Scripture: John 5:13 (ESV) – “Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place.”

This verse adds a surprising layer to the story. The man who had just been healed did not even know who Jesus was. He had received a miracle but had not yet come to faith in the One who gave it. Jesus had slipped away quietly into the crowd, leaving the man with healing—but without yet knowing the Healer.

Martin Luther reflects often on how God sometimes deals with us in this way—granting us blessings and mercies even before we fully recognize His hand. This underscores the nature of grace: unearned, unasked for, often even unrecognized at first. God is good not because we deserve it or understand it, but because He is gracious by nature.

Jesus’ quiet withdrawal also shows His humility and purpose. He did not heal to draw a crowd or seek admiration, but out of pure compassion. And though the man did not know who Jesus was in that moment, Jesus knew him. He met his need first—and would soon return to address his soul.

This verse invites us to reflect on how many times God has acted in our lives before we knew Him. It also challenges us to consider: are we satisfied with the gift, or are we seeking the Giver? Jesus desires more than to heal our bodies—He wants to restore our souls and bring us into relationship with Him.

Reflection Questions:

1. Why do you think Jesus withdrew after healing the man instead of immediately revealing Himself?
2. Have you ever realized in hindsight that God was working in your life before you recognized Him?
3. What steps can you take to move beyond enjoying God’s blessings to truly knowing the One who gives them?

Prayer:

Gracious Lord, thank You for Your kindness that often reaches us before we even know You. Help us not to be content with blessings alone, but to seek the Giver. Open our eyes to see how You’ve been at work in our lives, even when we were unaware. Draw us near, not just for what You can do, but for who You are. In Your name, Amen.

This devotional is based on John 5:13, with themes drawn from Martin Luther’s reflections on grace and the hidden ways God works.

Scripture: John 5:12 (ESV) – “They asked him, ‘Who is the man who said to you, “Take up your bed and walk”?’”

Instead of marveling at the miracle before them—a man healed after 38 years of suffering—the religious leaders focus on who broke their interpretation of Sabbath law. Their question reveals their priorities: rather than rejoicing in God’s mercy, they are intent on finding who dared to disrupt their rules.

Martin Luther often warned against this kind of spiritual blindness. In his writings, he described how religion, when untethered from grace, becomes a system of cold legalism, where rules are exalted above compassion. These leaders, like many in Luther’s day, were more concerned with maintaining control and enforcing traditions than recognizing the work of God among them.

Notice too the nature of their question: “Who told you to do this?” Not “Who healed you?” Their concern is not with the miracle, the mercy, or the restoration—but with the perceived violation of Sabbath tradition. They miss the wonder and focus only on the offense.

This verse is a sobering reminder to us. It’s possible to be so committed to religious structure that we miss the presence and power of Christ. When we prioritize our expectations over God’s work, we risk opposing the very things we claim to serve.

Reflection Questions:

1. Why do you think the leaders ignored the miracle and focused on the supposed Sabbath violation?
2. Are there ways in your own life where rules or expectations might be blinding you to God’s mercy at work?
3. How can you learn to respond with wonder and gratitude rather than suspicion when God moves in unexpected ways?

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, protect us from becoming hardened or blind to Your mercy by our own traditions or expectations. Help us to rejoice in Your work, even when it disrupts our assumptions. Give us eyes to see Your grace at work and hearts ready to worship You for it. Teach us to be people of compassion rather than cold judgment. In Your name, Amen.

This devotional is based on John 5:12 with insights drawn from themes in Martin Luther’s writings.

Scripture: John 5:10 (ESV)
“So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, ‘It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.’”

Instead of rejoicing over a miracle, the religious leaders respond with criticism. A man who had been crippled for 38 years is walking—and their first concern is that he is carrying his mat on the Sabbath. They are so bound by their traditions that they miss the mercy of God standing right in front of them.

J.C. Ryle calls this a tragic example of religious blindness. “They saw no beauty in the mighty work which had been done,” he writes. “They only saw a supposed breach of the law.” Ryle warns that it is possible to be zealous for religious observance and yet be utterly cold toward the grace of God. When man-made rules are elevated above compassion and truth, spiritual distortion is inevitable.

John Calvin highlights the hypocrisy and hardness of heart behind the rebuke. “They pretend to be zealous for the law,” Calvin writes, “but in reality, they are enemies of the grace of God.” He notes that their objection was not based on the Law of Moses, but on their own rabbinical traditions. The Sabbath was meant to be a gift—a day of rest and worship—not a burden that crushed acts of mercy.

This moment is a sobering reminder that legalism blinds. It can cause people to prioritize rules over redemption, appearance over compassion, and control over celebration. The man had just received a miracle—but instead of praise, he received interrogation.

Yet even in this, we begin to see the growing tension between Jesus and the religious leaders—tension that will unfold throughout the chapter and ultimately lead to open opposition.

Reflection Questions:

• Are there ways in which you’ve let religious routine or tradition overshadow the grace of God?
• How can you guard your heart against becoming more focused on rules than on redemption?
• When others receive God’s mercy, is your first instinct joy—or scrutiny?

Prayer:

Lord, protect us from the blindness of legalism. Help us never to miss Your mercy because we are too focused on man-made traditions. Give us hearts that rejoice in the work You do—in others and in ourselves. Let Your grace lead us into deeper worship, not into rigid control. Teach us to see and celebrate the power of Your healing, even when it comes in unexpected ways. In Your name, Amen.

Scripture: John 5:9 (ESV)
“And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath.”

The response is immediate. No delay, no partial recovery—just the full restoration of strength in an instant. The man who had been paralyzed for nearly four decades is now standing, carrying his mat, and walking. What no amount of waiting by the pool had achieved, Jesus accomplished in a moment by His word.

John Calvin emphasizes the divine power displayed here. “The word of Christ was not a bare command, but a word full of power,” he writes. For Calvin, this miracle is a demonstration of both Christ’s compassion and His authority—He does not simply invite healing, He causes it. Calvin also notes that this immediate effect shows that the healing could only be divine; nature does not work this way, but grace does.

J.C. Ryle draws our attention to the man’s obedience. “He did exactly what he was told—he attempted no excuses, he argued not that he had no strength, but he obeyed.” Ryle sees in this the response of faith: when Christ speaks, true faith acts. He also warns us not to overlook the closing line of the verse: “Now that day was the Sabbath.” It sets the stage for conflict. A miracle has occurred—but it happened on a day wrapped in legalism and misunderstanding.

The contrast is already emerging. On one side, a man who once lay in helplessness now walks in healing. On the other, religious authorities who will soon criticize the miracle not for its power, but for its timing. But for now, the emphasis remains on the immediacy of Christ’s grace—and the man’s response of obedience.

Reflection Questions:

• Where in your life have you experienced the immediate, unexpected mercy of Christ?
• Are there commands of Jesus you’ve been hesitant to obey? What might obedience look like today?
• How does the immediacy of this healing challenge your expectations of how God works?

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank You that when You speak, change happens immediately and powerfully. Give us the grace to respond with trust and obedience. Let us not hesitate or doubt, but walk boldly in the new life You give. And when Your work disrupts the patterns of man-made religion, let us rejoice in Your mercy rather than retreat into fear. In Your name, Amen.

Scripture: John 5:8 (ESV)
“Jesus said to him, ‘Get up, take up your bed, and walk.’”

Without hesitation, without touching the man, without the help of the pool or any human hand—Jesus speaks. And in three commands, He transforms a life: “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.”

There is no ceremony or buildup. No bargaining. Just the sovereign voice of the Son of God speaking life and strength into legs that had not moved in 38 years. The very command carries within it the power to fulfill itself.

John Calvin highlights this divine authority: “Christ does not touch him, but by the bare word alone conveys both strength and health.” Calvin notes that the man contributes nothing to his healing—it is Christ alone who acts. He commands the impossible, and the impossible becomes reality. This, Calvin says, shows us the nature of grace: what Christ commands, He enables.

J.C. Ryle emphasizes the simplicity and sufficiency of the word of Christ. “There is no delay, no process, no medicine—only a word.” Ryle observes that this miracle mirrors what happens in salvation: Christ speaks, and the dead soul lives. The call of the gospel is like this command—rise, believe, follow—and where His word goes forth in power, transformation follows.

These three commands—rise, take up your bed, and walk—also carry symbolic meaning. Jesus not only restores the man’s strength, but calls him to act. He is not to remain where he was. His mat is no longer his resting place, but his testimony. His legs are no longer dead weight—they’re a witness to the One who heals.

Reflection Questions:

• Where do you need to hear Jesus’ command to “rise” in your life today?
• What “bed” are you holding onto—something tied to your old life—that you now need to carry as testimony?
• Do you believe Jesus’ word has power to transform not just bodies, but hearts and lives?

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank You for the power of Your word. When You speak, the impossible becomes reality. Speak into our weakness today—give us strength to rise, faith to move, and courage to walk in newness of life. Help us to leave behind what once bound us, and to carry our story as a testimony to Your mercy. In Your name, Amen.

Scripture: John 5:7 (ESV)
“The sick man answered him, ‘Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.’”

The man responds to Jesus’ question not with a request, but with a lament. He doesn’t directly answer “Do you want to be healed?” Instead, he reveals his despair: “I have no one…” For thirty-eight years he has waited, hoping that someone would help him. But every time the opportunity came, someone else got there first. His words are heavy with resignation, not hope.

J.C. Ryle sees in this answer a picture of how helpless we are apart from grace. “The man was waiting, watching, and hoping—but hopeless without a helper.” Ryle reminds us that this is the human condition in spiritual terms: sinners lying near the very means of grace, yet unable to reach it on their own. The tragedy is not that the man was lazy—it’s that he was utterly unable to save himself.

John Calvin reflects on the kindness of Christ in listening to such an answer. “Christ does not reproach his ignorance or superstition,” Calvin notes. Instead, Jesus shows patience, mercy, and power. Calvin also points out that the man had his mind fixed on the pool, not on the Savior standing before him. But Jesus does not scold him for looking in the wrong direction—He simply prepares to act.

This verse confronts the loneliness and helplessness that suffering can bring. The man’s cry—“I have no one”—is the cry of many. Yet standing before him is the One who comes precisely for the helpless. Jesus does not step back when He hears this cry—He steps in.

Reflection Questions:

• Where in your life have you felt like the man at the pool—waiting, unable, alone?
• Are you looking more to the “pool” (a method, a routine, a system) than to the Savior?
• How does Jesus’ nearness to the helpless man encourage you in your own weakness?

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank You that You draw near to the helpless. When we have no one, You come to us. When we cannot lift ourselves, You speak life. Forgive us for looking to other means for hope instead of turning first to You. Meet us in our weakness, and teach us to depend wholly on Your mercy. In Your name, Amen.

Scripture: John 5:6 (ESV)
“When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, ‘Do you want to be healed?’”

Jesus sees. Jesus knows. Jesus speaks.

This verse reveals the heart of Christ toward the suffering. He sees the man. He knows his history. And He initiates the conversation—not with a declaration, but with a question: “Do you want to be healed?”

At first, the question might seem unnecessary. Of course a man who’s been crippled for thirty-eight years wants to be healed, doesn’t he? But Jesus never asks questions without purpose. He is drawing out something deeper—He’s not just interested in physical healing, but in engaging the man’s will, desire, and readiness to receive mercy.

J.C. Ryle writes, “There are spiritual lessons in this question. There are many who are not truly willing to be made whole. They cling to their sins.” Ryle notes how some people may long for relief from suffering but are not yet ready to surrender to the transforming grace of Christ. The question challenges not only the body—but the heart.

John Calvin focuses on the compassion and initiative of Jesus. “Before the sick man complains,” Calvin observes, “Christ draws near to him.” Jesus doesn’t wait for the man to cry out—He moves first. This reveals the grace of God, who seeks us before we seek Him, and who often speaks the first word in our salvation.

This verse invites each of us to examine our own hearts. Do we truly want to be made well—not just physically or emotionally, but spiritually? Are we ready to leave behind old ways, comfortable routines of misery, or patterns of unbelief?

The gospel begins here: with a Savior who sees, who knows, and who asks, “Do you really want to be made whole?”

Reflection Questions:

• How does Jesus’ question challenge you personally? Are there areas where you resist being “made well”?
• What does it mean for you to want not just relief, but healing—body, soul, and will?
• Where have you experienced Christ’s initiative—His grace stepping toward you before you even asked?

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank You for seeing us, knowing us, and coming near. Thank You for asking the questions that expose our hearts. Help us to desire true healing—not just relief from suffering, but restoration from sin. Make us willing to be changed by You. Stir our hearts to say, “Yes, Lord—I want to be made well.” In Your name, Amen.

Scripture: John 5:5 (ESV)
“One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.”

This verse focuses our attention on one man among the multitude. Thirty-eight years—nearly four decades—he had suffered, unable to walk, dependent on others, and waiting for hope. His presence at the pool shows both his desperation and persistence. He had not given up entirely—but his strength and expectation were undoubtedly worn thin.

J.C. Ryle draws attention to the man’s long-term suffering as a lesson in patience and hope. “Few can imagine the heart-sickness of hope deferred,” Ryle writes, “but grace can keep faith alive even in the longest trial.” He encourages us to remember that affliction, even when prolonged, does not disqualify us from Christ’s mercy—it may, in fact, prepare us to receive it more fully.

John Calvin highlights that Jesus deliberately chooses this man out of all the others. Calvin notes, “He was not the only one who needed help, but Christ singles him out to show that healing is a matter of sovereign grace, not human deserving.” Jesus could have healed the entire crowd, but instead, He directs His mercy to one—not because of merit, but because of divine purpose.

This man’s condition also reminds us of our own spiritual condition apart from Christ—paralyzed, helpless, and unable to rise on our own. His body reflected what our souls are like until Christ speaks life into us. Just as this man couldn’t lift himself to the water, so we cannot lift ourselves to salvation.

But this verse does more than describe a problem—it sets the stage for a miracle. After 38 years of hopeless waiting, the Savior is about to speak.

Reflection Questions:

• What does this man’s long suffering teach you about waiting on God?
• Do you see prolonged trials as a sign of God’s absence—or as an opportunity for His glory?
• Where in your life do you need to remember that God’s mercy is sovereign, not earned?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You that no length of suffering can place us beyond Your reach. You see those who have waited for years. You draw near to the weak and weary. Teach us to trust in Your timing and to remember that Your mercy is not bound by our merit or endurance. Strengthen those who are still waiting, and prepare their hearts for Your healing word. In Your name, Amen.