John 5:1-4 NKJV
After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. [2] Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. [3] In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. [4] 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.
Was this 'stirring of the water' by an angel folk lore? Was it true? Can you prove your assertion either way?
I have used that Scripture several times.
The "feast: mention here is probably the feast of Pentecost. I say that because there are 3 great feasts of the Jews.
Since in John 2 we find the Passover and in John 7 is the Feats of Tabernacles so it seems by deduction it is The feast of Pentecost.
Anyway......IMHO, many psychological cures took place there. There are just as many people today who have sick minds, and are ignorant and superstitious as there were then.
Those people go to "faith healers" or that touch their TV and send a check to a man who claims to be a healer.
However, ALL stories come from somewhere so I am of the opinion that at one time, years before this Scriptures, someone really did go into that pool and claimed to be healed. There is no other reason to explain why lame people would be lieing there.
Now.....the point however is that that man had been lame for 38 years. Makes one wonder if he had been lieing there 38 years??????
Was he the worst case there????? I would think so as he is the one John mentions.
However, it was his own sin that got him there no matter how long he had been there as verse 14 says............
"Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee."
Can you imagine lieing there looking and waiting for the water to stir??????
Then, he was in such a bad condition that there was allways going to be someone that beat him to the water.
The point and application here is that there are so many people today just like this man who are sitting around waiting for something to happen.
Think of the countless people sitting in churches just waiting for something to happen, a sweeping revival or a miracle healing or a special individual so that they can latch onto "SOMETHING" instead of the real thing which is the Lord Jesus Christ.........and it was on the Sabbeth!
BUT......notice verse #9 what happened when that man focused on Jesus! Then Jesus told him to GO TO CHURCH!