Jesus' Discourse on Sickness and Affliction 

On the afternoon of the second Sabbath in Jerusalem, as the Master and the apostles prepared to join the temple services, John approached Jesus and said, “Come with me, I would show you something.” He led Jesus through a Jerusalem gate to a pool called Bethesda, surrounded by five porches where many afflicted individuals waited for a miraculous healing. This pool was a hot spring whose waters, tinged red and bubbling irregularly due to gases in the rock caverns below, were believed to have supernatural healing powers after such disturbances.

The apostles, particularly John, the youngest, felt restless under the restrictions Jesus had imposed. John hoped that the sight of the suffering would compel Jesus to perform a healing miracle, thus astonishing Jerusalem and converting many to the gospel of the kingdom. He said to Jesus, “Master, see all of these suffering ones; is there nothing we can do for them?” Jesus responded, “John, why would you tempt me to turn aside from the way I have chosen? Why do you go on desiring to substitute the working of wonders and the healing of the sick for the proclamation of the gospel of eternal truth? My son, I may not do that which you desire, but gather together these sick and afflicted that I may speak words of good cheer and eternal comfort to them.”

Addressing the gathered crowd, Jesus said, “Many of you are here, sick and afflicted, because of your many years of wrong living. Some suffer from the accidents of time, others as a result of the mistakes of their forebears, while some of you struggle under the handicaps of the imperfect conditions of your temporal existence. But my Father works, and I would work, to improve your earthly state but more especially to ensure your eternal estate. None of us can do much to change the difficulties of life unless we discover the Father in heaven so wills. After all, we are all beholden to do the will of the Eternal. If you could all be healed of your physical afflictions, you would indeed marvel, but it is even greater that you should be cleansed of all spiritual disease and find yourselves healed of all moral infirmities. You are all God’s children; you are the sons of the heavenly Father. The bonds of time may seem to afflict you, but the God of eternity loves you. And when the time of judgment shall come, fear not, you shall all find, not only justice, but an abundance of mercy. Verily, verily, I say to you: He who hears the gospel of the kingdom and believes in this teaching of sonship with God, has eternal life; already are such believers passing from judgment and death to light and life. And the hour is coming in which even those who are in the tombs shall hear the voice of the resurrection.”

Many who heard these words believed the gospel of the kingdom. Some were so inspired and spiritually rejuvenated that they proclaimed they had been healed of their physical ailments. One man, long afflicted and feeling helpless, was so moved by Jesus’ message that he picked up his bed and walked home, even though it was the Sabbath. This action proved to him that taking initiative was what he needed for recovery.

Jesus then said to John, “Let us depart ere the chief priests and the scribes come upon us and take offense that we spoke words of life to these afflicted ones.” They returned to the temple to meet their companions, and soon after, all departed to spend the night in Bethany. John, however, never mentioned this Sabbath visit to the pool of Bethesda to the other apostles.

Jesus suggests that sickness can arise from various sources: lifestyle choices, inherited conditions, or simply the inherent challenges of human existence. Yet, beyond mere physical healing, Jesus emphasized the spiritual and moral growth that can emerge from adversity. Sickness challenges us to seek deeper truths, develop empathy, and strengthen our spiritual connection. It serves as a catalyst for personal transformation and an opportunity to experience the divine compassion that reassures us of our eternal worth beyond our physical ailments.

Jesus consistently refrained from using his supernatural powers to heal those close to him, including during instances like the painful illness of Nathaniel and James Zebedee from a digestive disturbance, a two-week illness of young Ganid at the end of Jesus' Mediterranean Tour, and his many visits to those who were sick and being treated at a temporary hospital in Bethsaida in 28 CE. This restraint was rooted in his commitment to the principles of the Father’s will and the natural order of evolutionary worlds.

Jesus aimed to teach that spiritual growth and soul development arise from facing and overcoming the trials and tribulations of mortal life. He demonstrated that divine intervention is not a substitute for human experience and learning through adversity. Thus, by abstaining from miraculous healings for his immediate followers or family, Jesus underscored the importance of personal growth and reliance on faith rather than divine shortcuts, fostering resilience and deeper spiritual reliance among his followers.