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THE KING’S BUSINESS
is the man that) said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? And (But) he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed Himself away, a multitude being in that (the) place." The man had not told who it was who had made him whole, for the simple reason that he him self did not know. As soon as he found out who it was that made him whole he told them without fear. Just as soon as Jesús had healed the man He disappeared. He did not wish to attract attention to Himself.' He had simply been moyed by compassion for the man in his great mis fortune. How unlike Jesus was so many of our modern healers who do- everything in their power to court notoriety for them selves. v. 14. “Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto (befall) thee." Though Jesus removed himself from the man at the timé because there was *a multitude about He wished to avoid notice, He after wards sought the man out because the man needed to know the truth, and needed a spiritual blessing more than the physical healing. He found the man “in the temple.” This is where Jesús ought often to find us after He has blesfeed us, in the house of God. But how many of those whom Jesus has blessed absent themselves from the house of God. t)ur Lord’.s counsel to the man and to all whom He heals, is worthy of earnest meditation, “sin no more.” Evi dently sin was the cause of this man’s previous suffering, and Jesus today is ready to heal the sicknesses and other misfortunes which are the result of our own sinning. Many think that because the misfortunes which they are suffering are the#results of their own sinning they cannot take them to the Lord Jesus, but this passage shows that we may. If, after He has Christian Science healings, and the healings of many professional “Divine healers” of which we hear so much but see so little. It was a case of real infirmity, and no mere illusion that he was sick. It was of long standing, “thirty and eight years,” and well known, and the healing was as real as the sickness, not a mere imagining himself well when he still had all the symptoms of his former infirmity. And there were no treat ments, and no long period of waiting for healing to come from many different sources, but an instantaneous and complete cure by a mere_ word, and there was no charge. What silly foolishness it is to put these imaginary and long drawn out cures, with the healings recorded in the Bible as having been wrought through the word of our Lord Jesus. vs. 10, 11. “The Jews therefore (So the Jews) said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day, (sabbath, and) it is not lawful for thee to carry (take up) thy bed. He (But he) answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk." The man had used his Christ-given strength by doing just what the Lord told him to do. But he found opposition in doing as Jesus bade him. So will every one find opposition who under- takes tQ obey the Lord (2 Tim. 3:12). The objection raised was that he was trans gressing the Jewish law. It is true he was transgressing the Jewish law, that is to say, the Phraisaic interpretation of the law in that day, but he was not transgressing the law of Moses. His all-sufficient answer was, “He that made me whole, the same said unto me, etc.” It is sufficient answer to any objection that others may raise to our conduct, that Jesus has commanded us to do it, no matter what traditions His commandment seems to run counter to. The strength that Jesufe gives, should be used in obedience to Him who gave it. Jesus, not Moses, is the Christian’s law giver (cf. Matt. S:21, 22, 27, 28, 31, 32, 33, 34-37, 38, 39). vs. 12, 13. ‘‘Then asked they (They asked) him, What man is that which (Who
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