e. It is just possible that he may have wished to
warn readers of the Synoptical Gospels, that Jesus had not yet begun the
Galilaean ministry with which these Gospels open.

FOOTNOTES:

[12] The words (ver. 35) have quite the ring of a proverb--a proverb
peculiar to seed-time and for the encouragement of the sower. If uttered
on this occasion in seed-time, this gives December as the date.

[13] This is lucidly taught in Mozley's _Bampton Lectures_.

XII.

_SABBATH CURE AT BETHESDA._

"After these things there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up
to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool,
which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porches. In these
lay a multitude of them that were sick, blind, halt, withered. And a
certain man was there, which had been thirty and eight years in his
infirmity. When Jesus saw him lying, and knew that he had been now a
long time in that case, He saith unto him, Wouldest thou be made
whole? The sick man answered Him, Sir, I have no man, when the water
is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another
steppeth down before me. Jesus saith unto him, Arise, take up thy
bed, and walk. And straightway the man was made whole, and took up
his bed and walked. Now it was the Sabbath on that day. So the Jews
said unto him that was cured, It is the Sabbath, and it is not
lawful for thee to take up thy bed. But he answered them, He that
made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.
They asked him, Who is the man that said unto thee, Take up thy bed,
and walk? But he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had
conveyed Himself away, a multitude being in the place. Afterward
Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art
made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing befall thee."--JOHN v.
1-14.

The miracle here recorded is selected by John because in it Jesus
plainly signified that He had power to quicken whom He would (v. 21),
and because it became the occasion for the unbelief of the Jews to begin
the hardening process and appear as opposition.

The miracle was wrought when Jerusalem was full; although whether at the
Feast of Tabernacles, or Purim, may be doubted. The pool at the
sheep-gate or sheep-market is commonly identified with the Fountain of
the Virgin, which still supplies a bath known as _Ham