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The Gospel’s Depiction of a Healing Near a Five-Colonnaded Pool

The Gospel of John includes a notable event in which Jesus healed a man at the Pool of Bethesda, located near the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem (John 5:1-9). John 5:2 specifically references this site, adding that it had five colonnades. This narrative presents Jesus encountering a large number of ill or disabled individuals who believed the pool’s waters had curative properties when stirred. By speaking to a man who had been ailing for thirty-eight years, Jesus performed a miraculous act that sparked controversy, particularly because it occurred on the Sabbath (John 5:9-10). For centuries, many readers accepted the narrative as fact. Yet some modern critics doubted its authenticity, alleging that John’s mention of “five porticoes” signaled a symbolic structure rather than a genuine locale.

Archaeologists later shed light on these doubts by uncovering remnants in Jerusalem’s northeastern quarter, near the Church of St. Anne, consistent with John’s portrayal of a two-part pool complex featuring porticoed walkways. This synergy of written testimony and excavated remains has enhanced confidence that John’s Gospel references real places. The healing recounted in John 5:2-9 therefore stands on firmer ground, revealing that the writer of John did not invent geographical details but instead described an actual water reservoir with distinctive architectural features. Skepticism once aimed at this portion of the Gospel has receded in the face of archaeological evidence showing that a colonnaded pool did indeed exist, making the biblical account’s setting historically credible.

The Archaeological Discovery and Physical Layout of the Pool

In the late 19th and 20th centuries, scholars and archaeologists explored the area north of the Temple Mount, near the modern-day St. Anne’s Church, investigating what earlier pilgrims had identified as the site of the Bethesda pool. Excavations unearthed a complex water system consisting of two large rectangular basins separated by a wall, each basin surrounded by colonnaded porticoes. Initially, some were uncertain whether these represented the biblical site, yet more complete excavations clarified that the overall structure included five covered walkways: four along the outer edges of the twin pools, and one spanning the central dividing wall. The uncovered ruin matched remarkably well with John 5:2’s statement about “five colonnades.”

By analyzing the layout of cisterns, channels, and steps, researchers concluded that the pool likely began as a reservoir or mikveh-like bath in the Hasmonean or Herodian periods. Over time, expansions or modifications introduced covered porticoes for shelter. Historians note how pilgrims or locals might gather under these roofed areas, consistent with John 5:3, which describes many sick individuals lying down in waiting. Pottery shards, coins, and architectural styles place the site’s major phases within the final centuries B.C.E. to the first century C.E., the same window in which Jesus’ ministry occurred. Such chronological harmony bolsters the idea that the Gospel of John reflects knowledge of the city’s topography prior to the destruction in 70 C.E.

Evidence of Medicinal or Ritual Activity at Bethesda

While John’s Gospel portrays the pool as a gathering place for the disabled seeking healing, some historians believe that Bethesda may also have served ritual purification or functioned in part as a reservoir. Certain traditions link the pool to healing cults in Jerusalem. Excavations discovered steps leading into the water, typical of mikvehs, but textual sources like John 5:4 (in some manuscripts) mention an angel stirring the water. Although verse 4 is absent in many older Greek manuscripts, its presence in some textual traditions may reflect popular belief that the water gained curative virtue at intervals. The archaeological design shows at least one of the basins had a dam or partition controlling water flow, possibly generating intermittent bubbling that worshipers linked to divine activity.

These interpretations align with John’s depiction of infirm individuals congregating. Even if some believed the water had supernatural power, the man Jesus healed in John 5:7 lamented his inability to reach the troubled water in time. This anecdote underscores a local tradition that the earliest to enter might benefit from a healing effect. Scholars note that such beliefs were not unique to Bethesda, as other ancient cultures also attached spiritual or therapeutic significance to spring-fed pools. That the architectural layout fosters easy water access and includes steps or ramps for immersion affirms that such bathing was integral to the pool’s usage. Hence, the biblical narrative’s emphasis on the crowd, waiting around the porticoes, emerges as entirely plausible.

Pool of Bethesda is located in Jerusalem

Reflecting the Real Jerusalem of the Second Temple Period

Archaeological evidence indicates that Jerusalem in the early first century was extensively built up around the Temple, supplemented by aqueducts and pools for the city’s water supply. The Pool of Bethesda was one of several important water installations, along with the Pool of Siloam in the city’s southern area. John’s mention of these pools, specifying their names and distinctive features, aligns with the picture of an urban environment with robust water management. The presence of numerous ritual baths or mikvehs also points to a population strongly devoted to purification rites, consistent with the Pharisaic and Sadducean emphasis on ceremonial cleanliness (Mark 7:3-4). While John does not present the pool primarily as a ritual bath, the architecture suggests a multi-purpose usage for both physical and religious needs.

That the Gospel writer locates Bethesda “by the Sheep Gate” (John 5:2) is another detail validated by excavations. The Sheep Gate, presumably near the temple’s northeastern side, is mentioned in Nehemiah 3:1, 32 for earlier time periods. Thus, the broad continuity of Jerusalem’s gates and thoroughfares from Old Testament days to the Herodian era helps pinpoint the pool. This geographical precision counters any argument that John’s reference was symbolic or fictional. The site was real, and the writer’s knowledge of that quarter’s layout is consistent with a first-hand or near first-hand perspective (John 19:35 suggests the Gospel’s author was intimately acquainted with events and places he recounts).

Significance for Understanding John’s Gospel

From a historical vantage point, the partial remains of the Bethesda pool illuminate the reliability of John’s topographical references. Skeptics once labeled the mention of “five colonnades” a symbolic invention pointing to the five books of Moses or similar allegory. Yet archaeological findings confirm that the pool’s physical design indeed comprised five covered porticoes. For textual scholarship, such discoveries highlight John’s authenticity in matters of local color and architectural detail, supporting the broader argument that the Gospel is rooted in real events and not purely theological construct.

Furthermore, the narrative about the paralyzed man’s decades-long illness, culminating in Jesus’ Sabbath healing, resonates with ongoing controversies about lawful rest day observances. The site, where many hoped for miraculous healing, forms a compelling backdrop for Jesus’ demonstration of mercy overriding strictly regulated Sabbath rules (John 5:9-11). Because of the pool’s location within easy reach of the temple precinct, devout Jews naturally frequented it. This movement of worshipers and supplicants fosters the dramatic encounter between Jesus and the man—an episode that exemplifies the compassion Jesus displayed, often clashing with legalistic interpretations of the Law. The archaeological record of a busy pool with sheltered walkways clarifies how such interactions could occur publicly, spurring immediate reactions from onlookers (John 5:10).

Conclusion

The Pool of Bethesda, once subject to speculation due to its “five porticoes,” today stands revealed by archaeological excavations near Jerusalem’s St. Anne’s Church. The remains of two adjacent pools, buttressed by colonnaded structures, align closely with John’s Gospel account of a place where the sick gathered, anticipating healing. This site’s design, dating, and location match the text’s depiction of a major water facility near the Sheep Gate. Far from an invented setting, it provides tangible confirmation that the Gospel writer was intimately aware of Jerusalem’s topography in the first century C.E. The recorded miracle of Jesus healing an ailing man at Bethesda underscores his power to cure both physical distress and spiritual inertia. Archaeology’s unveiling of the pool’s architecture thus allows modern readers to appreciate how John’s narrative arises from a distinctly real environment, strengthening the conclusion that the Good News rests upon genuine historical underpinnings.

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About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).