was the pool of bethesda pagan

In another words this case is part of the big picture that the Gospel of John paints. Depending on the church, there are different practices and beliefs that surround it; but one foundational belief is based on healing. There are some places on our planet we all recognize as holy or spiritual and can tap into the energy there. There are two ways we can look at this. However, the second way we can look at this is that sites such as the Pool of Bethesda [and the Brigid well in Kildare] were places of spiritual and energetic power from the get go. "Jesus did not instruct him not to tell, but at any rate, he did.VERSE 16: "And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath.". The addition only added to the misunderstanding of the passage. When it comes to determining the level of the gospels historical reliability, the story that will end in the healing of a paralyzed man is one of the most fascinating textual units in the Gospel of John. What happened at the Pool of Bethesda? | GotQuestions.org "The Jewish community in Jesus day viewed the pool of Bethesda as a place of healing. History of the Pools of Bethesda The Pool of Bethesda was "in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate" ( John 5:2 ), which places it north of the temple, near Fort Antonia. I think you reading this too individualistically :-). Maintained by a Catholic order, the site is commemorating a miraculous healing of a paralytic by Jesus. Both of these men have a miraculous encounter with Yeshua (Jesus) and yet, the situations surrounding their healings are completely different. The phrase in verse 3-4, waiting for the moving of the water, for an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water; whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had is not found in the earliest and most reliable manuscripts and thus should be excluded from the reading of the story. There were more than 400 Asclepions throughout empire, functioning as healing centers and dispensers of the gods grace and mercy towards those in need. Those who are unsaved face two deaths, the death of the body and the spiritual death, (at the last day). 18:20; attributed to R. Ammi [c. A.D. 300]). "After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In response to Jesus question about whether or not he wished to get well, we read an answer that was anything but hopeful. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. The Pool of Bethesda as a healing center of Greek-god Asclepius(John 5). Even before the time of Jesus, this location may represent a shallow valley dammed to retain rainwater and referred to as "the upper pool" in the 8 th -century BC (2 Kings 18:17; Isaiah 7:3). Even today, one of the key symbols of modern medicine is a pole with a snake wrapped around it. The Pool of Bethesda, Holy or Superstition/Pagan? - Reddit Pick up your mat and walk.At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. I read each of your posts with great interest, as I have sought for many years to immerse myself in the cultural. The Asclepion was an ancient pagan healing center which was dedicated to the Greco-Roman god of health and well-being, Asclepius. The two pools which we encounter in the stories should offer the reader with some depth into their encounters which most scholars have overlooked. Pool of Bethesda as an Asclepius-Pagan Temple in a Hellenistic The Pool of Bethesda - Jerusalem | OrthodoxWord Jesus mixed his saliva with mud, applied the mixture to the blind man's eyes and told him to bathe in the Pool of Siloam. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. Pool of Bethesda: Jewish or Pagan? - Beit Ariel You will see the commentary about an angel stirring the waters in parentheses in some Bibles. 2Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Hebrew called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. The Pool of Bethesda was a multilevel inground pool, banked by broad landings and stairs that led into the water. You are here Home Paganism in Jerusalem (Pool of Bethesda) Submitted by Herschel Raysman on Thu, 02/08/2018 - 09:04 Paganism in Jerusalem (Pool of Bethesda) by DR. ELI LIZORKIN-EYZENBERG "Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. John gives the additional detail that the pool was "surrounded by five covered colonnades." During Jesus' time, the Pool of Bethesda lay outside the city walls. this is a WORLD CHANGING presentation & If Jewish people would stand up & tell the Gentiles the truth NOT ONLY about Siloam, but MANY MANY other stories in the Bible the world would be a brighter more healthy place, as it is many followers of the religious Christian movements in world churches are in thickest darkness being milked by CASH COW false prophets & cash hungry kings. Those who were ill would visit these centers, bathe in the pools, drink the water, and sleep inside the walls. We need only to trust in Him, because Jesus paid our way by what He did on the cross.THE FUTURE, INTERWOVEN WITH THE PRESENTVerse 25: "Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. The gods mythical daughters included the goddesses Hygeia and Panacea. This concludes our study of the Pool of BethesdaGo to our next study, "The Fourfold Witness" (John 5:31-47)Jesus continues his confrontation with the Jews. "Jesus had previously said that God had sent Him. Then it went back to being a Pagan site after the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE until finally, a Christian church was built on top of it during the Byzantine era. I do not think he had much hope.Like some of the others in the Bible, we don't know much about him, yet we know he had a family or someone who loved him enough to carry him down to the pool. It had at some point been called Solomon's pool. i. Perhaps, I am wrong. Wouldn't you think they already knew or had an idea, that Jesus was the One who had healed the man?Verse 13: "Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. In all reality he ended up sending all following generations of readers in the wrong interpretive direction, missing the whole point of the story. The pool of bethesda is a pool in jerusalem known from the new testament account of jesus miraculously healing a paralysed man, from the fifth chapter of the gospel of john, where it is described as being near the sheep gate, surrounded by five covered colonnades or porticoes. These astonishing accounts of Dreams and visions of Jesus are shared on the Trusting in Jesus website. '"The "Feast of Tabernacles," translated from the word meaning "tent," or booths, was a seven-day feast held each year in Jerusalem, in October. It is of possible that the pool of Bethesda was a Jewish religious ceremonial water cleansing facility, mikvah, associated with the Jerusalem Temple. A man was healed specifically by the word of Jesus. In simple terms, the Greeks attributed the healing powers of natural springs to spirits. [ waiting for the moving of the waters;4for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted.][1]. While in Jerusalem, Jesus went to a pool where many disabled and ill people were gathered by the water. Because of its ebb and tide it is regarded as an arm of the sea. Frank, welcome to our group! It is below the crypt of the ruined fourth-century church and has a five-arch portico with faded frescoes of the miracle of Christ's healing. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him,Do you want to get well? It is probably in reference to such Hellenization of Jerusalem that Qumranite Jewish devotees (Essenes were the main opponents of the pharisees), in their commentary on the Prophet Nahum, wrote: Jerusalem had become a dwelling for the wicked ones of the Gentiles (4QpNah). This moment of healing for Jesse then leads Simon the Zealot to Jesus and to his ministry. He heals all who come in faith (Luke 4:40). (John 9:7). In these lay many invalidsblind, lame, and paralyzed(waiting for the stirring of the water; for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool, and stirred up the water; whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was made well from whatever disease that person had.) Optio nam nihil ipsum magni, sint ex officiis quos voluptatum ducimus quidem, dicta natus, ipsam. 5One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. This historical drama set in Judaea and Galilee in the first century CE follows Jesus and those whom He met and ministered to. Even today, one of the key symbols of modern medicine is a pole with a snake wrapped around it. All rights reserved. Thank you! The Pool of Bethesda/Asclepion was probably part of the Hellenization of Jerusalem, along with several other important projects such as a Roman theater and a Roman bathhouse. While in the brackets some modern Bibles still include the above text (3b-4) it is not contained in the earliest and most reliable manuscripts available to us today and, therefore, should not be treated as authentic. Devotion to Asclepius was widespread throughout the lands dominated by the Roman Empire. After all, healed people don't need help getting up, and he had been healed. Thanks, Robert! The first story is recorded in John 5:2-17. During the first decades after Christ's resurrection the apostles reflected on their time with Christ and how to proclaim Him to all nations. "Jerusalem was destroyed in 70AD and is thought to be before John's writing, but his description of the site is accurate.Verse 3: "In these lay a multitude of invalidsblind, lame, and paralyzed. I can't help but wonder what else He has been doing these past few thousand years. Another Great Stuff! The Bethesda Pool of Mercy. Understanding the pagan nature of this pool changes the context of the story in contrast to the story of the blind man and the Pool of Siloam. John chapter 5 recounts an exciting story of hope and healing for the paralytic man who waited there 38 years. This depiction doesnt come from the Gospels, but it provides a beautiful idea of how this could've occurred. In one chapter before this miracle, John included this scripture: But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life (John 4:14). They slept on mats laid out in a section of the inner sanctum of the temple called the abaton. The abaton was supposed to be the place of divine dreams, where Asklepius or his serpents might appear to give the sick clues about their healing. . Below, Jesus is talking about the "end times." Let's see what the Word says:"And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? My son, does not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. healed? Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Hebrew called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. It therefore appears that while the pool of Bethesda was a pagan place (Asclepion), while the pool of Siloam was connected with Jerusalem Temple. This is a powerful story. God doesnt dole out first-come, first-served miracles! (Jn. The pool had an upper and lower pool and whenever the priests of Asclepius would open the connecting conduit between the pools it would cause the water to bubble. The cult of Asclepius became very popular from the fifth century BCE onward. He left the pagan promises behind and began to testify of Jesus to the Jewish priests! Facebook Page, ABSA, Sea Point Branch Five+ Fast Facts About Camels, Camel-Riding and Camels in the Bible, http://postcardfromisrael.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/fb.m4v, http://postcardfromisrael.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Insiders-Israel.m4v, http://postcardfromisrael.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/InviteIsrael.m4v. Commentary on John 5 (Jesus Heals at the Pool of Bethesda) "After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Yeshua (Jesus) comes on the scene and everything changes, Rise, take up your bed and walk. Healing. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. It is often in our most private moments that true loyalty, or the lack of it, is made known. Did Eden Have a Miscarriage in The Chosen? The Pool of Bethesda | Ferrell's Travel Blog What does the name Pool of Bethesda mean? When the man did so, he was healed (John 9:6-7). You see it is possible that the blind, lame, and paralyzed were not waiting for Israels God to heal them; but rather for the merciful healing act of Asclepius. Many hundreds of these healing facilities were located throughout the Roman empire. The lame man, for 38 years, had been lying at this pagan pool when Yeshua finds him. There is an ugly truth to this practice that can be seen throughout history and it cannot be denied. Deliverance. Topical. Acc no. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. So the implication here might be that the sin Jesus alludes to may not have been some kind of behavior that led to his infirmity, but to the sin of looking for healing from another god other than the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob & Jesus. Pool of Bethesda - The Historical Context. The Pools of Bethesda and Siloam | Hope Channel Australia However, the temple authorities did not approve of it. (See Luke 15:24)Verse 26: "For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.". "Just as the Father has power over life and death, so does the Son. God has given Jesus authority, even over Eternal Life.Verse 27: "And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. The man told Jesus he couldnt be healed because he couldnt get into the pool, and he had no one to lower him into the pool. Contrary to popular opinion, ancient scribes were not always accurate in preserving every jot and tittle of the text they were copying. This man had been patiently waiting for a chance to be healed for many years. The first is that its a case of one religion trying to suppress another by conquering their sacred sites. Jesus chose this particular location for a miracle for many reasons. "Cant you just hear the empty ring of desperation in this mans voice? Pools of Bethesda God's Kindness and Our Repentance - Wayne Stiles A German archeologist living in Jerusalem unearthed surrounded by four porticoswith a fifth portico dividing the pool into two separate poolsin 1956. It is possible that Bethesda was the site of an asclepeion. They were all gathered there in hopes of being healed according to an ancient legend that . Betty Koth. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Exploring the Connections Between Pagan and Christian Spirituality, Follow Sabbats and Sabbaths on WordPress.com. And here Jesus appears! Just before the miracle at the Pool of Bethesda, there was a feast day for the Jews, so Jesus went to Jerusalem. Although this could be a possibility it is highly unlikely. He claims that when the waters were stirred that he could not get into the water to be healed because someone else always beat him into the waters. While preparing a sermon on John 5:1-13, I had an a-ha moment that connected this story to an ancient pagan asclepeion or healing temple. The institutionalized man was there for a long time as the Gospel tells us in the context of a deeply religious albeit Greek religious environment. This is also an early Pagan site that was claimed later by Jews and now the Muslims. His temples were typically built near sacred springs with shallow pools and baths. Pool of bethesda pagan? [Expert Review] He had been trying to get into the pool of Bethesda for 38 years, longer than some people lived in that time. . Pool of bethesda - bible history. The Pool of Bethesda (Bible History Online) - Bible History They asked him, Who is the man who said to you, 'Take up your bed and walk?'". It seems that the Christian copyist unfamiliar with cult of Asclepius and the Pool of Bethesdas affiliation with it, added on the explanation about the Angel of the Lord stirring up the waters, seeking to clarify things for his readers. Verse 18: "This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because, not only was he breaking the Sabbath, he was calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. "The temple was next door to the pool, and it seems worth mentioning that Jesus knew he was there. Why Did the Pool of Bethesda Heal People? - Crosswalk Google Places, (082) 339 9944 I wonder if this miracle put this man in positions he was not prepared for? A subreddit for Christians of all sorts. Reddit, Inc. 2023. Can someone think of another healing where Jesus says: Dont you sin any more!. According to Jerome the spring did not send forth water continually, but on certain times and days It was a small current of water that moved softly and slowly instead of rapidly like a rapid river. Its not about the man. Snakes were a key attribute of Asclepiuss cult of health and healing. (Nah.2:12b) The interpretation of this concerns Jerusalem, which had become a dwelling for the wicked ones of the Gentiles (4QpNah).. Many people at the Pool of Bethesda believed that it was the churning of the water or the pagan spirits in natural springs that could possibly heal them. So it would appear that the Pool of Bethesda did a magical dance starting as a Pagan holy site that morphed into a Jewish holy site. Of course, Jerusalem was the center for religious Jews in Jesus days, but it was also a headquarters for Hellenized ideals in Judea which was under strict Roman control with the Antonia Fortress dominating the northwestern end of the Temple Mount. I hope this has brought some enlightenment to these two stories. The ancient Greeks had a cult for the pagan god of healing named Asklepion, and during the peak of their empire, they built Asklepios or healing centers all across the Greek empireincluding in Jerusalem. (John 5:2-4 NKJV) I have heard of churches who have a ritual practice called the pool of Bethesda; one located in the area I live and which I know several people who attend. Although some believe Jesus slipped away to escape danger and the uproar from the religious leaders, others think He was avoiding the applause of the audience. They would drink and bathe in the waters of the Asklepion and then sleep within the temples walls. They believed if they could enter the pool when bubbles and ripples rose to the surface that it was the best time for a healing miracle. The water in the upper reservoir would flow into the lower portion of the pool, but a 4-5 century Christian scribe would not know that. In that case, the pool of Bethesda (house of mercy in Hebrew) does not have to be a Jewish site at all, but rather a Greek Asclepion-affiliated facility. Healing the paralytic at Bethesda - Wikipedia Yeshua gave a clear signal that He was the sent one and proved it when He told His disciples regarding the blind man: Verse 9:4 I must work the works of Him that sent me and then He sends the blind man to wash in the pool called sent (for a play on words), a pool that just happened to be associated with the Davidic dynasty, and thus the coming Messiah of Israel. ", Scan this QR code to download the app now. It was also used in the ordinance of the red heifer because it was the only water source inside the city. This would probably be where the symbol of the snake on a pole originated in modern medicine. The Pools of Bethesda | Danny The Digger 4:16-17"(AMP)Jesus was wholly committed to doing God's will. b. By Urban C. von Wahlde The Gospel of John recounts two healing miracles Jesus performed in Jerusalem. We can hear in their Greek names our modern words for hygiene and panacea key concepts associated today with medicine and health. This belief in Asklepion and his serpents churning the waters of natural pools and springs persisted in Jerusalem at the time when Jesus lived. In Johns Biblical account, the pool is described as having five porticoes (roofs supported by columns), and modern archaeological digs have found a five-sided basin with these porticoes. 6When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, Do you want to be healed? 7The sick man answered him, Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me. 8Jesus said to him, Get up, take up your bed, and walk. 9And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. 3 In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, [] paralyzed, [] waiting for the moving of the water. In his Gospel account, John describes Jesus going to such a pool, surrounded by five covered colonnades. Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you. War veterans might suffer from horrific memories and broken bodies. Both pools mentioned in the Gospel of John have now been identified the Pool of Bethesda (John 5:2) and the Pool of Siloam. These people could quote the prophesies telling of Jesus. That is the point of the story. I believe the physical death of those trusting in Jesus is a doorway to Heaven that we simply pass through. already been there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be Then it went back to being a Pagan site after the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE until finally, a Christian church was built on top of it during the Byzantine era. by Angel Studios | November 29, 2022 The Pool of Bethesda is one of two sites in the city of Jerusalem where Jesus performed miracles. So often readers only see the text from a 21st century, non-Jewish/Greek/Roman perspective and thus miss the original message and authorial intent. Betty, we do our research and then we rely on the feedback or many people. This last one about the pool & healing really is a wonderful example of your group bringing out the The Pool of Bethesda, and consequently John 5, has been reinterpreted in Jewish circles as an Asclepius-Pagan Temple due to a heavily Hellenistic influence in Jerusalem in the first century. The Pool had five porches and according to the Bible there was a tradition that an angel moved the waters at certain times and healed the sick. The smaller pools of the Asclepion - NOT the deep reservoirs - served for healing. It is believed that the Pool of Siloam was re-configured during the Herodian period to serve as a large mikveh. Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. During the Hellenistic period, the Greeks built Asklepions or ancient healing centers, all across the Greek Empire. (Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, the Jew, 69). The Pool of Bethesda: A Pagan Cult? When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had Don't you just know that he was a changed man from inside out?AND IT WAS ON A SABBATHVerse 10: "So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, "It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed. What is clear is that Jesus usually is compassionate towards those who suffer from sickness, while he healed the man he issued him a stern almost incentive warning not to sin any more (I think this is a singular case in entire NT). Pool of Bethesda - Bible History (John 9:7) The pool mentioned in chapter five turned out to have five colonnades (as described in the Gospel), but it was not structured as a pentagon. The reason why I bring this subject up is that instead of focusing on conquering and suppressing one anothers spiritual paths, perhaps we can learn to appreciate what we have in common. 14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, See, you have been made well. The Greeks had created a cult around Asklepius, the pagan god of healing. If they did this, Asklepion or his serpents would possibly visit the ill in a dream and give them hints about their healing. The Pool of Bethesda - Drive Thru History Adventures The Pools of Bethesda. During his life, Jesus taught that He is the living water. But there are other interpretive options as well that to my mind make a lot more sense. beitariel@beitariel.co.za It is stated in the Talmud that after the temple service on the 8th day that King Solomon and the people descended to the pool of Siloam, from which the waters were drawn and poured it upon the altar (Sukkot v 1). Going to the Synagogue on the Sabbath could indicate the man had knowledge of the Ten Commandments and it also fits with worshiping other Gods and repentance. There are many good reasons to believe that this structure situated walking distance from the back then walls of the city of Jerusalem was a healing center dedicated to Greco-Roman god of well-being and health Asclepius. He wanted his Hellenized Jewish audience to gain a new understanding. The Greeks had created a cult around Asklepius, the pagan god of healing. They did not embellish things, but certainly were not afraid to clarify issues, when they thought something was missing.Hence the new character in this story, the angel of Israels God, was added by the well-meaning, but misguided copyist. Your contribution to that endeavor has been most helpful. The copyist, unlike the author of Johns Gospel, was not aware of the Greek religious identity of Bethesda, which sounded to him just from the text he had before him, without any evidence of contemporary material culture, as the house of mercy of Israels God. Then Jesus said to him,Get up! 3In these lay a multitude of invalidsblind, lame, and paralyzed. The pool(or pools as there were in fact two) were Roman Pagan pools one dedicated to Fortuna the goddess of fortune and the other to Asclepius god of healing. Change). Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gatea pool, which in Aramaicis called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. 3 In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, [b]paralyzed, [c . The Pool of Bethesda is mentioned only once in the New Testament. In a statement attributed to the second century Jewish Sage Rabbi Akiva we read: Once Akiva was asked to explain why persons afflicted with disease sometimes returned cured from a pilgrimage to the shrine of an idol, though it was surely powerless. Pool of Siloam/Pool of Bethesda/Major Differences - Our Ancient Paths Now let's contrast the Pool of Shiloah (Siloam). There are several good reasons to think that this structure (situated right outside of the old city but within walking distance from the Jerusalem Temple) was part of an Asclepion a healing center dedicated to the Greco-Roman god of well-being and health, Asclepius. In either case, Jesus had healed a crippled man, something the pagan gods had been unable to do.Jesus Heals the cripple by the Pool of BethesdaVERSE 5-6: "One man was there by the Pool of Bethesda who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.