Healing at Bethesda during Passover

Though we don’t know the exact date of this trip to Jerusalem, it was most likely for Passover, 31 A.D. March 27 is the evening of the full moon and the probable date of Passover.

By now, almost two years had passed since Jesus’s baptism. Much of that time had been spent in anonymity, but now his reputation as a rabbi—a teacher—was beginning to be known. Because most translate the passage as John saying “a feast” rather than “the feast” some have discounted the view that this was for Passover. However, some scholars say the Greek is properly translated “the feast.”

As to time, if Jesus was in Samaria in the late fall or early winter, Passover would have been the next significant holiday. Those who reject the idea that this was Passover have opted for Purim, since it comes a few weeks earlier. Purim seems a poor choice, however. It is a minor holiday and could be celebrated anywhere. Furthermore, it was a raucous holiday. Whatever feast it was, controversy arose over healing a man on the Sabbath.

The KJV includes some text that is not in all the manuscript sources. It states that an angel would come and disturb the waters offering healing. This may have slipped in out of an attempt to clarify the man’s explanation as to why he had not been healed earlier, but most likely was not in the original text.