John 5:3

In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. IN THESE LAY A GREAT MULTITUDE OF IMPOTENT FOLK (OR INFIRM PEOPLE) OF BLIND HALT WITHERED [ IN THESE LAY A GREAT MULTITUDE OF IMPOTENT FOLK (OR INFIRM PEOPLE), OF BLIND, HALT, WITHERED, [ xeeroon (G3584)] - or 'paralyzed' (as Mark 3:1), "waiting for the moving of the water....

3._In these lay a great multitude. _It is possible that diseased persons lay in the porches to ask alms when the people were passing there who were going into the temple to worship; and there, too, it was customary to purchase the beasts which were to be offered in sacrifice. Yet at each feast God cured a certain number, that, in this way, he might recommend the worship prescribed in the Law and the holiness of the temple. But might it not appear foolish to believe, while we read of nothing of this kind having been done at a time when religion was in the most flourishing condition, and even since in the age of the Prophets miracles were not performed but on extraordinary occasions, that when the affairs of the nation were so decayed and almost ruinous, the power and grace of God were displayed with more than ordinary lustre? I reply, there were, in my opinion, two reasons. As the Holy Sp...

1-9 We are all by nature impotent folk in spiritual things, blind, halt, and withered; but full provision is made for our cure, if we attend to it. An angel went down, and troubled the water; and what disease soever it was, this water cured it, but only he that first stepped in had benefit. This teaches us to be careful, that we let not a season slip which may never return. The man had lost the use of his limbs thirty-eight years. Shall we, who perhaps for many years have scarcely known what it has been to be a day sick, complain of one wearisome night, when many others, better than we, have scarcely known what it has been to be a day well? Christ singled this one out from the rest. Those long in affliction, may comfort themselves that God keeps account how long. Observe, this man speaks of the unkindness of those about him, without any peevish reflections. As we should be thankful, so...

Verse John 5:3. _BLIND, HALT, WITHERED_] To these the _Codex Bezae_, three copies of the _Itala_, and both the _Persic_, add παραλυτικων, _paralytic_; but they are probably included among the withered. _WAITING FOR THE MOVING OF THE WATER._] This clause, with the whole of the fourth verse, is wanting in some MSS. and versions; but I think there is no _sufficient_ evidence against their authenticity. Griesbach seems to be of the same opinion; for though he has marked the whole passage with the notes of doubtfulness, yet he has left it in the text. Some have imagined that the sanative virtue was communicated to the waters by washing in them the entrails of the beasts which were offered in sacrifice; and that the angel meant no more than merely a man sent to stir up from the bottom this corrupt sediment, which, being distributed through the wate

IMPOTENT FOLK - Sick people; or people who were weak and feeble by long disease. The word means those who were “feeble” rather than those who were afflicted with “acute” disease. HALT - Lame. WITHERED - Those who were afflicted with one form of the palsy that withered or dried up the part affected. See the notes at Matthew 4:24. MOVING OF THE WATER - It appears that this pool had medicinal properties only when it was “agitated” or “stirred.” It is probable that at regular times or intervals the fountain put forth an unusual quantity of water, or water of special properties, and that “about” these times the people assembled in multitudes who were to be healed....

EXPOSITION Here commences the second division of the Gospel (John 5:1) II. THE CONFLICT WITH THE CHOSEN PEOPLE IN JERUSALEM, GALILEE, AND JERUSALEM, TO THE DEATH SENTENCE RECORDED BY THE SANHEDRIN. JOHN 5:1 1. _Christ proved, by signs and wonders and testimonies, to be Source of life._ JOHN 5:1 (1)

IN THESE LAY A GREAT MULTITUDE OF IMPOTENT FOLK,.... Sick and weak persons; who were an emblem of men under the law of works, and in a state of unregeneracy; who are enfeebled by sin, and are impotent and unable to do anything of themselves; as to keep the law of God, to which they have neither will nor power, and to atone for the transgressions of it; nor to redeem themselves from the curse of the law or to begin and carry on a work of grace upon their souls; or to do anything that is spiritually good; no, not to think a good thought, or to do a good action, as is required: OF BLIND; these also may represent men a state of nature, who are ignorant of, and blind to everything that is spiritual; as to the true knowledge of God in Christ, the way of salvation by him, the plague of their own hearts, and the exceeding sinfulness of sin; to the Spirit of God, and his work upon the soul; and...

John 5:1. After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? The impotent man answered him, Sir, have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take...

WAITING FOR The Sinai manuscript omits "waiting for the moving of the water." and all of (John 5:4)....

JOHN 5:3 xhrw/n {A} Because the man whom Jesus heals appears to have been a paralytic (a word that occurs nowhere in John), after xhrw/n the Western text (D ita, b, d, j, l, r1 geo2) inserts paralutikw/n, which, however, was not taken up in any known later text. A variety of witnesses add, perhaps in order to explain the reference in ver. John 5:7 to the troubling of the water, evkdecome,nwn th.n tou/ u[datoj ki,nhsin. The reading, however, is lacking in the oldest and best witnesses (î 66, 75 a A* B C* L _al_) and contains two non-Johannine w...