The miracles of Jesus - Classical Christian Literature by Athleo.net

INTENSIVE PUNISHMENT 179
did not mean much. It was the proper thing. A
man went there because it was expedient, or impelled
by the habits impressed upon him in childhood,
rather than from personal conviction. Certain it is, if
Pontius Pilate had stretched his nets across the temple
doors on some high festival, he would have gathered
of every kind both good and bad. Let it be
assumed, however, that this man had gone to make
a formal acknowledgment of the divine favour
shown in his restoration. Whoever his healer
might happen to be, he at least could quiet a conscience,
that had shrivelled along with his body, by
giving glory to God and reserving judgment upon
the Man through whom salvation had come. He
was not ready to honour the Son even as he
honoured the
Father.
But before the thanksgiving is
completed, he finds
himself embarked in an unforeseen controversy with
the leaders of Jewish opinion, for which he is not
quite prepared. Between the porches of Bethesda
and the temple gates a false step was taken. He
had shown comparatively little interest in his
deliverer. Who was He The man was probably
capable of making an excellent guess, for in his
helplessness he would hear much of the gossip of
the city ; but it was well, as he judged things, not
to know too much. His neutrality upon this point
was an evil sign. He thought more of his healing
and the improved prospect it opened, than of his
healer. True, Jesus had withdrawn Himself, a
multitude being in that place, but the sudden gliding
away of this figure did not close up every
avenue of inquiry and information. Jesus was