John 5:1-15 - Another healing

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John 5:1-15 tells the story of another sign, another healing and another pool in Jerusalem. At the Pool of Bethesda there was a tradition that the first person into the water after it was disturbed would be healed. This is from verse 4 which is not present in all the ancient manuscripts.  We don't what what caused the disturbance, it might have been bubbles rising from the bottom or the wind stirring the surface. But whatever the cause, the important thing was to be quick to jump in. This would be difficult for anyone with a physical disability.

Jesus asks a simple question, "Do you want to be healed?" But the man doesn't say "Yes", instead he gives an excuse. He does want to be healed. Who wouldn't? But he thinks there's only one way for it to happen - and he's just not fast enough.

For Jesus it's much simpler than that!

Does Jesus care about following methods and traditions? [Tweet it!] Does he worry about healing someone on the Sabbath? No. He is a rule breaker because he came to set us free from rules. Therefore, neither does he give us new rules to follow. Instead he explains that there is only one rule, the rule of love, and that is enough. (See Deuteronomy 6:5 and Mark 12:28-34)

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