In the Gospel of John, Jesus performs seven signs which give hints about who he is and the needs he’s addressing. Note that they’re not called “miracles,” but “signs.” Beyond being extraordinary acts, they’re also messages to us about Jesus, and we’ll visit a different sign each Wednesday in Lent. This week, we’ll take a look at…

The Ignored, Paralyzed Man (John 5:1-15)

Thirty-eight years.

The paralyzed man waited by the side of the mystical Pool of Bethesda for thirty-eight years.

Legend has it (though most bibles relegate this detail to a footnote) that an angel would regularly visit this pool near Jerusalem’s Sheep Gate and stir the waters so that anyone within the pool might be healed. According to the legend, whenever the angel stirred the waters, observers would make a break for the pool so that they might experience its healing. For thirty-eight years, this paralyzed man sat beside the pool unable to enter. He was alone and ignored, and whenever he tried to reach the churning waters, someone else would jump in first and receive the pool’s blessing. We can imagine him being shoved out of the way time and again. You’ve been here this long; surely you can wait a little longer. He’s practically part of the scenery at this point, but then Jesus arrives and truly sees him.

I’m never sure how to feel when I read Jesus’s first words to this man: “Do you want to get well?” Part of me wonders if Jesus is playing dumb or being funny. I mean, this is Jesus we’re talking about, so I’m going to assume he’s not trying to antagonize this poor man. At the same time, I guess it’s a legitimate question. This man has been in this condition for nearly four decades; is he ready for a truly radical change? Sitting there beside the pool, watching its waters, being shoved out of the way time and again— this man has lived in this condition for the majority of his life. How will he handle any other way of living?

The exchange is a brief one. Jesus asks his question, the man gives his explanation, and Jesus replies, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” And the man walks away healed. Through this sign, Jesus again shows us the kind of messiah he is: one who notices the lonely and ignored.

There’s a bitter twist though. This encounter with Jesus occurs on the Sabbath, and the local authorities aren’t too pleased with the formerly-paralyzed man when they see him carrying his mat. The authorities chastise him for “working on the Sabbath” by carrying the mat, and they’re even more frustrated with Jesus for healing on the Sabbath. The irony of it all! This man sat overlooked by them for thirty-eight years, but only now, when he no longer needs their help, do the authorities notice him. They only intervene when he disobeys one of their laws and offends them, not when he needs their help.

What a cautionary tale for us as readers! There are people all around us all the time who need help and support; let’s not just wait until we’re offended to take notice. May we see those in need through Jesus’s eyes instead.

Next week, Jesus journeys across the Sea of Galilee, and in doing so, amasses quite a following. Despite the disciples’ objections and confusion, Jesus intends to feed them all…