News Flash! More Than One Healed At The Pool of Bethesda

By Mary Vee
John 5

From John's Journal 

Photo by Mary Vee
Sign outside the area of the Pool of Bethesda

My name is John. I am a disciple of Jesus. I am here with other disciples, so they may add something to what I share today. 

We left Galilee and walked to Jerusalem. I say we walked "up" to Jerusalem, even though we headed south, because the city is up on a hill.

This was a time of feast. The Passover. And as expected, we went to Jerusalem for the celebration. A time to remember how God protected, guided, and cared for the Israelites through the escape from Egypt long ago.


We were near the Sheep Gate, at the pool of Bethesda, there is a map of the city below.

Photo by Mary Vee
The ruins of the Pool of Bethesda 

This is a rather large pool surrounded by five colonnades. There is also a picture of a colonnade below. So the pool was really big.

People who were very sick, injured, blind, those who had all kinds of physical problems came here to the pool each day. They would lie by the water. If they could not get to this place, friends or family might bring them there. 

The came to this pool because when the water stirred, the first one in the water was healed.

The Sheep Gate from
today's story is near the top.
Map by Mary Vee

We walked with Jesus to the pool. He stopped and spoke with a man who said he had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. Jesus said to him, "Do you want to get well?"

We were all quite surprised with the question. Of course he wanted to get well or he wouldn't be there. Later we learned what Jesus really meant by that question.

The man answered, "Sir, I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. When ever I try, someone gets down into the water before me."

Jesus said, "Get up. Pick up your mat and walk."

We stood behind Jesus, but could still see the man. Right before our eyes he stood. His ankles were strong, no wobbling at all. His legs did not buckle. He stood straight and looked as surprised as we were. Then he bent over and picked up his mat like Jesus told him to and walked away. He seemed to be too stunned to say anything.

Photo by Mary Vee
A colonnade in Jerash, Jordan

This happened on a Sabbath. There are many rules about what a man can and cannot do on a Sabbath. Some Jews stopped the man who had been healed. They said to him, "you know this is the Sabbath, right? And that the law strictly forbids you to carry your mat?"

The man who was healed pointed toward Jesus. "He made me well. He told me to pick up my mat and walk."

The Jews said, "Who is this person who said you should pick up a mat and walk?"

He looked back toward the pool and searched the crowd. "I don't see him any more."

Later, we saw the man at the temple. Jesus said to him, "See, you are well, again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you."

The man nodded then hurried away. He went straight to the Jews who spoke with him earlier. "That man who healed me was Jesus."

They left him and hurried through the crowd, searching for Jesus to speak with him. They didn't look happy at all. Actually, they looked like they wanted to get after him for violating their idea of the Sabbath law.

I'll tell you more about that next time.

Come back to read the next story.

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sources: 
*A Harmony of the Gospels for Historical Study, An Analytical Synopsis of the Four Gospels by William Arnold Stevens and Ernest DeWitt Burton, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York 1932
*New International Version, New King James Version. 
*My Bible College training.
*My notes and walk through classes I've taught in Children's church. Answers to student questions, etc.
*Pastoral sermons on this time
*Matthew Henry Commentary
*F. LaGard Smith Commentary
*My notes from my trip to Israel.

John- The Man Who Lived in the Desert

By Mary Vee
Matthew 3
Mark 1
Luke 3

From John the Baptizer's Notes

Photo by Mary Vee - Desert near the Jordan River

My name is John. I live on my own in the desert.

My father was a high priest. His name was Zachariah. He and my mother, Elizabeth, didn't have any children for the longest time. 

This is the funny part. When an angel visited my father in the temple and told him he would have a son, my father didn't believe him. They were really old, way past the time when people have children. No one ever had a child this late in life except, maybe, Abraham and Sarah.

Any way, when the angel saw my father didn't believe the news, the angel said he would not be able to speak until I was born! Unfortunately I didn't get to see that.

My father came out of the temple with a weird look on his face. The priests asked him what happened and he couldn't answer. For nine months my father couldn't speak. When my parents took me as a baby to the temple to give me my name, my father suddenly spoke.  

Photo by Mary Vee - The Jordan River

Yeah, I like that family story, too. Since then, weird things kept happening to our family.

My parents took care of me through my childhood, but not long after I chose to go out on my own and live in the desert. I had learned a lot from my father. He expected me to become a priest like him. I spent long hours learning the Scriptures and their meanings. I couldn't have asked for a better father.

The older I grew, the more I saw problems with the government and the priests. In my heart, I felt truths about God. What I saw in the government, the people living in the cities, and what the priests said and did caused me to want to live away from them in the wide open desert. I learned to eat the desert's food. Roasted locust and fresh honey. I didn't want a fancy house or special clothes. What I wanted was to be with God.

Terrible things happened in my country. The Romans had control over our land. 

During the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar's rein, Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea  which was near Jerusalem, Herod was the tetrarch of Galilee in the north, his brother, Philip, was tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis to the northeast, and Lasagnas was tetrarch of Abilene to the far north.

Annas and Caiaphas were the high priests.

At this time, the word of God came to me while I walked in the desert. I was given a message by God to tell all who would listen. I went to all the country around the Jordan River and preached to any who listened telling them they should stop doing evil. If they did, they would be forgiven for their sins by the God of heaven. For those who did, I baptized them in the waters of the Jordan River as a witness to everyone they had turned from evil and chose to follow God. 

The words I was told to speak are the same ones in the Scriptures which God told Isaiah the prophet to write.

Come back for the next story.

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sources: 
*A Harmony of the Gospels for Historical Study, An Analytical Synopsis of the Four Gospels by William Arnold Stevens and Ernest DeWitt Burton, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York 1932
*New International Version, New King James Version. 
*My Bible College training.
*My notes and walk through classes I've taught in Children's church. Answers to student questions, etc.
*Pastoral sermons on this time
*Matthew Henry Commentary
*F. LaGard Smith Commentary

* Jewish History.org
*Jewish Virtual Library.org

*My research in Israel.

Luke- Broken Silence

By Mary Vee
Luke the Physician 
Luke 1

From Luke's Notes

Photo Courtesy

My name is Elizabeth. 

I have wanted a baby for the longest time. I am so excited because God has blessed me with pregnancy. Soon the child will come.

During the last three months of my pregnancy, my cousin Mary came to visit. And wonder of wonders, God has blessed her with a baby as well. She was only newly pregnant, but I knew. And she knew. 

My baby leaps and is so active. I can't wait to see him. You may ask how I know the baby will be a boy. Well you're right on one part, we didn't have the tools you have today to tell whether the baby is a boy or girl. What I did have was an angel's word to my husband Zachariah, the priest.

Any way. my baby is soon to be born and Mary said she would stay to help me until I gave birth. Right now I must go to rest.

~~~
I am so sorry to have left you. The baby came and I was a bit distracted. The news went out to our neighbors and relatives. The baby is well and I am fine. Giving birth is not easy, especially at my age.

On the eighth day, we took him to be circumcised. The attendant was going to name the baby Zachariah after the baby's father. A few posts ago we told the story of my husband, Zachariah going into the temple for his duties. An angel appeared to him and told him I would be have a son and that we were to name him John. Hah, there was no way we would go against what an angel of the Lord said. I blurted quickly before the wrong name was said by the priest standing there, "No! He is to be called John."

All those standing around were surprised. "There is no one among your relatives who has hat name."

Tradition was that babies are named after the father or a relative to be honored. Those standing around me didn't believe this was true. My husband, Zachariah, still could not speak. The angel had taken away his ability to talk when Zachariah didn't believe the news the angel told him in the temple. The attendants made some motions with their hands asking Zachariah what the baby's name should be.

Zachariah asked for his writing tablet and wrote: "His name is John." Everyone was surprised, but more astonished when Zachariah spoke his first word since seeing the angel. "The boy's name is to be John." He heard himself speak and laughed. "Praise be to the God of heaven. The Lord God Almighty who has returned my ability to speak."

The neighbors and friends standing there laughed and praised God to. "God has taken Zachariah's speech and returned it. Blessed be the Lord God Almighty," they sang out to God. Then they said to each other, "God must have a very special job for this baby. I wonder what it will be?" 

Well, you probably know how quickly news spreads with the Internet and all. I'm telling you, news spreads even faster when a nation hears what God has done. As for me, I am so very happy holding my son in my arms. He's so cute. Look at his hair. See his tiny toes and fingers?




Come back for the next story.

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sources: 
*A Harmony of the Gospels for Historical Study, An Analytical Synopsis of the Four Gospels by William Arnold Stevens and Ernest DeWitt Burton, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York 1932
*New International Version, New King James Version. 
*My Bible College training.
*My notes and walk through classes I've taught in Children's church. Answers to student questions, etc.
*Pastoral sermons on this time
*Matthew Henry Commentary
*F. LaGard Smith Commentary
*The Hanukkah Book by Marilyn Burns, Four Winds Press, Macmillan Publishing Company, 1981
* Jewish History.org
*Jewish Virtual Library.org
*The Hasmonean Dynasty

Luke: Cousin News

By Mary Vee
Luke the Physician 
Luke 1

From Luke's Notes

Photo Courtesy

My name is Mary. 

An angel named Gabriel brought me a message from God. I still can feel my heart beating from seeing the angel and hearing the news from God. He said I would have a son and his name would be Jesus. 

I must admit, I was startled when the angel appeared. I had never seen one before. Gabriel was kind and patient as he told me the news. 

The angel also told me my cousin was pregnant. I was so excited to hear this news. Poor Elizabeth had wanted a child her whole married life. And now, when she was older God has granted her a son. I had to visit her, hear her news, and tell her mine.

I packed some things and hurried to the hills to the town in Judea, where Elizabeth and her husband, Zechariah, live. 

I laughed with delight when I saw her. "Look at you! You have a baby growing inside of you. This is wonderful news."

Elizabeth pressed her hands to her belly and made a sound. "The baby jumped."

"Really? Let me feel your belly." I set my hands on her stomach. It moved with the baby. "This is amazing. I feel your baby moving!" What a miracle. What a blessing.

Elizabeth didn't speak for a moment. She closed her eyes and held her hand on her belly. Suddenly she said in such a loud voice, "Blessed are you among women and blessed is the child you will give birth to. Tell me, why am I so honored that the mother of my Lord should come visit me?"

Her words surprised me until I realized God had spoken to her and given her those words.

Elizabeth said, "As soon as the sound of your voice reached my ears, the baby inside of me leaped for joy. Blessed are you who have believed what the Lord said will come true."

"It's true. I am having a son, Elizabeth. An angel visited me and told me what would happen. I am to name him Jesus." 

I couldn't help myself, a song came to me and I sang it:

My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
For he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me--holy is his name.
His mercy goes to those who fear him, from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm.
He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts..
He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever even as he said to our fathers.

When I finished the song, Elizabeth brought me something to drink. We talked and rested and laughed, and sang. God has bless the two of us more than we could have ever dreamed.

I stayed with her for three months then went home.

Come back for the next story.

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sources: 
*A Harmony of the Gospels for Historical Study, An Analytical Synopsis of the Four Gospels by William Arnold Stevens and Ernest DeWitt Burton, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York 1932
*New International Version, New King James Version. 
*My Bible College training.
*My notes and walk through classes I've taught in Children's church. Answers to student questions, etc.
*Pastoral sermons on this time
*Matthew Henry Commentary
*F. LaGard Smith Commentary
*The Hanukkah Book by Marilyn Burns, Four Winds Press, Macmillan Publishing Company, 1981
* Jewish History.org
*Jewish Virtual Library.org
*The Hasmonean Dynasty

Luke-The Unbelievable Message

By Mary Vee
Luke the Physician 
Luke 1

From Luke's Notes

Photo Courtesy

My name is Luke. I am a physician. In my training, I learned to make accurate and detailed notes. These are so crucial for records.I do this for more than my patients. I've kept written notes about other events, especially the life of Jesus the Christ.

In the days when Herod was king of Judea one of the priests at the temple was named Zacharias. His wife was from the line of Aaron, the Aaron who was Moses' brother, and her name was Elisabeh.

Both Zacharias and Elisabeth were righteous before God. They followed His commandments and the ordinances of the Lord with out fail. 

Deep inside both Zacharias and Elisabeth wanted a child. They were getting pretty old and still had no son or daughter. They realized Elisabeth was not able to have children.

"Elisabeth," Zacharias said one day, "today is my turn to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense."

"This is a wonderful day, my husband." She was so excited. "God has blessed us with such an honor. You know all the people will be praying at the hour you go in to offer incense."

"I'm thankful for that." And Zacharias was. 

He put on his priestly garments and took the incense in his hand. Inside the temple, he walked by himself into the inner room. 

To his surprise an angel appeared to the right of the altar of incense. Fear overpowered Zacharias when he looked at the angel. He trembled and couldn't speak.

The angel said, "Don't be afraid, Zacharias. Your prayer has been heard. Your wife, Elisabeth will give birth to a son and you will call his name John. His birth will bring a lot of joy to you and your wife. Also, all the people who live by you and know you will celebrate this good news.

"Your son, John will be filled with the Holy Ghost from the moment he is first conceived. John will turn many people to the Lord. John will turn the hearts of fathers to their children. The disobedient will walk in the wisdom of the just. He will make the people ready for the Lord."

Zacharias swallowed and found his voice. He said, "How will I know this is true? You know I am an old man, and my wife is also old."

The angel said, "I am Gabriel who has stood in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you and to bring this message of good news. Now, you will not be able to speak until your son is born because you didn't believe my words which will come true at the right time."

Zacharias walked out of the temple. The people crowded close to him asking, "Why were you in the temple so long? Are you all right? What happened?" But he couldn't speak.

The people thought Zacharias must have seen a vision while he was in the temple. 

Zachary's tried to tell them what happened using his hands but they didn't understand. When the time for his service ended that day, he went home.

Elisabeth his wife became pregnant. She chose to stay at home for the first five months to take care of herself and the coming baby.

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sources: 
*A Harmony of the Gospels for Historical Study, An Analytical Synopsis of the Four Gospels by William Arnold Stevens and Ernest DeWitt Burton, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York 1932
*New International Version, New King James Version. 
*My Bible College training.
*My notes and walk through classes I've taught in Children's church. Answers to student questions, etc.
*Pastoral sermons on this time
*Matthew Henry Commentary
*F. LaGard Smith Commentary
*The Hanukkah Book by Marilyn Burns, Four Winds Press, Macmillan Publishing Company, 1981
* Jewish History.org
*Jewish Virtual Library.org
*The Hasmonean Dynasty

Before Time-An Eye Opening Flashback

By Mary Vee
John 1:1-18
Before Time

From Inspiration Given to John

We struggle to understand the time before time because, in truth, it is beyond what we are able to grasp. Oh sure, some men, women, and children have imagined, but there is only One who knows.

Because in the time before time was the Word. You may wonder what is meant by "the Word." Well, first, the Word was with God and the Word was God. The Word was even with God in the beginning.

Everything that has been made was made by the Word. There isn't anything made that He, the Word, didn't make.

In the Word is life. This life is our light. The light shines in darkness, and the darkness cannot understand it.

There was a man named John who was sent by God. His job was to tell everyone about the light so that everyone might listen to him and believe. John wasn't the light. No. His job was to tell everyone who would listen to him about the light who was coming. This light was the true light.

But no one knew who he was, even though he created the world. He came to spend time with his own, to help them, and to make a way for them to go to heaven, but those people didn't want to listen to him.

But, for all the men, women, and children who would listen to him and believe he was the light, the Word, the one who had been with God and was God, to those people he gave the honor to become the children of God. These who believed were not only born once as babies with blood and flesh and will, they were born again belonging to the family of God.

The Word, who is God, left his heavenly kingdom to be born as a baby and grow to be a little boy then a man so that he could spend time with us. Those who truly see him see his glory to be like the only son of the Father, full of grace and truth. 

John, the one sent by God, told others about him saying, "This was the one I told you about. He may have be born after me but actually, he first lived before me. And through him we receive his fulness and grace. 

The law was given by Moses and said grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. 

No man has seen God at any time. But the Father's only Son came to make known the Father to us.

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sources: 
*A Harmony of the Gospels for Historical Study, An Analytical Synopsis of the Four Gospels by William Arnold Stevens and Ernest DeWitt Burton, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York 1932
*New International Version, New King James Version. 
*My Bible College training.
*My notes and walk through classes I've taught in Children's church. Answers to student questions, etc.
*Pastoral sermons on this time
*Matthew Henry Commentary
*F. LaGard Smith Commentary
*The Hanukkah Book by Marilyn Burns, Four Winds Press, Macmillan Publishing Company, 1981
* Jewish History.org
*Jewish Virtual Library.org
*The Hasmonean Dynasty