In John 5, we read of the healing of a man who had been lame for a long time. It is an interesting narrative, and one of the first times in Jesus’ ministry that He came under fire by the Jews, who were angry at Jesus for healing this man on the Sabbath day.
Our interest comes from verses 2-4. “Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had” (John 5:2-4). Notice that the healing of an individual came if he was the first to step into the pool at the appointed time.
Therefore, when Jesus healed the lame man, who never could reach the water first because he was lame, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me” (7), he left a “great multitude” unhealed. As the text notes there were sick people, those who were blind, lame like this man, paralyzed, all of them waiting for the moving of the water.
The idea of healing the sick on earth is a laudable one. The very fact that Jesus left so many unhealed no doubt is disturbing to some. We know the Son of God could have healed them all in a single moment, should that have been His desire. Why didn’t He? Or, as some might ask, didn’t Jesus care for the rest of them on that day?
The question is legitimate, and can be easily answered if we are aware and accepting of the significance and focus of Jesus’ work here on earth. Please consider the following truths…
As we have acknowledged, He certainly had the power! This is affirmed in Luke 5. On that occasion Jesus was healing many who had come to him from “every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem” (17). It wasn’t because Jesus didn’t care. The Bible affirms that Jesus was moved with compassion for all of those who were ill (cf. Matthew 14:14). We are to not grow weary in doing good, “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10). This is our legacy as disciples of our Master, the One who is truly righteous!
The truth is that the universal healing of the flesh was never intended to be the work that the Father gave His Son when He sent Jesus to the earth. His intent in His short time on earth was entirely focused on His mission. “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me” (6:38).
We must understand that the healings of Jesus was not the work itself, but the signs that served to establish the legitimacy of the greater work given to Him by the Father. Read the following verses:
Nicodemus words: “This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him” (John 3:2).
The healing contrasted with the salvation of souls: “For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel” (John 5:20).
Jesus to some Jewish opponents about a paralyzed man: “‘But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins’—He said to the paralytic, ‘I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.’” (Mark 2:10-11).
It worked, as Jesus acknowledged to His Father, “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do” (John 17:4). He prayed this to God despite the fact that when He left the earth there was still disease, trauma, disaster and poverty. But, He did what the Father had Him do.
He became the means of redeeming man. His miracles assured us that He can save our souls from sin! The prophets announced Him as the Messiah. For example, Isaiah, a passage (chapter 49) where Jesus read about Himself, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord” (Luke 4:18-19).
All that Jesus did was to bring men to salvation. As He Himself said in defending His work to His skeptics, “Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved” (John 5:34).
May we also recognize the greater work of Jesus Christ. We are of course to do works of benevolence and care for the physical needs of others (cf. James 1:27). However, the work of the Lord, and our collective appointment as the church of our Lord is the greater work of saving the souls of men. We must not allow ourselves to be distracted from that primary purpose!
