The Meaning of John 5:5 Explained

John 5:5

KJV: And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

YLT: and there was a certain man there being in ailment thirty and eight years,

Darby: But there was a certain man there who had been suffering under his infirmity thirty and eight years.

ASV: And a certain man was there, who had been thirty and eight years in his infirmity.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  a certain  man  was  there,  which had  an infirmity  thirty  and eight  years. 

What does John 5:5 Mean?

Verse Meaning

This man"s sickness appears to have been paralysis resulting in inability to walk at least ( John 5:7) that seems to have been a result of sin ( John 5:14). Perhaps a severe arthritic condition complicated his ailment. John"s reference to the length of his illness seems to be just to document its seriousness and the man"s hopeless condition. Some commentators tried to find symbolic significance in the38 years, but that seems unwarranted to me. For example, 38 years recalls the period during which the Israelites wandered in the wilderness following their rebellion at Kadesh-barnea before they entered the Promised Land.

Context Summary

John 5:1-9 - Weakness Made Strength
An interval of some months lies between the previous chapter and this, in which many of the incidents of our Lord's Galilean life took place. John does not touch on them, because they had been described in the Synoptic Gospels, and because he wished to concentrate all his force on the great conflict which our Lord waged in Jerusalem, the stronghold of Jewish prejudice. He also chose the incidents which led to our Lord's discourses, and served as the text of his words.
The pool of Bethesda had medicinal properties. It was an intermittent spring. There must have been something in this man who lay at its brink which specially attracted Jesus. He saw that he had faith to be healed, and therefore made a direct challenge to the will of the sufferer. As soon as the appeal was made, he opened his heart to Christ's power. Through his expectant faith new energy poured into his being.
Are you a withered soul? Healing and wholeness are in Christ for you. Receive from Him the power that waits to flow through your wasted muscles. Believe that it is passing through you, and act accordingly. Spring to your feet, roll up your bed, and carry that which has so long carried you. [source]

Chapter Summary: John 5

1  Jesus on the Sabbath day cures him who was diseased thirty-eight years
10  The Jews therefore object, and persecute him for it
17  He answers for himself, and reproves them, showing by the testimony of his Father,
31  of John,
36  of his works,
39  and of the Scriptures, who he is

Greek Commentary for John 5:5

Which had been thirty and eight years [τριακοντα και οκτω ετη εχων]
Literally, “having thirty and eight years,” “having spent thirty and eight years.” [source]
Had an infirmity thirty and eight years []
Literally, having thirty and eight years in his infirmity. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 5:5

John 11:17 Found [ευρεν]
Second aorist active indicative of ευρισκω — heuriskō That he had been in the tomb four days already Literally, “him (accusative object of ευρεν — heuren) having already four days in the tomb.” See John 5:5 for the same idiom In Jewish custom burial took place on the day of death (Acts 6:6, Acts 6:10). [source]
1 Timothy 5:23 Thine often infirmities [τὰς πυκνάς σου ἀσθενείας]
This use of often as an adjective appears in earlier English. So Chaucer: “Ofte sythes” or “tymes ofte,” many times. Shakespeare: “In which my often rumination wraps me in a most humorous sadness” (As you like it, IV. i. 19). And Ben Jonson:“The jolly wassal walks the often round.”The Forest, iii.Even Tennyson:“Wrench'd or broken limb - an often chanceIn those brain-stunning shocks and tourney-falls.”Gareth and Lynette. Πυκνός oftenvery common in Class. Originally, close, compact, comp. Lat. frequens. In this sense Luke href="/desk/?q=lu+5:33&sr=1">Luke 5:33; Acts 24:26. Ἁσθένεια weaknessinfirmity, only here in Pastorals. In the physical sense, as here, Luke 5:15; Luke 8:2; John 5:5; Galatians 4:13. In the ethic sense, Romans 6:19; Romans 8:26. [source]
1 John 2:22 A liar [ὁ ψεύστης]
Rev., correctly, “the liar.” For a similar interrogative phrase see 1 John 5:5. It marks the lively feeling with which the apostle writes. By the definite article, the liar, the lie is set forth in its concrete personality: the one who impersonates all that is false, as antichrist represents every form of hostility and opposition to Christ. The denial that Jesus is the Christ is the representative falsehood. He that denies is the representative liar. [source]
1 John 2:13 Have overcome [νενικήκατε]
Compare John 16:33. The image is characteristic of Revelation and First Epistle. See Revelation 2:7, Revelation 2:11, Revelation 2:17, Revelation 2:26; Revelation 12:11; Revelation 21:7; 1 John 2:14; 1 John 4:4; 1 John 5:4, 1 John 5:5. [source]
1 John 1:7 Of Jesus Christ His Son []
Omit Christ. The human name, Jesus, shows that His blood is available for man. The divine name, His Son, shows that it is efficacious. I shall be rendering a service to students of John's Epistles by giving, in a condensed form, Canon Westcott's note, classifying the several names of our Lord and their uses in the Epistles. The name in John, as in the Bible elsewhere, has two distinct, but closely connected meanings. -DIVIDER-
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1. The Revelation of the Divine Being by a special title. -DIVIDER-
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2. The whole sum of the manifold revelations gathered up so as to form one supreme revelation. -DIVIDER-
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The latter sense is illustrated in 3 John 1:7, where “the name” absolutely includes the essential elements of the Christian creed, the complete revelation of Christ's work in relation to God and man. Compare John 20:31; Acts 5:41. -DIVIDER-
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In 1 John 2:12, the term is more limited, referring to Christ as He lived on earth and gave Himself for “the brethren.” In 1 John 3:23; 1 John 5:13, the exact sense is defined by what follows. -DIVIDER-
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Actual Names Used. -DIVIDER-
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(I.) His Son Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:3; 1 John 3:23; 1 John 5:20. The divine antecedent is differently described in each case, and the difference colors the phrase. In 1 John 1:2-3, the Father (compare 1John href="/desk/?q=1jo+3:23&sr=1">1 John 3:23, God. In 1 John 5:20, He that is true. Thus the sonship of Christ is regarded in relation to God as Father, as God, and as satisfying the divine ideal which man is able to form. The whole phrase, His Son Jesus Christ, includes the two elements of the confessions which John makes prominent. -DIVIDER-
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1. Jesus is the Son of God (John 4:15; John 5:5). -DIVIDER-
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2. Jesus is the Christ (John 2:22; John 5:1). -DIVIDER-
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The constituents of the compressed phrase are all used separately by John. -DIVIDER-
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(1.) Jesus. 1 John 2:22; 1 John 5:1; 1 John 4:3(where the correct reading omits Christ). The thought is that of the Lord in His perfect historic humanity. -DIVIDER-
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(2.) Christ. 2 John 1:9. Pointing to the preparation made under the old covenant. -DIVIDER-
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(3). Jesus Christ. 1 John 2:1; 1 John 5:6; 2 John 1:7. Combining the ideas of true humanity and messianic position. -DIVIDER-
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In 1 John 4:15, the reading is doubtful: Jesus or Jesus Christ. -DIVIDER-
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On 1 John 4:2, see note. -DIVIDER-
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(4.) The Son. 1 John 2:22, 1 John 2:23, 1 John 2:24; 1 John 4:14; 1 John 5:12. The absolute relation of Sonship to Fatherhood. -DIVIDER-
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(5.) The Son of God. 1 John 3:8; 1 John 5:10, 1 John 5:12, 1 John 5:13, 1 John 5:20. Compare His Son (1 John 4:10; 1 John 5:9), where the immediate antecedent is ὁ Θεός Godand 1 John 5:18, He that was begotten of God. Combination of the ideas of Christ's divine dignity and divine sonship. -DIVIDER-
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(6.) Jesus His (God's) Son. 1 John 1:7. Two truths. The blood of Christ is available and efficacious. -DIVIDER-
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(7). His (God's) Son, His only Son. 1 John 4:9. The uniqueness of the gift is the manifestation of love. -DIVIDER-
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The Son in various forms is eminently characteristic of the First and Second Epistles, in which it occurs more times than in all Paul's Epistles. -DIVIDER-
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Κύριος Lordis not found in the Epistles (omit from 2 John 1:3), but occurs in the Gospel, and often in Revelation. -DIVIDER-
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The expression, the blood of Jesus His Son, is chosen with a profound insight. Though Ignatius uses the phrase blood of God yet the word blood is inappropriate to the Son conceived in His divine nature. The word Jesus brings out His human nature, in which He assumed a real body of flesh and blood, which blood was shed for us.Cleanseth ( καθαρίζει )See on Mark 7:19. Not only forgives but removes. Compare Titus 2:14; Hebrews 9:13sq.; Hebrews 9:22sq.; Ephesians 5:26sq.; Matthew 5:8; 1 John 3:3. Compare also 1 John 1:9, where, forgive ( ἀφῇ ) and cleanse ( καθαρίσῃ ) occur, with an obvious difference of meaning. Note the present tense cleanseth. The cleansing is present and continuous. Alexander (Bishop of Derry) cites a striking passage from Victor Hugo (“Le Parricide”). The usurper Canute, who has had a share in his father's death, expiring after a virtuous and glorious reign, walks towards the light of heaven. But first he cuts with his sword a shroud of snow from the top of Mt. Savo. As he advances towards heaven, a cloud forms, and drop by drop his shroud is soaked with a rain of blood.All sin ( πάσης ἁμαρτίας )The principle of sin in all its forms and manifestations; not the separate manifestations. Compare all joy (James 1:2); all patience (2 Corinthians 7:12); all wisdom (Ephesians 1:8); all diligence (2 Peter 1:5). [source]

1 John 2:22 The liar [ο πσευστης]
The liar (with the article) par excellence. Rhetorical question to sharpen the point made already about lying in 1 John 1:6, 1 John 1:10; 1 John 2:4, 1 John 2:21. See 1 John 5:5 for a like rhetorical question. [source]
1 John 5:6 This [ουτος]
Jesus the Son of God (1 John 5:5). [source]

What do the individual words in John 5:5 mean?

Was now a certain man there thirty and eight years being in - infirmity himself
Ἦν δέ τις ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖ τριάκοντα καὶ ὀκτὼ ἔτη ἔχων ἐν τῇ ἀσθενείᾳ αὐτοῦ

δέ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
τις  a  certain 
Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: τὶς  
Sense: a certain, a certain one.
ἄνθρωπος  man 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἄνθρωπος  
Sense: a human being, whether male or female.
τριάκοντα  thirty 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: τριάκοντα  
Sense: thirty.
ὀκτὼ  eight 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: ὀκτώ  
Sense: eight.
ἔτη  years 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: ἔτος  
Sense: year.
ἔχων  being 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἔχω  
Sense: to have, i.e. to hold.
τῇ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἀσθενείᾳ  infirmity 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: ἀσθένεια  
Sense: want of strength, weakness, infirmity.
αὐτοῦ  himself 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.