When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, ‘Do you want to be made well?
The paralyzed man is laying in the portico, with many others. He’s apparently been ill for 38 years. Jesus asks the man if he wants to be made well. My interest and ire are piqued with Jesus’ healing stories, given my sick loved one. This story is no different, and it’s got some intriguing aspects, that I’ve not seen in other healing stories.
In this story, as in many others, Jesus asks if the recipient if they want to be made well. Unlike other stories, this man doesn’t answer with a resounding yes. Instead, he offers all of the excuses why he hasn’t made it to the healing waters – others step in front of him. So the paralytic man doesn’t actually answer Jesus’ question. Do you want to be made well?
Despite this, Jesus heals the man, but the man doesn’t know it’s Jesus. The Jews, who the writer of John’s Gospel always picks on, scold the man because he’s not supposed to be carrying his mat on the Sabbath. They ask him to reveal the scoundrel who effectively told him to break the Sabbath rules, by carrying his mat. The healed man doesn’t know it was Jesus, but he clearly knew the Jews were displeased with Jesus’ action.
Later Jesus finds the man in the market, and exclaims that the man has been made well! He continues, don’t sin any more, lest something worse happens to you.
Again, clearly the man knew the Jews were displeased, but nonetheless, he seeks out the Jews and explains that it was Jesus who told him to take up his mat on the Sabbath. Not only that, Jesus healed him on the Sabbath.
When the Jews find Jesus, they’re upset, and Jesus’ reference to God as his father doesn’t help. The author explains that the Jews begin persecuting Jesus after this incident.
I’m intrigued by this complex interaction between Jesus and the man. The man didn’t actually respond that he wanted to be healed. And initially, the interaction wouldn’t have resulted in persecution of Jesus, as the man didn’t know who’d healed him. But we hear that ‘Jesus found him’ in the market. It’s only after that second encounter – initiated by Jesus finding him – that the man had Jesus’ identity. In this second encounter, Jesus tells the man to sin no more, lest further bad things happen to him. So this man, newly healed, runs right to the Jews to explain that it was Jesus who told him to carry his mat, and even healed him on the Sabbath.
Thus begins the Jews persecution of Jesus.
Oh, the questions. Why would Jesus heal the man if he didn’t even answer the initial question about whether he wanted to be healed? Why would Jesus seek him out in the market resulting in the man knowing Jesus’ identity? Why would Jesus tell him to sin no more, when we’ve been given no indication of the man’s previous sins? Why did the man then run to the Jews?
Maybe Jesus healed this man, despite his past sins, whatever they were, despite his non-answer, because Jesus heals. Jesus is always willing to heal, despite our non-answer, despite our past sins, despite what trouble is caused to Jesus as a result. Jesus has the unbounded love to share with us all. Jesus’ action isn’t dependent on the man’s clarity in response. Jesus’ love isn’t dependent on the man’s previous sins, or his future ratting out Jesus to the authorities. Jesus loves and heals, regardless. It’s us who don’t understand, and try to make God’s love conditional, or limited, or dependent on something we do, or don’t do. That’s not God’s baggage; it’s ours.
The man, on the other hand reflects all of my shortcomings. He doesn’t squarely answer Jesus’ simple question – do you want to be healed? How often or how easy is it for me to offer excuses rather than simply respond with a whole-hearted YES to God’s love and grace and light? How easy is it for me to continue sinning, even though I know better? But none of my actions change God’s boundless love. It only limits my happiness and healing.
This morning, I’m thinking about the huge disparity between my concept of God’s love and grace, and the all-encompassing, unconditional love of God. Jesus loved this man and healed this man and sought out this man regardless of the man’s past or future actions. Jesus continues to heal me and seek me out, regardless of my past or future actions. Today, I hope to see more of God’s immense and unbounded grace, and remember that the conditions and boundaries I imagine are mine, not God’s.
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