It is always disappointing when religious people get angry when God does what they do not expect.  A paralysed man, disabled for thirty-eight years, had just been healed by Jesus (John 5:1-9); but the religious people disapproved because it was their holy day.  The law said that no work should be done on a holy day (Exodus 20:8-11), but they interpreted that to mean carrying anything, and so carrying a bed roll was ‘work’.  Therefore, they considered that because the man had defiled the Sabbath, he must be unholy.  They ignored the wonderful miracle that a disabled man could walk – an act of re-creation on the day of rest.

In fact, it was Jesus (the Word of God and Creator of everything – John 1:1-3) who commanded the man to do it.  The undoubted fact that a paralysed person could walk was the sign that he had been made whole, and thirty-eight years of profound disability had come to an end.  Although Jesus has healed him, the man had no idea who Jesus was.  All he knew was that he was previously unable to do anything to improve his long-term disability, but that by obeying this stranger’s authoritative word, the past had gone and he had a new future.  The same scenario occurred in John 9:1-38 with the man who had been born blind.

Later, when Jesus found him worshipping in the temple, He reminded the man that, although his body was now working well, his heart needed to be healed as well.  He also needed to identify his inner hidden disability, the sin which was causing spiritual paralysis.  He needed a new heart as well as new legs so that he could live a new life pleasing God.  It would be foolish to have a healed body and unholy soul.  Yet, religious people are often content to be thought of as being pious, even though their hearts are far from God (Matthew 15:8).

Religious piety and holiness are not the same.  'Holiness' describes a heart which is in submission to God, and which motivates a lifestyle that pleases God.  On the other hand, Religion can easily become a vehicle for pride and a controlling spirit. It is not good enough to look holy on the outside but to be unholy on the inside (Matthew 6:1-6). On the other hand, the man with the paralysed body was willing to obey Jesus: he was also willing to hear Jesus' command to stop sinning.  So, ask yourself what God is saying to you through this passage.  Have you fallen into the trap of appearing to be pious but having an unholy heart that is critical of others?  Or have you been grateful to Jesus for all He has done for you until now, and are willing to review your life and change whatever does not please Him?