TO UNDERSTAND THE SCENE

Christ healing the Paralytic at the Pool of Bethesda; Bartolomeo Esteban MURILLO; 1670; oil on canvas; National Gallery, London

 National Gallery London

The Gospel according to John, chapter 5

The healing of the cripple at the pool of Bethesda

After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, lame, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whoever then stepped in first after the troubling of the water was made well of whatever disease he had. And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he said to him, Do you want to be made well? The impotent 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 steps down before me.Jesus said to him,  Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

And immediately the man was made well, and took up his bed, and walked.
(John 5:1-9)

Comment

In the biblical Orient, illness is generally considered as the punishment of a fault. To cleanse oneself and to expiate can lead to recovery but one can also be helped by a miracle-worker, a healer who explains the fault and gives the remedy.

By healing sick people, Jesus intervenes as a thaumaturge but instead of judging the sick person as guilty he considers him/her as a victim.

For the spectators, these healings are miracles, manifestations of God’s omnipotence; for Jesus, they are signs that go beyond the mere marvellous. The sick person’s faith is the main element of the healing and Jesus makes it the fundamental expression of the Good News.

JESUS HEALS

The paralytic at Capharnaum cannot get close to Jesus; he must go through the roof to be lowered on his mean bed.

Jesus speaks with authority while stretching out his arm

“Rise and walk”, then the paralytic goes away with his bed on his back.

the water of the pool of Bethesda heals; it draws the crowd of sick people. In Hogarth, the paralytic who is about to be healed by Jesus’ words is placed in the centre; but in Palma, he is already healed and goes away with his bed on his back.

Two women whose deep faith allows their healings.

The woman with an issue of blood who dared to touch Jesus’ garment without speaking to him “came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared to him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately” (Luke 8: 47). Jesus tells her that her faith has saved her.

A non-Jewish woman throws herself at his feet so that her daughter should be healed; her faith is impressive.

To heal a leper by touching is to vanquish more than the disease. In the right miniature, the lepers go to have their new state registered by a priest; they are about to return to social life.

According to the Gospel by John, Jesus heals a man born blind by applying a mud made of earth and saliva. The crowd is important, for Jesus explains that the disease is not a divine punishment. In the right painting, the blind man is present twice to show he is cured.