At Institute class tonight Brother D. Wright talked about St John Chapter 5. He asked us to start readying Verses 1-9.. The story goes something like this...
In Jerusalem near the Sheep Market was a pool of water and this pool was called the pool of Bethesda. And near this pool sit and lay a “great Multitude” of People. Now these people were all matter of sick people. In the bible it calls them “impotent folk”. Some were Blind, withered, lame, and any other type of case that would seek at person to be healed. The Multitude would sit and wait to see the water ripple in the pool of Bethesda. For it was said that a Angel would come down into the pool and cause the water to ripple. And if you were able to step into the water at that time you could be made whole and healed.
It was on the Sabbath day that Jesus came to this pool. Jesus saw a man who was 38 years old who was “impotent” for a long time. And Jesus knew he had waited a long time near the pool. Jesus asked him “Wilt thou be made whole?”
The man tell Jesus that he has no one to help him. When the Ripples come someone steps on or over me and gets in the pool before me. This man does not seem to know who Jesus is. And , Jesus says in reply to his complaints saying “ Rise, take up thy bed, and walk”. As soon and Jesus commands this, the man was healed and he picked up his bed and walked away. Jesus did not tell him who he was and continued on his way.
After reading this Brother Wright asked us these questions
Ÿ What was Wrong with the Man?
Ÿ What would you had done for the Man?
Ÿ Do you think what you would have done been Right?
Ÿ What did Jesus do?
Ÿ Was he right to do what he did?
I was confused about the 1st questions. What was wrong with the man? I could not tell what exactly was wrong with the man. And it turned out to be a trick question. The Bible does not tell us what exactly was wrong with this man. But a fellow Student observed that in the bible the Lord heals a lot but usually when he does heal and a story is told on a certain healing that the person being heals has something more to learn. Be it More faith, obedience, repentance, or forgiveness. So this guy may have been a sinner as well.
The 2nd Question I thought was straight forward. What would I have done for the man? Since I don’t think I could have healed him, I would have helped put him in the water when the watered rippled. Although Brother Wright says there was no way to know when it would have rippled. I could be hours, Days, or weeks.
The 3rd Question... Do you think what you would have done would’ve been right? I said yes but as we discussed the question in class I started to change my mind. Would the water really heal him? Did the man really want to be healed? The man never said that he wanted to be healed. He just goes into complaints as to why he could not get to the water.
4th Question... What did Jesus do? And that was in black and white right?!? I couldn't get this one wrong... He told him to get up and pick up your bed and walk. (This one I got right Yeah!)
5th Question... Was Jesus right to do what he did? And DUH this is Jesus ... The Savior...of course he was right to do it.
So now we continue with the story...
(Verses 10 - 18)
The Jews went to the Man whom Jesus had healed and said... It is the Sabbath day and the law prohibits work on the Sabbath day. You are Carrying your bed on the Sabbath day and that is a violation to the laws. The Man tells them it was not his fault that a man came to him and healed him and it was his fault that he was carrying his bed. The Jews asked him who the healer was and the healed man said he did not know his name. The healed man found Jesus in the temple. Jesus said to the healed man, “ye are whole” (or healed). Now “sin no more , lest a worse thing come unto thee” . The Healed man left Jesus and went to the Jews and told them where to find him. The Jew go after Jesus and Persecute him and want to slay him for breaking the law of the Sabbath day. Jesus just says his Father who is God has a work and he was doing his Fathers work. This make the Jews very upset. They want to kill him now for not just breaking the Sabbath day but also saying that God was his Father.
Now going back to Question 5 : Was Jesus right to do what he did? Now I know the Answer is still Duh Yes, it’s Jesus so of course he is right. But I beg to see it this way... Ok this is a very light version what is going on... But men want to put to death a man for healing another man.
This is not just a story about the Savior teaching us to be about your Father in Heavens work on all days. It is more than just a story of the Hardness and Pride of Men not understanding his work. But it is a beautiful story about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. He Died for everyone even the ones who would betray him, or turn away from him. His Atonement is for us all and we all have to choose what it is worth to us.
These Verses remind me of my Fallen Brother and Sisters who are Saints... who have fallen way from the teachings of Christ. I was among you at one time. It was easy to sit beside my other “Impotent” friends. Not to have to get up and carry my bed and walk. It was easier to be around those who did not expect too much from me. The Lords way is not always an easy one.. More over than not it is a hard path to stay on. It takes constant care on my part to learn more, do more, love more, forgive more, and keep trying to be like him. And that can be hard but in the end worth it!
In Jerusalem near the Sheep Market was a pool of water and this pool was called the pool of Bethesda. And near this pool sit and lay a “great Multitude” of People. Now these people were all matter of sick people. In the bible it calls them “impotent folk”. Some were Blind, withered, lame, and any other type of case that would seek at person to be healed. The Multitude would sit and wait to see the water ripple in the pool of Bethesda. For it was said that a Angel would come down into the pool and cause the water to ripple. And if you were able to step into the water at that time you could be made whole and healed.
It was on the Sabbath day that Jesus came to this pool. Jesus saw a man who was 38 years old who was “impotent” for a long time. And Jesus knew he had waited a long time near the pool. Jesus asked him “Wilt thou be made whole?”
The man tell Jesus that he has no one to help him. When the Ripples come someone steps on or over me and gets in the pool before me. This man does not seem to know who Jesus is. And , Jesus says in reply to his complaints saying “ Rise, take up thy bed, and walk”. As soon and Jesus commands this, the man was healed and he picked up his bed and walked away. Jesus did not tell him who he was and continued on his way.
After reading this Brother Wright asked us these questions
Ÿ What was Wrong with the Man?
Ÿ What would you had done for the Man?
Ÿ Do you think what you would have done been Right?
Ÿ What did Jesus do?
Ÿ Was he right to do what he did?
I was confused about the 1st questions. What was wrong with the man? I could not tell what exactly was wrong with the man. And it turned out to be a trick question. The Bible does not tell us what exactly was wrong with this man. But a fellow Student observed that in the bible the Lord heals a lot but usually when he does heal and a story is told on a certain healing that the person being heals has something more to learn. Be it More faith, obedience, repentance, or forgiveness. So this guy may have been a sinner as well.
The 2nd Question I thought was straight forward. What would I have done for the man? Since I don’t think I could have healed him, I would have helped put him in the water when the watered rippled. Although Brother Wright says there was no way to know when it would have rippled. I could be hours, Days, or weeks.
The 3rd Question... Do you think what you would have done would’ve been right? I said yes but as we discussed the question in class I started to change my mind. Would the water really heal him? Did the man really want to be healed? The man never said that he wanted to be healed. He just goes into complaints as to why he could not get to the water.
4th Question... What did Jesus do? And that was in black and white right?!? I couldn't get this one wrong... He told him to get up and pick up your bed and walk. (This one I got right Yeah!)
5th Question... Was Jesus right to do what he did? And DUH this is Jesus ... The Savior...of course he was right to do it.
So now we continue with the story...
(Verses 10 - 18)
The Jews went to the Man whom Jesus had healed and said... It is the Sabbath day and the law prohibits work on the Sabbath day. You are Carrying your bed on the Sabbath day and that is a violation to the laws. The Man tells them it was not his fault that a man came to him and healed him and it was his fault that he was carrying his bed. The Jews asked him who the healer was and the healed man said he did not know his name. The healed man found Jesus in the temple. Jesus said to the healed man, “ye are whole” (or healed). Now “sin no more , lest a worse thing come unto thee” . The Healed man left Jesus and went to the Jews and told them where to find him. The Jew go after Jesus and Persecute him and want to slay him for breaking the law of the Sabbath day. Jesus just says his Father who is God has a work and he was doing his Fathers work. This make the Jews very upset. They want to kill him now for not just breaking the Sabbath day but also saying that God was his Father.
Now going back to Question 5 : Was Jesus right to do what he did? Now I know the Answer is still Duh Yes, it’s Jesus so of course he is right. But I beg to see it this way... Ok this is a very light version what is going on... But men want to put to death a man for healing another man.
This is not just a story about the Savior teaching us to be about your Father in Heavens work on all days. It is more than just a story of the Hardness and Pride of Men not understanding his work. But it is a beautiful story about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. He Died for everyone even the ones who would betray him, or turn away from him. His Atonement is for us all and we all have to choose what it is worth to us.
These Verses remind me of my Fallen Brother and Sisters who are Saints... who have fallen way from the teachings of Christ. I was among you at one time. It was easy to sit beside my other “Impotent” friends. Not to have to get up and carry my bed and walk. It was easier to be around those who did not expect too much from me. The Lords way is not always an easy one.. More over than not it is a hard path to stay on. It takes constant care on my part to learn more, do more, love more, forgive more, and keep trying to be like him. And that can be hard but in the end worth it!
With easy things conquered, come very little worth or reward... But with hard things conquered, come great worth and reward.
So perk up and "Stand Still"
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