John 5:4 (NKJV)

For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.

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Bible Commentary

John 5:4 is a Bible verse from the New Testament where John tells us about the miracle at the Pool of Bethesda.

The Pool of Bethesda was a fascinating place. It was known to be a place of healing. At particular times, an angel would come down into the pool and stir up the water. Something supernatural occurred in this stirring, and whoever stepped in the water first, after the stirring of the water, was healed from whatever disease they had according to John 5:4.

What was it about this particular pool that caused “the angel” to stir up the water? John 5 tells us that this pool was by the Sheep Gate. The sheep gate was a physical gate that was used to bring sheep into the city for market.

Sheep were a commodity in those days. They were important for many different purposes—to buy and sell or trade, for fleece, meat and milk. In the Bible, God’s people are referred to as sheep. The sheep are important to the shepherd who cares for them. We are important to Jesus.

Jesus said in Matthew 9:36, “Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.” So we know Jesus had great love and compassion for the people He was sent to save. They had great need of a shepherd, being distressed and dispirited.

Door of the Sheep

The word “gate” is also relevant, for Jesus referred to Himself as the door (gateway) of the sheep. He said in John 10:7, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.”

So then, the Pool of Bethesda located by the Sheep Gate had a distinction as an important landmark, like a target city on a map of the spiritual realm. It was by the door of the sheep, Jesus Christ.

That is important to us because many times we get distracted from the treasures of the Kingdom, which are spiritual and instead become focused on things that we see in the physical.

The way to the eternal treasures of the Kingdom of God, including healing, are found through the spiritual—the door of the sheep, Jesus Christ. He is our portal to treasures of health and wealth we can only begin to imagine!

Unlocking the Truth – Stirred to Action

Another interesting component of the Pool of Bethesda is that it had five porches (John 5:2). It must have been grand in scale. In the Greek, “porches” means: a colonnade or interior piazza.

We might picture a great pool of water surrounded by a large courtyard with huge white columns. It was an area large enough to hold a great multitude of sick people (John 5:3).

From the description in the Bible, it was probably not only grand in scale, but beautiful. Just as the sick people were drawn to a place of healing at the Pool of Bethesda, people today are drawn to bodies of water—the ocean, a lakeside or a river in the mountains for rest and relaxation.

It is interesting that in John 5:4, the angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water. It was when the water was stirred that it emitted its healing qualities.

Stir to Action

In Webster’s, “stir” means: to mix; to make or be active; to excite the feelings of; movement.

It’s almost as if our healing requires a stirring—a stirring to action, to move and be active; to be excited in our feelings! Sometimes we can get in a place where we’re so beaten down by life, and dulled into the drudgery of routine. There is no excitement, and no freshness.

That’s why we need to enter the door of the sheep and ask Him to stir the waters to give us a fresh excitement, to make us active and move us to action again.

Jesus Christ is our Healer. He is the door to mental health, emotional health, physical health, relational health and financial health. With Him, all things are possible!

In Him are the freshness and excitement we need in every area of our life, like an injection of medicine into our veins, and like a breath of life into our spirit. He makes all things new (Revelation 21:5). He is the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25).

Study the Bible verse of John 5:4, enter the door of the sheep and ask Christ to stir up the waters so you can be made well, whole and new.