John 5 is a study in the contrasts of people who don't know Jesus. First, we have the story of a crippled man who had been disabled for 38 years. Jesus found him in Jerusalem by the pool of Bethesda. He had a short conversation with the man and then healed him! This healing is somewhat unique in the scriptures because it didn't require faith. The man didn't seek Jesus out. He didn't ask Jesus for a sign. In fact, later in the story, we find that he didn't even know that Jesus was Jesus. He didn't exercise faith. He didn't have any friends who exercised faith. All he had going for him was that he had nothing going for him. All he had was his great need and his desperate helplessness. But...sometimes helplessness is our greatest prayer. In the end not only was the man healed, but he knew Jesus.
The others who didn't know Jesus were the religious leaders. They were the ones who knew the scriptures. They had mastered the Word, memorized the Word, studied and taught the Word. But they didn't know Jesus was Jesus either. After the miracle, Jesus will confront them with these words, "You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet your refuse to come to me that you may have life." Really the primary difference between the cripple and the religious leaders was that one knew he was helpless and the others did not!
