John 5: Jesus At The Pool Bethesda

[Mr. M]

John 5:
5 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years.
6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been
a long time, He said to him, Do you want to be made well?
7 The sick man answered Him, Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when
the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.
8 Jesus said to him, Rise, take up your bed and walk.

Is The lord dealing with Faith vs Superstitious Beliefs here? The narrative describes
those lying about the porches as impotent, blind, lame and paralyzed, waiting for
"the water to move". Any one of them would have needed some assistance to enter the pool.
Every time a strong enough gust blew through the Sheep Gate, the water would have been stirred,
and someone would have stepped into the pool first. If they were not healed, they
would say, "it was just a breeze". If they were healed, they would say "an angel had stirred
the water". If this miracle occurred, would this more likely to be understood as a Faith healing? Jesus commanded the man to rise, and he did. Would not Jesus normally say,
"your Faith has made you whole."? Yet, the narrative of John describes the background information as casually as "see Jack run".
: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.

Is there any other source that speaks of this type of miracle taking place around the pool
of Bethesda, or is this a narrative about Faith in action?

 

[prodromos]

Is The lord dealing with Faith vs Superstitious Beliefs here?

No. The Scriptures state that an angel would stir the water and whoever stepped in first would be healed. It is a fact, stated in the Gospel. There is nothing suggesting it was a superstitious belief.
Your imagined scenario of the wind moving the water and people not being healed is not supported by the biblical narrative. People with infirmities were there and remained there because people were being healed exactly as stated in the Gospel. If healing was not taking place, no one would be waiting there.

 

[Mr. M]

John 5:
5 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years.
6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been
a long time, He said to him, Do you want to be made well?
7 The sick man answered Him, Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when
the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.
8 Jesus said to him, Rise, take up your bed and walk.

Is The lord dealing with Faith vs Superstitious Beliefs here? The narrative describes
those lying about the porches as impotent, blind, lame and paralyzed, waiting for
"the water to move". Any one of them would have needed some assistance to enter the pool.
Every time a strong enough gust blew through the Sheep Gate, the water would have been stirred,
and someone would have stepped into the pool first. If they were not healed, they
would say, "it was just a breeze". If they were healed, they would say "an angel had stirred
the water". If this miracle occurred, would this more likely to be understood as a Faith healing? Jesus commanded the man to rise, and he did. Would not Jesus normally say,
"your Faith has made you whole."? Yet, the narrative of John describes the background information as casually as "see Jack run".
: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.

Is there any other source that speaks of this type of miracle taking place around the pool
of Bethesda, or is this a narrative about Faith in action?

The Gates of the Sheep and Lion

 

[RickReads]

John 5:
5 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years.
6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been
a long time, He said to him, Do you want to be made well?
7 The sick man answered Him, Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when
the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.
8 Jesus said to him, Rise, take up your bed and walk.

Is The lord dealing with Faith vs Superstitious Beliefs here? The narrative describes
those lying about the porches as impotent, blind, lame and paralyzed, waiting for
"the water to move". Any one of them would have needed some assistance to enter the pool.
Every time a strong enough gust blew through the Sheep Gate, the water would have been stirred,
and someone would have stepped into the pool first. If they were not healed, they
would say, "it was just a breeze". If they were healed, they would say "an angel had stirred
the water". If this miracle occurred, would this more likely to be understood as a Faith healing? Jesus commanded the man to rise, and he did. Would not Jesus normally say,
"your Faith has made you whole."? Yet, the narrative of John describes the background information as casually as "see Jack run".
: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.

Is there any other source that speaks of this type of miracle taking place around the pool
of Bethesda, or is this a narrative about Faith in action?

Some scholars believe the pool was used as a mikveh. The power of Jesus was unique tho. No one but Him had God the Father within. That was the source of the miracles of Jesus per His own testimony in the book of John. The Father "doeth the works".

 

[Mr. M]

The Scriptures state that an angel would stir the water and whoever stepped in first would be healed. It is a fact, stated in the Gospel.

Based on the Biblical narrative then, were they healed by the angel, or by Faith? That is the question proposed by the OP.

If this miracle occurred, would this more likely to be understood as a Faith healing? Jesus commanded the man to rise, and he did. Would not Jesus normally say,
"your Faith has made you whole."?

In other words, did the angel heal, or did the angel just stir up the water?

People with infirmities were there and remained there because people were being healed exactly as stated in the Gospel. If healing was not taking place, no one would be waiting there.

Jesus asked the man if he wanted to be healed. He answered saying he had no one to assist him.
Therefore he had no hope of being healed in this manner, yet he was there. What was his hope?

 

[Mr. M]

Based on the Biblical narrative then, were they healed by the angel, or by Faith? That is the question proposed by the OP.

Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Servant
Matthew 8:
5 Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him,
6 saying, Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.
7 And Jesus said to him, I will come and heal him.
8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof.
But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.
9 For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, Go,
and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes; and to my servant, Do this, and he does.
10 When Jesus heard, He marveled, and said to those who followed, Assuredly, I say to you,
I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!