After Jesus heals the man by the pool, the Jewish leaders are enraged because Jesus has instructed the man to carry his mat on the sabbath—a task that was considered work by the Jews. And what follows is a lengthy teaching in which Jesus starts to say things like He is the son of God and God gives the Son life-giving power, that the dead in their graves will hear the Sons voice and live.
There are many teachings that we could focus in on in this block of text, but I'd like to take some time to consider one central question that the text demands. What is the connection between the healing, the Sabbath, and the resurrection? What is Jesus trying to teach us by weaving all these elements together in this encounter?
To understand how a lame man by a pool relates to these things, I think we have to go back to where everything started: Genesis. Here we see the Sabbath established, the crowning day of creation, day 7. A holy time, set aside for God to enjoy all of His creation alongside the humans who bear His image. It is a picture of intimacy between the God and humanity. But by chapter 3 the perfection has been shattered. Adam and Eve make a choice that opens the door to death and decay. It results in a physical death, but also a stark separation from God. Intimacy fractured. Distance.
The lame man is a living embodiment of the decay and disease of the curse. He not only suffers a physical illness that is the direct result of the fall, but he has been put out, considered unclean, separated from the temple—the dwelling place of God. So when Jesus walks into this man's life, not only is He healing him physically, but He's restoring the distance that decay has put between the man and God. After all, once the man is healed, we find him next in the temple. The house of God.
Not only was Jesus justified in healing on the Sabbath, but healing fulfilled the very purpose of the Sabbath—a day God set apart for rest, restoration, and life.
The Sabbath asked the Jews to remember the intimacy that all of humanity once had with their creator God. It was a weekly spiritual rhythm that interrupted present life to bring them near to God in that moment, and was a glimpse of the future intimacy God promised through the Messiah. What more fitting day is there to restore a broken man to God?
By healing the man at the pool, Jesus revealed one of the Sabbath's deepest purposes: restoring humanity to wholeness so we might dwell in the presence of God once again.
He stepped into this broken man's life and resurrected him. He restored him physically and, by doing so, restored him as part of the body of believers.
This story is a reminder that all restoration and life comes through Jesus Christ. He has restored those that came before us as a sign of His power to restore us. He contains everything that we need. Through Him all things were made and in Him is life. When we could not dwell near Him, He became flesh to dwell with us. (John 1)
This week, maybe even on the Sabbath, take some time to reflect on how Jesus restored the lame man at the pool that day. Reflect on the promise that this story holds for us. A promise that He can restore the broken parts of us today and that He will return to end forever the decay and death that started in the garden. A promise that we will hear His voice, speaking life over His people. Casting a light into the darkness that cannot be overcome.
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