Bethesda vs. Siloam

2021-10-17

Jesus did many miracles in the Gospels. In John’s Gospel, two men were healed. One was waiting by the pool of Bethesda, and the other was told to wash in the pool of Siloam. Bethesda man was lame, and Siloam man was blind. They responded very differently to their healing.

Bethesda man seems ungrateful. After being healed, he acts like a Pharisee informant, tattling on Jesus for breaking the Sabbath (John 5:15).

Siloam man, on the other hand, is very willing to tell people what Jesus did for Him. He was falsely accused of sin by the Pharisees (John 9:34; cf. John 9:3) and thrown out of their sight, possibly also thrown out of the synagogue (cf. John 9:22, 33, 38). He knew nothing of Jesus before that day, but now was willing to be an outcast in society to follow Jesus:

Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him. (John 9:35-38)

Following Jesus costs you friendship with the world. Some bridges are burned at the mere confession of His name.