All of us go through hard things in life. None of us are free from difficulty. But what do we do when we are going through a hard time? Where do we turn?
Read through John 4:43-54 and John 5:1-9. Both of these guys come from different places, different social classes, yet they are going through difficulties. For today, write in the comments at least one way in which these two stories are similar and one way that they are different. Don't read anyone else's answers until you have answered. We'll continue on with some application tomorrow.
Similarities: healing takes place in both stories.
ReplyDeleteDifferences: the first man knew who Jesus was and begged him to heal his son but didn't really believe until his son was healed. The second man had no idea who Jesus was and that he could heal him but believed in healing powers.
Similarities: Jesus helped the men in each story. Also someone was healed in both stories.
ReplyDeleteDifferences: In the first story a father came seeking out Jesus for his help. In the second story, Jesus approached a man and without the man even asking for help, Jesus healed him.
simiar: in both storuies the sick was healed
ReplyDeletedifference: in the firstv story Jesus was found and asked to heal somebody. While in the other story Jesus found the one who needed healing.
Similar: In both stories there is a person who needs healed
ReplyDeleteDifference: One was sick and the other had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.
I'd like to point something out on the second passage. And there is another piece of Scripture that ties in so well with it too. In the second verse, it SPECIFICALLY says that this all took place near the Sheep Gate. Now, the reason I bring this up is because why would you place a therapeutic pool next to a sheep gate? And after the healing of the man took place, if you look at the bottom at the last verse, it SPECIFICALLy points out that it was on an observed Sabbath. (Note: Sabbath days are days observed by the common Jew. Basically, all of Jerusalem would shut down whether it be for business, traffic, so on and so forth. Even TODAY, this is observed highly. Everything within or around Jerusalem is vacant.) Later on we read that the Pharisees questioned this man and this was "evidence" for Jesus' planned death. The reason I point this out, look at Matthew 12:12 "How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."
ReplyDeleteThought that was a really great finding that I'd like to share.
Similarity: Both that were healed had not known who had healed them until later in the story.
Differences: In the case of the official and his son, it states that everyone within the household then believed. But if you continue reading about the healing at the pool, even after the man has sought out Jesus, he did not proclaim Jesus to be his Messiah.
similarities: Both began with a journey by Jesus to a different place. At these places the sick and wounded from both places approached him and asked for healing. Jesus healed both people.
ReplyDeleteDifferences: The one boy was deathly ill and his father had to go find Jesus. In the other story the invalid man looked for Jesus himself.
Similaritie: Jesus healed someone kn both stories.
ReplyDeleteDifferences: One man lived with other paralyzed people and the other was an offical's son. Jesus healed one man because he was asked, and in the other story he healed a man without being asked.
similar: both where healed in the story
ReplyDeletedifferent:in the first one they found Jesus and asked him to heal there friend in the second one Jesus found them.,
Similarities: Jesus helped someone get better in both of the stories.
ReplyDeleteDifferences: In the first story, a concerned father came to Jesus and asked him to heal his very sick son. In the second story, Jesus offered to help a man without the man even directly asking or knowing who Jesus is.
A similarity was that they both believed without seeing. A difference was who they were believing for. The first man was believing for healing for his son. The second man was believing for healing for himself.
ReplyDeleteSimilarities: The man's son was healed in the first story, and in the second, the invalid man was healed.. In both stories, there was healing.
ReplyDeleteDifferences: In the first story, the man came to Jesus and asked him to heal his son. And in the second, Jesus came to the man.
(Jada Moore)
ReplyDeleteSimilarities: in the first story the man ran to Jesus and said his son was going to die. and Jesus healed the man's son, in the second story a man couldn't move and Jesus told the man to stand up and the man stood up and he was healed. in both story's the people got healed,
Differences: in the first story the man ask Jesus to heal his son. in the second story Jesus walk to the man,
Similarity: The similarity is that in both stories someone was healed. Also both cases caused more people to believe and follow Jesus
ReplyDeleteDifference: In the first one the man took Jesus at his word and trusted that what he had said was true.
In both stories the person who needed to be healed were healed.
ReplyDeleteIn John 4 the man took Jesus' word that his son would be well and in John 5 the man questioned it.
Both stories describe Jesus healing someone. But where as in John 4, a man asked Jesus to heal his son, in John 5 Jesus offers to heal the man.
ReplyDeleteBoth stories told that Jesus healed the physical sickness and disabilities. There was spiritual healing there too I believe. The differance is that one, the man looking for his son to be healed, sought out Jesus already having faith that his son could be healed. The other man, the disabled, didn't look for Christ infact Christ found him.
ReplyDeleteSimilar: Both men seen Jesus. They were healed.
ReplyDeleteDifferent: The starting points, Jesus found some of them.
Similarities: They both saw Jesus. and they both experienced a miracle.
ReplyDeleteDifferences: One was in Jerusalem and the other in Galilee.