordings and writings. Then it was compiled into compilations of these writings. Then collections, and then when all of the contents were agreed upon, it was presented in two testaments – Old and New – and then around 1227 a guy named Stephen Langton, who was an Archbishop of Canterbury, separated them into chapters. I would not consider the chapter and verse divisions infallible but certainly helpful.

In 1382, Wycliffe was the first Bible translator and publisher to implement his chapter pattern and since that time nearly all Bible translations have followed Langton's chapter divisions. Later, the Old Testament was divided into verses by a Jewish rabbi by the name of Nathan in A.D. 1448 and then about 100 years later a guy named Robert Estienne, who was also known as Stephanus, divided the New Testament into standard numbered verses. And beginning with the Geneva Bible, the chapter and verse divisions have been generally accepted and used by most Bible translators.

Bible Verse: John 4

So let’s read the remainder of the text of chapter four beginning at verse 43 – then we’ll move on into chapter five.

John 4:43 Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee.
44 For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country.
45 Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for tey also went unto the feast.
46 So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.
47 When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of deathSeparation from God—now overcome. Physical death remains, but it no longer separates us from life with God..
48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.
50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.
51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth.
52 Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.
53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.
54 This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.

Okay, back to verse 43 which serves us with another reminder of how the Jews wrote – remember? It is more like a movie script than a chronological report.

At verse 43 John writes:

John 4:43 Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee.

And then suddenly, he adds:

44 For Jesus himself testified, “that a prophet hath no honor in his own country.”

Journey to Galilee

In verse 43, the narrative reveals that they are headed to Galilee, and a quote from Jesus is cited: "That a prophet has no honor in his own country?" It seems that they did not visit Nazareth, as Jesus Himself acknowledges that a prophet is not honored in His hometown. John might be suggesting through this that Jesus went to Galilee but not to Nazareth, which was His own country.

Then, in verse 45, we read:

45 Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast.

Apparently, a number of Galilean’s had witnessed the miracles He performed in Jerusalem and so when He arrived, they were openly receptive of Him. Now John takes us to a specific location in Galilee – Cana; the site of Jesus' first miracle, turning water into wine.

Encounter with the Nobleman

46 So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.

The nobleman, likely connected to the royal family by marriage or birth to Herod Antipas or a member of his court, had a son who was ill in Capernaum, about a day's journey from Cana.

47 When (the nobleman) heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death.

From John's account, the nobleman, upon hearing Jesus had left Jerusalem for Galilee, decided to personally ask Jesus for help. This was a rare act, as men of power usually sent an emissary on their behalf. This story may symbolize our personal necessity to directly engage with God, as He accepts no intermediaries.

Parental Concern and Eternal Salvation

The nobleman likely loved his son deeply and was willing to go to great lengths to save him. This reflects a broader observation: parents often care immensely for their children's physical well-being, investing in their medical care and education. However, there is often apathy toward their children's spiritual future.

In the nobleman's case, his physical concern led to eternal salvation for his family. We might liken life to a game where we, the players, are moved around by God, and through our successes and failures, He seeks to draw us closer to Him. He uses various means, including suffering, death, evil, and disease, to guide us toward Him.

We learn in verse 47 that the nobleman believed Jesus needed to "come down" to Capernaum to heal his son. Likely, the nobleman assumed that Jesus performed miracles only when physically present. SetLastError#

The Nature of Belief in Christ's Miracles

I think that we have a tremendous revelation here about the nature of Christ when He proves that it was not necessary for Him to be physically present to perform such labors. Verse 48 is troubling for me in terms of contextual comprehension as John writes:

48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.

The reason I say that this is troubling is we can take it and understand its purpose in a number of different ways. The most apparent way would be the man asked Jesus to come and heal his son and Jesus says, You won’t believe (that I can perform such a miracle) unless you see me do it (in person). In other words, we could end verse 47 with a question mark and this is why Jesus says what he says here.

The man asked Jesus to come to Capernaum, and Jesus says: “Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe? OR “You mean I need to come with you and only then will you believe?” Or maybe Jesus is just stating a fact here. The man asks Jesus to come and heal his son, and Jesus reading his heart is telling him, “You appear to believe I can heal, but you will not really be convinced of this unless you see a sign or wonder.”

Perspectives on Faith and Signs

Paul says in 1st Corinthians 1:22-23:

“For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: but we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness.”

Maybe you or I fall into one of these categories when it comes to believing – maybe we are like the Jews who require a sign or maybe we are really logical and intellectual and see all this faith stuff as foolishness, like the Greeks would. What we do know is Jesus says: “Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe?” But there remains something we cannot skip over in our attempts to understand this line:

The Use of "Ye" in Jesus' Address

Notice that Jesus says: “Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe?” Ye is not singular – thou is. Ye is plural. “Hear ye, hear ye,” plural. Anytime Jesus is having a one on one conversation, He always, when speaking of just the individual says, “thou.” (meaning,“you.”) But when He is speaking of or to more than one He says, “ye.” So what we have here, taking note of this little distinction, is that Jesus was speaking to more than the nobleman.

Maybe it was a gathering of Galileans. Or maybe the nobleman had a large group accompanying Him. Whatever the number, His remark was not to the nobleman alone. And this helps us with understanding its placement and meaning here. Maybe the group was pushing Jesus to go and perform the miracle and He was telling them: “Unless ye come with me and see the miracle and wonder none of you will believe?” Now this line is starting to make some sense relative to its placement.

And at this point it seems the nobleman was not so much concerned with seeing a miracle or not but the saving of his son’s life, and he says:

49 “Sir, come down ere my child die.”

I tend to read urgency in this line – a gathering of Galileans were possibly gathered and pushing for a miracle and the nobleman getting antsy and then exclaiming, “Sir, come down or my child is going to die.”

Jesus then shows the power of God made manifest, as He says to the man:

50 “Go thy way; thy son liveth.”

“Head back home to Capernaum, oh nobleman, your son is going to live. And in going about this healing this way I am proving a number of things about my person.” I think He proved that He is God in the flesh through this act. He was not like a faith-healer who needed to have the recipient in front of him to smack on the head. Neither did He need to anoint the son's head with oil or say any certain blessing or words. He simply healed the child. Done. That is a work only God could do.

Verse 50 goes on and says:

“And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.”

Belief Without Signs or Wonders

Verse fifty also gives us insight into the text because WITHOUT seeing signs or wonders we read that the nobleman believed. Therefore I think Jesus was talking ONLY to the masses in verse 48 and not to the nobleman at…

Healing and Salvation

We also note that where the nobleman requested two things of Jesus – one, that Jesus come to Capernaum and, two, that in coming He would heal his Son. Notice that Jesus complied with fifty percent of his request. It presents us with some interesting food for thought, doesn’t it? We have requests of God, but often He responds in ways that are not how we would expect. We tend to believe that we know the best way for God to act and then push and or petition for Him to comply, but because He knows best the way to do all things, He accomplishes things by and through means that never occurred to us.

I am of the belief that while yes, our prayers to God for healing are heard, I truly think these pictures we are given here of healing are pictures of salvation for us to hang our hats upon. Where the nobleman thought it was necessary for the Lord to personally go and visit His son in order to heal him (actually, in order to save him from death – which I believe is a picture of a father petitioning God to save a son from spiritual death) the son was healed (saved from physical death) without him ever being touched physically by the Lord. And the father returned home trusting in the promise Jesus gave him that his son would live.

Addressing Grief and Faith

Over the years I have had the misfortune of counseling with several people who have lost children – typically reprobate children who have either never known the Lord or who backslid into Christian inactivity. Most of the parents – but all of the mothers – have, through tears, point blank asked me questions like: “Do you think my son/daughter is in hell? After all, I don’t believe they ever received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.”

This story, right here, is an excellent one to share with parents faced with such grief as we reassure all of a number of things: One, Jesus was saved the world from the consequence of sinMissing the mark of faith and love—no punishment, just lost growth or peace.. Two, by and through Him all have been redeemed. Three, those who reject Him in our presence may not have rejected Him in our absence, and finally, that The God of love, who so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son, is going to do that which is best for all involved . . . and for us to place our faith and trust in Him.

The Miracle of Belief

So the nobleman, having believed in the Lord, left the following day for home. (verse 51-52)

51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, “Thy son liveth.”

Don’t these little facts add validity to the story being told? I mean, they just bring in a reality for me. Yes, a nobleman left for Galilee in search of Jesus the healer. His servants are left behind with the sick son. But the Son turns the corner and with his health restored the servants look around and say, “We’d better go find the master of the house – he has no idea of this good news.” And along the way they run into him. (verse 51)

52 Then enquired he (the nobleman) of them the hour when (his son) began to amend. And they said unto him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour” (which is one in the afternoon) “the fever left him.”

53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house. In the end, this miracle – the sign and wonder of it – truly did work to bring the nobleman (and his whole family) to believe.

And again, we are reminded, that sickness, affliction, even death can often be the means of God accomplishing great good. Especially if we let Him. Yes, the trials and difficulties of life can be inordinately taxing. They can challenge our very faith. But hanging on to Him and His abilities to make all things new, to restore life, to save from death, we will see miracles – life-changing, life-altering, even miracles that will change family dynamics forever… if we let Him.

54 This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee. Okay. Let’s proceed into chapter five where John the Beloved now takes us to an entirely different place and an entirely new situation to

Jesus and the Pool of Bethesda

help open our eyes and ears and heart to Jesus Christ.

Let’s read from verse 1 to verse 9.

John 5:1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. 5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? 7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. 8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. 9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

The Feast and Location

Okay, back to verse one, chapter five.

John 5:1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

Most scholars believe this feast that John refers to here was probably the Passover, but we can’t be sure. I’m not convinced it matters. Nevertheless… There were two other feasts that potentially could fit the bill – the feast of Pentecost or “The Feast of Tabernacles,” and either of required that all Jewish males attend and this seems to be what brought the Lord back to Jerusalem.

And in verse 2 John describes for us the scene where this next story takes place, saying:

2 Now there is at Jerusalem (by the sheep market) a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.

Now at Jerusalem there is what John calls “a sheep-market.” We might better understand this to be read “a sheep-gate,” or the gate through which the sheep were taken into the city for sacrifice. I say this because the word market does not seem to be in some of the older mss. Because the term, “sheep-gate” is mentioned in other parts of scripture (like in Nehemiah 3:1 and 12:39) it is thought that this pool John is writing about was located near where the sheep were brought into the city, through a gate.

We don’t know when it says “pool,” if it was a pond, or a man-made structure with a slide and diving board (just seeing if you are awake) or it could have even been a community area to wash. According to John the place was known as “the house of mercy,” which in Hebrew, was translated, “Bethesda.” John says that this pool contained or was surrounded by five porches, which translated back to the culture, could be described as five typically covered areas (you know, like patio areas that are covered by canvas to protect people from the rain or heat.

The Multitude and Troubled Waters

Many scholars believe the scene was one resembling an overloaded military hospital with sick and disheveled people lying almost on top of each other under these porched areas, as partially described in verse 3:

3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.

The description of these people from the Greek seems to be more about weak and feeble people affected by long bouts with disease rather than people dripping with disease (like leprosy and the like). According to the description, this water would move – it got agitated or would boil up – and it is thought that in so doing it was really just pushing a bunch of minerals up out of the earth and into the water. It is quite likely that the water could have come into the pool rather hot, and so the injection of hot, mineral laden water into the pool created an urgency for people with great aches and pains to get into the waters first as a means to benefit most from it fresh healing properties.

This brings us to verse four:

4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the

The Debate on the Reliability of the Passage

Troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. Now, there is a split decision on whether this passage is reliable or not. Those who favor the King James say reliable. Those who favor modern translations say, “not so.” I am not going to spend much time on it because for every person that defends its placement (typically those who favor the textus receptus) there are those who reject it (because they favor the Codex Sinaiticus and Vaticanus).

We could look at it with eyes of faith and say: “Well, maybe angels did have power over the waters here in this situation,” and so it is recorded accurately. Or we could be cynical and say: “Give me a break. Some overzealous scribe slipped this little mystical ditty in on us to give flavor to the passage and it can’t be trusted. I say: “Whatever.” We know that culturally the Jews did have a habit of attributing all sorts of things to the ministry of the angels. Maybe correctly and maybe not.

Medicinal Properties of the Pool

But what we do know is this fountain of water or this pond did possess strong medicinal properties and apparently it was able to cure or at least help with certain types of ailments that nothing else seemed to touch. I am a little bit more of a rationalist and I believe that the narrative reveals to us the nature of this pool experience John is describing. We know that the water was stirred or swirled so this could be the result of an underwater influx. We also know the water at the time of swirling contained healing properties –again, which could have been the result of minerals and other natural agents boiling up and mixing with the otherwise state waters.

Then we know that the stirring only occurred during certain times or seasons and it appears that the people knew when those times and seasons were – so they would assemble there around the pool. Medicinal springs often deliver their booty at regular intervals and this could have been the case here. I have trouble believing that an angel of God would be the one in charge of stirring such waters when the weakest and lamest of men had no chance of getting into it. It seems like a cruel game the angels would be playing on such people. Instead I can believe that in this fallen world suffering people are often not privy to the full benefits of things like seasonally churning hot springs – and hence we have a story involving Jesus.

5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. We don’t know not what this disease was but we do know it prohibited him from mobility – or at least enough mobility to get himself down in the water early enough to enjoy it’s properties.

Jesus and the Man at the Pool

6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? Verse six gives us some insight into the King. He looks upon a whole series of covered porches and the pool. The water boils up, and He must have been privy to the mad dash that must have taken place at that moment. Maybe He watched as this lame man writhed and squirmed to make an advance on the pool but to no avail. Maybe he watched other step over (or even on him) as they fought to get themselves into the healing waters. Maybe he saw a look of utter despair and longing in the eyes of the man, a look that said, “I have no chance of ever being made whole in this water.” Whatever it was, Jesus speaks to the man and asks him something very simple: “Will you be made whole?” “Do you want to be made complete?”

I would strongly suggest that there are people in life who do not want to be made whole. In fact, I know some who would prefer to roil in their own inabilities and failures than to be healed. Believe it or not they are where they are most content! So Jesus first asks the man if he desires healing.

7 The impotent man answered him, “Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.” There is an indication that the man would like to be healed but can’t beat the system because nobody is there, or is willing, to take him down.

Jesus' Healing and Restitution

Jesus knew (as we can see from verse six) that Jesus knew the man had bore this ailment many, many years. He asked him if he wanted to be healed and we get an automatic affirmation of this in his reply. And here again, Jesus, by His Word, takes action, and says to Him:

8 “Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

Forty years of being lame. We are going to read (next week) that his ailment appears to have somehow been the results of sin. And so we have a picture of a lame man due to his sin, laying there and without the strength to do anything about it himself – I mean, he didn’t even have a friend to take him to the healing waters of AA, or to drive Him to rehab. I mean, I think we can assume that this man had nobody who prayed with him (because if he had he could have requested that they help him get into the water.)

No, in His state of sin, he was on his own. Nothing could or would help him . . . or I think it would have. So the solution is there watching him. Observing his struggles, his despair. And He asks Him,

Do you really want to be healed?

The Command and Compliance

And in response He tells the man to do what has been impossible for him to do for the past forty years – stand. Walk. Move on his own accord. How would and could a lame man comply? The ailment had to be removed and not only overcome, but all the former strengths had to be returned. So it is with all restitution – physical and spiritual.

Once healed, forgiven, changed by Him and His compassion on our soul, His command is to rise, take up our former resting place, and move on – walk. In this miracle we find such a remarkable picture. Where the poor man appears to have just longed to have a friend lead him down into the water Jesus healed the man all together!

And where Jesus gave him a direct command to take – Rise, take up your bed and walk – He also gave him the power to perform it. How? By removing the effects of sin from his former life and by restoring him to enough strength to comply. Of course, when we hear the command, the next thing we learn from this is the requirement to comply. The man could have just laid there – but he didn’t. He heard, he believed what he heard, then he took action – he complied. So it is with every saved soul. Belief is one part, acting as led is another.

Complete and Total Healing

Not only does Jesus tell the man to rise, but he adds on that he should additionally take up his bed and/or bedding, and walk. There was no step by step gig going on with this man. It was a complete and total healing – as are all healings from sin and death delivered by Christ.

(verse 9)

9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

That last line is going to carry us into the “rest of the story” which we’ll cover next week.

QUESTIONS/COMMENTS

PRAYER TEAM REMINDER HERE

No women’s Bible Study tomorrow night.

Yes, Thursday Bible Study 7pm here