The Impotent Man

There was once an impotent man during the apostasy age, embedded for 38 years at Bethsaida pool, in Jerusalem nearby the temple. His luck was so unfortunate that disabled him to enter the pool for cure whilst the Angel of God stirred it up once a while. (John 5:4)

The Bethsaida had five porticoes and steps for the aliment to enter the pool and be baptized for their cure. The resemblance of the water is the Jews, the five porticoes resembles Torah and the five books of Mosses in which they were fenced by. The way one entered first to the pool and be cured, is the resemblances of the unity of theirs named “House of Israeli.” The other resemblance of the five porticoes is the “Five Sacrament of the Church.” Those who hope and in faith of them, are endowed Childhood of Holy Trinity. The five types of aliment are the resemblances of the five gender laity alongside their tribulations. Those are elderly by love of money, youngsters by fornication, women by jewelries, Priests by conceit and monks by greed)

The Angel of God come down from the heavens and stirring up the water and only one who entered the pool was cured. The meaning of the water is baptism and the Angel who stirred it is the resemblance of priests who comes down to sanctify the water and on the sixth day; Sabbath, only one person was being cured which signifies the mercy of our fathers that is not seized and the truth about erratic of it, shows its un-absoluteness.

Lord and Savior Jesus Christ saw the impotent lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” Lord Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath. (John 5:6-9)

Lord Jesus whom Saint Paul witnessed for in his epistle to the Hebrews saying, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” asked the impotent man if he wished to be healed. (Hebrew 4:12) As it is stated, “For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he passes like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will happen after him under the sun?” who can know and give us what we seek without us asking Him, but our God. (Ecclesiastes 6:12)

However, he was going to betray Him later on and for him not accuse the Lord saying, “He cure me without my permission, telling to carry my bed,” he asked his own permission, also for his conscience to castigate him.

The reason our Lord told the impotent man to “Rise, take up your bed and walk”: –

  • is as Saint Esdros said, which the Lord will to reveal His miraculous as the bed was made up of strong metal
  • the second is for the impotent man not to say “I have also payed sacrificed for my healing as I left my bed for Him.” and thus he told Him to “take up your bed and walk.”

Unfortunate though! The impotent man who was embedded for 38 years and had no one to take care, forgot His healer. He did not even know Who He was. The Evangelist John said, “But the one who was healed did not know who it was.” (John 5:13) The Lord Who has done all this was forgotten. Just as today, who has not forgotten God Who healed us from our aliments, tribulations and scarcity like the impotent man? And who has remembered Him listening to His words and seeing His miraculous? Is there anyone who stood up with the counsel of God to listen and witness His words?  Any person who listen to His words?

Prophet Jeremiah said, “For who has stood in the counsel of the Lord, and has perceived and heard His word? Who has marked His word and heard it? (Jeremiah 23:18) We have also forgotten The Lord’s sacrifice who has freed us from the Adam’s infirmity and mock are told to look into our heart by Prophet Isaiah as, “Now therefore, do not be mockers.” (Isaiah 28:22)

The impotent was unaware of Who cured him. when he found Him in the synagogue, he went and told the Jews it was Lord Jesus who cured him. “Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.” (no. 14) But forgetting his healer, the impotent man slapped his Lord and therefore his hands dried and slimmed.

Now a days as well, alike the impotent man, many of our hearts has dried, personhood slimmed, consciously blinded, broken heart, seeking cure surrounding the baptism site, churches, parishes and monasteries. We seek healing and salvation. We can be healed if we hold on to the hope of God just like the impotent man.

The Ethiopian Orthodox Incarnation Church has named the fourth week of “The Great Lent” with the healed person in Bethsaida “The Impotent Man,” accordingly and commemorates it by the cured ailments of Lord and by helping out the poor. We shall then visit the sick, free the prisoners, feed the hungered, water the thirst, clothe the deprived and sympathize the depressed as we learned from our Lord.

On the Sabbath, it is the day we commemorate and glorify God’s healing and redemption. Prophet David sings as, “for He will deliver the needy when he cries, the poor also, and him who has no helper.” (Psalm 72:12) Righteous Job has witnessed saying, “How have you helped him who is without power? How have you saved the arm that has no strength?” (Job 26:2)

Prophet David’s words “Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let such as love Your salvation say continually, “The Lord be magnified!”, we shall also be happy about God. (Psalm 40:16)

Readings: -(Galatians 5:1 and James 5:14) 

(Acts 3:1)

“Mesebak” Prophets David’s words in rhyme: – “The Lord will strengthen him on his bed of illness; You will sustain him on his sickbed. I said, “Lord, be merciful to me; Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.” (Psalm 41:3-4)

May God’s mercy, benevolence and blessing be with us, Amen!