SEV Biblia, Chapter 5:3
En stos yacía multitud de enfermos, ciegos, cojos, secos, que estaban esperando el movimiento del agua.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - John 5:3
Verse 3. Blind, halt, withered] To these the Codex Bezae, three copies of the Itala, and both the Persic, add paralutikwn, paralytic; but they are probably included among the withered. Waiting for the moving of the water.] This clause, with the whole of the fourth verse, is wanting in some MSS. and versions; but I think there is no sufficient evidence against their authenticity. Griesbach seems to be of the same opinion; for though he has marked the whole passage with the notes of doubtfulness, yet he has left it in the text. Some have imagined that the sanative virtue was communicated to the waters by washing in them the entrails of the beasts which were offered in sacrifice; and that the angel meant no more than merely a man sent to stir up from the bottom this corrupt sediment, which, being distributed through the water, the pores of the person who bathed in it were penetrated by this matter, and his disorder repelled! But this is a miserable shift to get rid of the power and goodness of God, built on the merest conjectures, self-contradictory, and every way as unlikely as it is insupportable. It has never yet been satisfactorily proved that the sacrifices were ever washed; and, could even this be proved, who can show that they were washed in the pool of Bethesda? These waters healed a man in a moment of whatsoever disease he had. Now, there is no one cause under heaven that can do this. Had only one kind of disorders been cured here, there might have been some countenance for this deistical conjecture-but this is not the case; and we are obliged to believe the relation just as it stands, and thus acknowledge the sovereign power and mercy of God, or take the desperate flight of an infidel, and thus get rid of the passage altogether.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 3. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk , etc.] Sick and weak persons; who were an emblem of men under the law of works, and in a state of unregeneracy; who are enfeebled by sin, and are impotent and unable to do anything of themselves; as to keep the law of God, to which they have neither will nor power, and to atone for the transgressions of it; nor to redeem themselves from the curse of the law or to begin and carry on a work of grace upon their souls; or to do anything that is spiritually good; no, not to think a good thought, or to do a good action, as is required: of blind ; these also may represent men a state of nature, who are ignorant of, and blind to everything that is spiritual; as to the true knowledge of God in Christ, the way of salvation by him, the plague of their own hearts, and the exceeding sinfulness of sin; to the Spirit of God, and his work upon the soul; and to the truths of the Gospel, in the power of them: halt , or lame; this word sometimes is used of persons in suspense about religious things, hesitating concerning them, halting between two opinions; and sometimes designs the infirmities of the saints, and their faulterings in religious exercises; and here maybe expressive in a figurative way, of the incapacity natural men, to go or walk of themselves; as to come to Christ for grace and life, which no man can do, except the Father draw him; or to walk by faith in him: it is added, withered ; one limb or another of them dried up: their arms or legs were withered, and their sinews shrunk, and were without radical moisture, or the free use of the animal spirits; and may point out carnal persons, such as are sensual, not having the Spirit, destitute of the grace of God, without faith, hope, love, knowledge, and the fear of God; without God, Christ, and the Spirit; and in a lifeless, helpless, hopeless, and perishing condition: waiting for the moving of the water ; hereafter mentioned: and so it is in providence, and a wonderful thing it is, that the hearts of so many unregenerate persons should be inclined to attend upon the outward means of grace, and should be waiting at Wisdoms gates, and watching at the posts of her door.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-9 - We are all by nature impotent folk in spiritual things, blind, halt and withered; but full provision is made for our cure, if we attend to it. An angel went down, and troubled the water; and what disease soeve it was, this water cured it, but only he that first stepped in ha benefit. This teaches us to be careful, that we let not a season sli which may never return. The man had lost the use of his limb thirty-eight years. Shall we, who perhaps for many years have scarcel known what it has been to be a day sick, complain of one wearisom night, when many others, better than we, have scarcely known what it has been to be a day well? Christ singled this one out from the rest Those long in affliction, may comfort themselves that God keeps accoun how long. Observe, this man speaks of the unkindness of those abou him, without any peevish reflections. As we should be thankful, so we should be patient. Our Lord Jesus cures him, though he neither aske nor thought of it. Arise, and walk. God's command, Turn and live; Make ye a new heart; no more supposes power in us without the grace of God his distinguishing grace, than this command supposed such power in the impotent man: it was by the power of Christ, and he must have all the glory. What a joyful surprise to the poor cripple, to find himself of sudden so easy, so strong, so able to help himself! The proof of spiritual cure, is our rising and walking. Has Christ healed ou spiritual diseases, let us go wherever he sends us, and take u whatever he lays upon us; and walk before him.
Greek Textus Receptus
εν 1722 PREP ταυταις 3778 D-DPF κατεκειτο 2621 5711 V-INI-3S πληθος 4128 N-NSN πολυ 4183 A-NSN των 3588 T-GPM ασθενουντων 770 5723 V-PAP-GPM τυφλων 5185 A-GPM χωλων 5560 A-GPM ξηρων 3584 A-GPM εκδεχομενων 1551 5740 V-PNP-GPM την 3588 T-ASF του 3588 T-GSN υδατος 5204 N-GSN κινησιν 2796 N-ASF
Vincent's NT Word Studies
3. Great multitude. The best texts omit great.Impotent (asqevountwn). Rev., sick. Yet the A.V. gives the literal meaning, people without strength. Wyc., languishing.
Withered (zhrwn). Literally, dry. So Wyc.. The following words, to the end of ver. 4, are omitted by the best texts.
