Where do you seek healing?

Welcome brothers and sisters!

Saturday night we were blessed to listen to what God has taught us through the book of John 5:1-15.  We invite you today to read over today's post, watch the video, check all things through the lens of the scriptures and glory be to the Lord, rejoice in His goodness!  Come and hear Pastor Jaime today as he takes us through the healing at the pool of Bethesda.

The Healing at Bethesda: Jesus vs. the Power of Superstition

John 5:1-15 recounts one of the most striking miracles of Jesus: the healing of a paralyzed man at the Pool of Bethesda. While at first glance, this passage highlights Jesus’ authority over sickness, a deeper look reveals how this moment also contrasts the true power of God with the misguided hopes placed in ancient superstitions, particularly those linked to Asclepius, the Greek god of healing.

The Pool of Bethesda and Its Legend

The Pool of Bethesda was located in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate. Archaeological evidence suggests it was a large, two-pool complex, likely used for both Jewish purification rites and healing rituals. However, an intriguing aspect of this pool was the local legend surrounding it. Many believed that, at certain times, an angel would stir the waters, and whoever stepped in first would be healed. Some scholars suggest that this belief may have been influenced by Greco-Roman healing practices, particularly those associated with Asclepius, the god of medicine and healing.

Asclepius was often depicted with a serpent-entwined staff, a symbol still used in medicine today. His healing sanctuaries, called Asclepions, were scattered across the Roman world. At these sites, the sick would seek healing through rituals, dream incubation, and the waters of sacred pools. The belief in Bethesda’s waters having curative properties mirrors these pagan healing traditions, indicating that some in Jerusalem may have blended their Jewish faith with contemporary superstitions.

Jesus Confronts False Hope with True Healing

In the passage, Jesus approaches a man who had been an invalid for 38 years. This man, like many others, waited by the pool, hoping for a chance to be healed. When Jesus asks him, “Do you want to be healed?” the man does not directly answer but instead explains how he has no one to help him into the water when it is stirred.

Here, we see the contrast between human superstition and divine power. The man’s hope is in the waters, but Jesus redirects him to Himself. With a simple command, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk,” Jesus heals him instantly—no waiting for stirred waters, no rituals, no reliance on a supposed angel. Jesus demonstrates that true healing comes not from legends or human efforts but from the authority of the Son of God.

The Religious Leaders’ Backlash

Rather than celebrating the miracle, the Jewish leaders criticize the healed man for carrying his mat on the Sabbath. Their rigid legalism blinds them to the greater truth: Jesus, as the Lord of the Sabbath, has the power to heal and restore. The man later identifies Jesus to the authorities, leading to growing opposition against Him.

How this Applies to Us Today

This passage challenges us to examine where we place our hope. Like the man at Bethesda, we can sometimes put our trust in rituals, traditions, or even modern-day equivalents of “stirred waters” rather than in Christ. Jesus calls us to turn away from misplaced hope and trust fully in Him. His healing is not just physical but spiritual—offering forgiveness, renewal, and eternal life to all who believe.

John 5:1-15 is not just about a healing; it’s about a divine confrontation between truth and superstition, showing that Jesus alone has the power to make us whole.

We hope to see you next week that we can worship together, fellowship and share a meal after service.  With that all said, we pray the Lord causes you to enjoy His Word daily, seeing that He truly is our enjoyment, our hope, our life. 

Until we meet again, lets go server our King!

FRF Family