The scene at Bethesda occurs after Jesus performed His second miracle of His gospel. The scene itself can be seen as symbolic. Symbolism can be seen in the multitude which can be looked at as mankind. This ‘mankind’ can form a backdrop to the interacting between Christ and the man at Bethesda. The man himself can be seen as a symbol for some of what man is, some of what man needs, and who man needs it from. What the Christ gives the man of Bethesda can also be looked at from more than one perspective.
The backdrop of the scene can be looked at as being the multitude which in turn can be looked at as being symbolic of mankind. The Scripture reports that the multitude be “great” and of “impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered” and “waiting”. Is it not that this multitude with affirmaties can represent mankind under curse and suffering a number of different afflictions. Is it that each member of the multitude ‘waits’ for opportunity to be healed of what ails them?
We learn from the Scripture that the man of Bethesda had an affirmity for 38 years and was being ‘stepped in upon’ by others before he himself could receive healing. Is it not for us to infer that the ‘others’ may not have had an affirmity as severe or for as long as the man? The man doesn’t make mention of waiting for a ‘turn’ agreed upon by him and the multitude. Is it that as the multitude waited for healing they did so in an unGodly manner? Could it be that the multitude was being governed by no good rule?
I consider here the notion of the multitude representing the flesh of one man ruling over the flesh of another. Was it that those with the affirmities were being governed by what Lucifer considered to govern man when he was making reference to Job? I refer to the book of Job chapter 2 verses 4 to 5 where Satan speaks, “Skin for skin, yea all that a man hath will he give for his life. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.” Was it that the multitude at Bethesda was essentially functioning no better than what Satan expected man to be?
The man himself can be looked upon as though he represents some of what man is. It can be seen in Scripture that the man of Bethesda was frustrated in his effort to be made whole. Given his condition near the pool of Bethesda and when asked by the Lord, “Wilt thou be made whole?” the man at Bethesda replied, “Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.” How is it that man in and of himself isn’t frustrated without the Lord in his life? Is it not that all of man’s works are under the curses issued unto Adam and man’s best efforts at trying to be accomplished are always curtailed by that he is bound to be frustrated by aging unto death? Is it not that the very essence of what man without Christ is be a form of frustration and that death calls out to his most inner recesses of person?
The man at Bethesda can also be seen as being symbolic of some of what man needs. In this case the man is wanting his affirmity to be healed. He is without a man to lower him into the water at the correct time for him to receive healing. Some of what the man clearly needs, therefor, is the charity of another person. Without charity for the frustrated man what is there? Is it the man sits through the days and sleeps restlessly through the nights waiting for another vain effort to get healed. Was it that he learned of his fellow man, and more of the evil nature of man in the process as day after day his hopes of being healed were dashed by an unspoken rule of the multitude: and that rule being ‘every man for himself’?
The Christ gives the man at Bethesda the charity the man needs in order to be healed. He also gives the man more of what he needs. Note what happens: The man at Bethesda refers to Christ as “sir.” I infer here this is his first encounter with the Lord. If I have inferred correctly, the Lord has entered into the man’s life both in the flesh and with the question “Wilt thou be made whole?” Upon expressing his frustration to the Christ, the Lord issues three commands does He or does He not? The first being that the man is commanded to “Rise,”. The second command is to “…take up thy bed,” and the third command is “and walk.” The creation needs the Creator, of this there should be no doubt. In this case the creation needing its Creator is man. The man’s Creator, the Christ, appears to the man at Bethesda as man, though He is not a man. Man receives more of what he needs from his Creator. This included commands. Since Adam, there is not a man in existence that does not exist without existing under commands from Jesus Christ.
Is it we can see that the Christ gave the man what he needed in way of charity so he could be made whole? We can also glean, can we or can we not, that the Lord has given to the man at Bethesda greater than the man could think he wanted? Did he or did he not think that he had to be lowered in the pool to receive healing? Jesus Christ is Lord over all, including all of spirit and flesh. Given Christ’s commands, the man was made immediately whole. How is it not that, by healing the man in such a manner, the Christ has unbound the man from how he had previously been bound. Had he not been physically bound to be with ailment? Had he not been mentally bound to think the best he could do was be near the pool at Bethesda in hopes that one day his effort to be whole would not be frustrated? Had he never imagined, and I think he didn’t, that his Creator would enter into his life in such a manner and free him in the manner in which He did?
Christ and the man at Bethesda can be considered from more than one perspective. By doing so one may consider more about what may have been happening with the scene. From considering a backdrop of mankind functioning according to its own evil manner to a man trying to escape what ails him, the reader can possibly get a better appreciation of the Lord come into the man’s life. By trying to see more of what the Christ gave the man outside of the physical healing itself, the student of the Scripture can possibly come to learn more about the potency of dwelling on the Holy’s Word, asking questions about the Scripture, and considering answers.
