God Fully Heals
Jon: Extra Extra, Read all about it!
Bradon: Jon, What are you talking about? Also, Read what?
Jon: Okay, Listen all about it then… This episode of the Bible Story Podcast we read a story that would have made headlines for sure!
Bradon: We dive into the topic of healing, it’s too good to miss!
Discussion Episode
John 5
About the Story
Bradon: Okay, Enough about me. For now. Today we are reading from John 5: 1 – 15 – This story is fascinating, has some really cool historical aspects, which I love, and makes me think really hard. It’s like three of my favourite things!
Jon: It is. I like this story because, within 15 short verses, we get a lot of a story with a lot to teach us, reminding us that we don’t have to read 10 chapters every day in the Bible to learn and grow in our relationship with God!
Bradon: Absolutely!
Okay, some back story. Or Architectural history actually, This story takes place in a public pool house; these were a common structure of the time and would give the people of the town access to water. At this time, there was no central plumbing or water systems. So people had to go to where the water was.
This particular pool structure would have had large pillars holding up the roof. These pillars would have been easily 30 feet tall. And individuals would have been scattered throughout the building.
Jon: This particular pool building in Bethesda had the reputation of having healing properties.
Bradon: It did! So people from all over the region would come to this specific place to find healing for all sorts of different ailments!
Jon: There was a sort of trick or rule with this healing, though. People would come from all over the place and wait outside of the pool. Historically, the first person to enter the pool, the morning an angel would appear, would be healed.
Application
Bradon: I hate to sound like a broken record; I still find this topic a little difficult to understand. Or, perhaps I understand it but don’t get it spiritually. Cognitively, or intellectually I understand the idea of healing, but It doesn’t always sit with me peacefully.
Jon: I think that is fair. Or warranted. You don’t have to understand everything. That is God’s Job. Just because we are Christians doesn’t mean everything in the Bible makes sense to us, nor does it mean that we will understand everything.
Bradon: Hmm, I appreciate that. Sometimes it feels like we need to have it all sorted, especially being on the podcast…
Jon: Oh, I get it! For sure. But we recognize we are flawed and imperfect people. God is good, and His grace covers our missteps, mistakes, sins, and lack of understanding.
Bradon: Phew! Well, that is good!
Jon: So Bradon, what is your takeaway from this story today?
Bradon: That is an excellent question. If I were to sum all my thoughts up into one specific idea, it would be that God fully Heals. It isn’t halfway healing or partial. He fully Heals, physically, spiritually, emotionally—all of it.
