The Pool of Bethesda.
SOON after this, again the feast
Of passover came round,
And Jesus, at Jerusalem,
All worshipful was found.
For, to fulfill all righteousness
He taught the people all,
And joined the service in God's house
At every stated call.
Now, in Jerusalem, there is
At the sheep-gate a pool,
Bethesda called in Hebrew phrase,
Five-porched, of water full.
And in these porches lay a throng,
Diseased and racked with pain;
Blind, halt and withered, hoping from
The water help to gain.
For, sometimes, down an angel went
And tossed the quiet pool;
And who could, after, step in first,
Was sure to be made whole.
And one poor sufferer lay there,
On that unhappy ground,
Who eight and thirty tedious years
Infirmity had bound.
When Jesus, passing, saw him lie,
He knew his wretched case;
And He who shares His peoples' woes,
Looked down with pitying grace;
And kindly asked the man: "Wilt thou
Be healed of thy disease?"
Well knowing that no earthly boon
Could more the cripple please;
Who answered, in dejected tone,
"Sir, I have no kind friend—
Whene'er the water is stirred up—
His kindly help to lend.
"But while with slow and painful steps,
I try to move alone,
Another suff'rer gets down first,
Whose limbs are good and strong;"
Then Jesus said: "Rise, lift thy bed,
And walk with it away."
Immediately the man obeyed;
And 'twas the Sabbath day.
The Jews who met him, therefore, said:
"Thou'rt doing very wrong,
Upon this holy, Sabbath day,
To bear thy bed along."
He answered them: "The man who did
The wondrous work on me,
Of healing by His own command
My long infirmity—
"He said: 'Take up thy bed and walk,'
And, instantly, there came
A healthful glow through all my limbs,
With power to do the same."
Then asked they him: "What man is he,
Who thus irreverent spake,
Commanding thee thus wickedly
The Sabbath law to break?"
But the healed man knew not the friend
Who did him so much good;
For Jesus bore Himself away
To escape the multitude.
But afterward, as Jesus taught
Within the temple gate,
He found this man and said to him,
"Behold thy healthy state;
"Now sin no more, lest worse should come
Upon the guilty soul."
Then went the man and told the Jews
'Twas Jesus made him whole.
Therefore the Jews did persecute
The Lord and seek to slay,
Because He did these wondrous things
Upon the Sabbath day.
But Jesus preached to them the truth,
In language strong and clear;
And happy were they who believed,
And lent a willing ear.