After this, there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem at the Sheep (Gate) a pool called in Hebrew Bethesda, with five porticoes. In these lay a large number of ill, blind, lame, and crippled. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been ill for a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be well?" The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me." Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your mat, and walk." Immediately the man became well, took up his mat, and walked. Now that day was a sabbath. (Jn 5, 1-9)
There were a large number of ill people at the pool. Jesus chose just one of them and healed him. It was because he was there waiting for thirty-eight years. Jesus could have healed all of them. By the mere description, the author wanted to tell his readers that Jesus had pity on the longest (in number of years) sufferer. Not only that but also because he had on one else to help him out. Also the man had made effort to come to the water.
So the situation seems to be an impossible one.
The man is alone (no on to help him)
He is there for long (thirty-eight years)
He is sick.
And Jesus takes his side (he is no more alone)
He is healed instantly (Jesus could have healed him the next day)
He is healed (even though it is a Sabbath.
But the whole scene is centered on the Sabbath rule. Why did Jesus heal him deliberately on the Sabbath? Sabbath is a Jewish rule; a religious rule that was relating to a chronological time.
Jesus was working on a theological time; a time to make the whole creation new. Hence there is no day distinction and work differences. Everything (all creation) has to be made new (creation) in God’s time.
