5:1-9a The third sign

February 23, 2021

Read John 5:1-9a

The third sign took place back in Jerusalem (1). The length of time that the man had been unable to walk emphasises the greatness of the healing, and is the reason why Jesus asks him the surprising question, “Do you want to get well?” (6). Without the desire in our hearts for change, we will never receive new life, and after many years it is easy to prefer the water that we know to the new wine that others talk about.

There was a local superstition that at certain times the first person into this pool would get healed and so the man hoped only that Jesus might help him to achieve that (7). However Jesus gave help of a far better kind (8). The command get up (Greek egeire) is a key to the meaning of this sign, especially when compared with what Jesus will go on to say in this chapter: “Just as the Father raises (egeire) the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it” (5:21). This healing is another sign that Jesus is the life-giver.

Why does John relate together two sign stories with the same meaning? There is in fact a different emphasis with this sign than with the previous one (4:43-54). Both point to Jesus the life-giver. But while the healing of the official’s son emphasises the importance of faith, there is no mention of faith in this story and the man didn’t even know who Jesus was (5:13). The official had sought out Jesus; here Jesus took the initiative and healed this one man. So, through both these signs together, John shows that though faith is essential to receive eternal life, that life comes from the Son and depends on his authority, his purpose, and his word.