Bethesda (Bn3ec5a). Commonly interpreted House of Mercy; others House of the Portico. The readings also vary. Tischendorf and Westcott and Hort give Bn3fa9da, Bethzatha, House of the Olive. The site cannot be identified with any certainty. Dr. Robinson thinks it may be the Fountain of the Virgin, the upper fountain of Siloam. See Thomson’s “ Land and Book,” “ Southern Palestine and Jerusalem,” pp. 458-461.
Porches (crods). Cloisters, covered porticoes. 3. Great multitude. The best texts omit great.
Impotent (ac9evovvtav). Rev., sick. Yet the A. V. gives the literal meaning, people without strength. Wyc., languesh- ing.
Withered (Enpav). Lit., dry. So Wyc. The following words, to the end of ver. 4, are omitted by the best texts.
5. Had an infirmity thirty and eight years. Lit., having thirty and eight years in his infirmity.
6. Had been now a long time (oAdv %5n ypdvoy éxet). Lit., he hath already much time.
Wilt thou (9éres). Not merely, do you wish, but are you m earnest ? See on Matt. 1.19. Jesus appeals to the energy of his will. Not improbably he had fallen into apathy through his long sickness. Compare Acts iii. 4; John vii. 17.
Whole (vyu7s). Sound.
7. Put (Gdn). Lit., cast ; indicating the hasty movement required to bring him to the water before its agitation should have ceased. See on Mark vii. 30; Luke xvi. 20.
8. Bed (xpa8Barov). Used by both Mark and Luke. See on Mark ii. 4, and compare Acts v. 15; ix. 33.
10. Cured (tedeparrevpévm). See on Matt. viii. 7; Luke v. 15; Acts xvii. 25.
To carry (dpa). Rev., more correctly, to take up. It is Jesus’ own word in ver. 8.
11. He that made—the same (6 sroujoas—éxeivos). The demonstrative pronoun points with emphasis to the subject of the preceding clause. A characteristic usage of John. See i. 1G,.33 51x. 08: XxX, 1: xii. 48, ete.
12. Then. Onmit.
What man is he, etc. “See the cunning of malice. They do not say, ‘ Who is he that healed thee?’ but, ‘Who bade thee take up thy bed?’” (Grotius, in Trench, “ Miracles.”)
Take up thy bed. Omit bed. Lit., take up and walk.
13. He that was healed (/aJeis). Compare ver. 10, and note the different word for healing. See references there.
Who it was (ris éorwv). The present tense, who zt zs.
Had conveyed Himself away (€é£évevcev). The verb means, literally, to turn the head aside, in order to avoid something. Hence, generally, to retire or withdraw. Only here in the New Testament.
14. Findeth—said. Note the lively interchange of the tenses, as in ver. 13.
Sin no more (uKéTt dudprave). No longer continue to sin. See on Matt. i. 21. Jesus thus shows His knowledge that the sickness was the result of sin.
A worse thing. Than even those thirty-eight years of suf- fering.
Come unto thee (cot yévnras). Rev., better, befall thee. Lit., come to pass.