Scripture: John 5:3 (ESV)
“In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed.”
Bethesda wasn’t a beautiful sight. It was a gathering place of pain, filled with those whom society often passed by. The blind, the lame, the paralyzed—all lying there, waiting and hoping. This verse sets a heavy scene: human suffering concentrated in one place, desperate for mercy.
J.C. Ryle reflects on the spiritual significance of this scene, noting that it offers “a vivid picture of the condition of mankind.” Spiritually speaking, we are all born blind to truth, lame in holiness, and paralyzed in will. We are unable to help ourselves, waiting for grace we cannot manufacture. Ryle writes, “It is a graphic emblem of the world: a world full of disease, misery, and helplessness, without hope except in the mercy of God.”
John Calvin focuses on the multitude and the depth of their affliction. He emphasizes that these weren’t just people with minor ailments—they were people whose lives were wholly marked by disability and despair. Calvin reminds us that this verse teaches us to have compassion on the suffering, and to see in their condition a reflection of our own spiritual need. He writes, “The misery of men ought to excite us to prayer, that God may stretch out his hand to those who are wretched.”
This is the world Jesus walks into—not sanitized, not strong, not put-together, but broken, crowded, and desperate. And He does not turn away. This is the kind of place Jesus moves toward.
Reflection Questions:
- How does this image of the multitude at Bethesda shape your understanding of human need?
- Do you tend to turn away from brokenness, or see it as a place where Jesus is at work?
- Where do you see spiritual blindness, lameness, or helplessness in yourself or others?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You are not repelled by our weakness—you draw near to it. Thank You for entering places of brokenness with compassion and power. Help us to see ourselves in the multitude—not strong or self-sufficient, but in need of mercy. And help us also to love those who suffer, reflecting Your heart for the wounded and weary. In Your name, Amen.
Covenant Presbyterian Church 