Pool of Bethesda
Overview
- Testament: New
- Location: Near the Sheep Gate in northeastern Jerusalem; modern site beneath the Church of St. Anne
- Key Passages: John 5:1–15
- Associated Book: John
Summary
The Pool of Bethesda (“house of mercy” or “house of grace”) was a double pool in Jerusalem used for healing — crowds of sick people lay near it believing that when the water was “troubled” (stirred), the first person in would be healed. Archaeological excavations near the Sheep Gate have uncovered the pools described in John 5, confirming the site’s historicity.
Jesus heals a man who had been invalid for 38 years, who could never reach the pool in time because no one would carry him in. Jesus heals him with a word — “Rise, take up thy bed, and walk” — on the Sabbath, triggering the first major Sabbath controversy in John’s Gospel. The healing leads to Jesus’s extended discourse on the Father’s work and the Son’s authority (John 5:17–47), including the claim, “as the Father raiseth up the dead and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.”
Key Events
| Event | Reference | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Healing at Bethesda | John 5:1–15 | 38-year invalid healed on the Sabbath; “Rise, take up thy bed, and walk” |
Cross-References
- Jerusalem — the city in which the pool was located
- Sheep Gate — the gate near the pool; rebuilt by Nehemiah (Nehemiah 3:1)
- Jesus Christ — heals with authority independent of the pool’s mechanism