John 5:5

And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

And {G1161} a certain {G5100} man {G444} was {G2258} there {G1563}, which had {G2192} an infirmity {G1722}{G769} thirty {G5144} and eight {G3638} years {G2094}.

One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years.

One man there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.

And a certain man was there, who had been thirty and eight years in his infirmity.

Commentary

Context of John 5:5

This verse introduces a specific individual within the larger narrative of Jesus' visit to Jerusalem for a feast. The preceding verses (John 5:1-4) set the scene at the Pool of Bethesda, a place known for its five porches and the gathering of many sick, blind, lame, and withered individuals. Tradition held that an angel would periodically stir the water, and the first person to enter afterward would be healed. John 5:5 focuses on one particular man among this crowd, highlighting the extreme duration of his suffering.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Prolonged Suffering: The detail of "thirty and eight years" immediately emphasizes the man's chronic and seemingly hopeless condition. This long duration underscores the depth of human suffering and the limitations of conventional remedies.
  • Setting the Stage for Divine Intervention: By presenting such an extreme case, the narrative prepares the reader for a powerful demonstration of Jesus' authority and miraculous healing power, which transcends the limitations of the Pool of Bethesda's tradition.
  • Compassion of Christ: Although not explicitly stated in this verse, the mere focus on this man's plight hints at Jesus' profound compassion for those who suffer, especially those who have suffered for a very long time.

Linguistic Insights

The word "infirmity" in Greek is astheneia (ἀσθένεια), which means "weakness," "sickness," or "feebleness." It denotes a state of being without strength or vigor, perfectly describing the man's long-term physical incapacitation. The phrase "thirty and eight years" is a precise and significant detail, emphasizing the severity and entrenched nature of his condition, making the subsequent healing (John 5:8-9) all the more remarkable.

Practical Application

John 5:5 serves as a powerful reminder that God sees and knows the full extent of our struggles, even those that have persisted for a very long time. This man's decades-long affliction represents any chronic issue—physical, emotional, or spiritual—that seems insurmountable. The verse invites us to consider:

  • God's Awareness: Even when we feel forgotten or our problems seem endless, God is aware of our situation and the duration of our pain.
  • Hope in Despair: Just as this man's long-standing illness was about to be met with divine intervention, this verse offers hope that even the most deeply entrenched problems are not beyond the reach of Jesus' power.
  • Jesus' Initiative: While many waited at the pool, Jesus specifically approached this man, demonstrating His active desire to bring healing and restoration to those in need, even when they may have lost hope or the ability to seek it themselves. This foreshadows Jesus' direct and authoritative healing, contrasting with the passive waiting for the pool's waters to stir.
Note: Commentary was generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please remember that only the commentary section is AI-generated. The main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are sourced from trusted and verified materials.

Cross-References

  • Acts 3:2

    And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;

  • Luke 8:43

    And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,

  • Mark 9:21

    And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.

  • Acts 14:8

    ¶ And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked:

  • Luke 13:16

    And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?

  • Acts 9:33

    And there he found a certain man named Aeneas, which had kept his bed eight years, and was sick of the palsy.

  • John 5:14

    Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.
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