Pity or Compassion

These are the ruins Bethesda in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate, appropriately named because this is the gate where the sacrificial lambs entered Jerusalem. Water from the Gihon Spring filled the Pool of Bethesda, surrounded by five covered colonnades (think porches). Today this is in the French Quarter, not far from the Temple Mount, which is protected by Muslims. When Jesus was there, a man who had been crippled for thirty-eight years was near the pool. Jesus asked him, “Do you want to get well?” It seems like a silly question to me. Why wouldn’t he want to get well? Well, maybe the work he did before is not necessary any longer. That happened to me during the market crash of 2008 since I worked in financial services. Agents had to process their own work, work I did for them. Maybe the man was too old or too weak to work. What would he do if he got well? Begging had been his source of income for nearly four decades.

Jesus had compassion for this man. I distinguish that from pity. The difference is–we can have pity on a person’s situation, but we can have compassion on the person, which requires a response on our part. Jesus healed the man. Until Jesus showed up the crippled man waited til the water was stirred before he made an effort to get into the water. Then others got in before him. Jews and non-Jews believed this to be a healing sanctuary with powers from Eshmun, the Septic god of healing. They believed that an angel stirred the water, and the person to enter first after the water was stirred would be healed.

Jesus said, “Get up, pick up your mat, and walk” (John 5:8). And the once-crippled man got up, picked up his mat and left the pool area. The Pharisees told him he couldn’t carry his mat because it was the Sabbath. The once-crippled man said, “The man who healed me told me to pick up my mat and walk.” They asked him who healed him. He didn’t have a clue. Later Jesus met him in the temple. “See, you are well,” He said. “Do not sin anymore, so that something worse won’t happen to you” (John 5:14). Then the man who had been healed went to the Jewish leaders and reported that Jesus healed him. Why would he do that? He had to know those men didn’t like Jesus. Why didn’t he show more gratitude? While I point at this man, three fingers point back at me, and I ask myself, why am I not more thankful for all the ways God blesses me???

So then, the Jewish leaders persecuted Jesus for healing a man on the Sabbath. He said to them, “My Father is always at work to this very day, and I too am working” (John 5:17). This made the Jews even more ready to persecute Jesus because He claimed to be God’s Son (which He was).

Be sure, God desires mercy, not sacrifice. All our works mean nothing to Him unless we do them with love. In my husband Dennis’ words, Christians must do what love compels us to do. That is what Jesus did.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for your word, the truth, with examples of compassion. Teach us to show compassion as you show compassion. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

True Friends

Ruins of pools of Bethesda in Jerusalem, Israel

Jesus went to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. Near the Sheep gate was a pool known as Bethesda. It was surrounded by five covered colonnades. Disabled people–the blind, the lame and paralyzed–laid there. Jesus saw an invalid man who had suffered thirty-eight years and asked him, “Do you want to get well?”

“Sir,” he said, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” Jesus said, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk” (John 5:1-8).

Synagogue in Jesus Town of Capernaum, Israel

At a different time, Jesus entered Capernaum. The people heard that he had come home and gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door. He preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through the mud and reeds, and they lowered the mat the man laid on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” The teachers of the law asked why He talked like that. They said only God could forgive sins.

Jesus knew what they thought and asked them, “Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” So He said to the man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home” (Mark 2:1-11).

The striking difference between these two stories, is that the first man had no one to help him, but the second man did. Jesus saw the faith of the friends in Capernaum and healed their friend spiritually and physically. Many of us have memories of when a friend made a big difference during a tragedy in our lives.

“If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!” (Ecclesiastes 4:10)

Prayer: Thank you, Heavenly Father, for friends who help us in times of need. Help us to be more cognizant of those we don’t even know who need a helping hand. Help us to show compassion as you showed both men in today’s lesson from Scripture. In Jesus’ name, Amen.