Early Church Fathers Scripture Index : Texts
John 5:4
There are 7 footnotes for this reference.
Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 3, page 171, footnote 12 (Image)
Tertullian (I, II, III)
Apologetic. (HTML)
An Answer to the Jews. (HTML)
Argument from the Destruction of Jerusalem and Desolation of Judea. (HTML)
CCEL Footnote 1437 (In-Text, Margin)
... commanded not to rain a shower upon the vineyard of Sorek,” —the clouds being celestial benefits, which were commanded not to be forthcoming to the house of Israel; for it “had borne thorns ”—whereof that house of Israel had wrought a crown for Christ—and not “ righteousness, but a clamour,”—the clamour whereby it had extorted His surrender to the cross. And thus, the former gifts of grace being withdrawn, “the law and the prophets were until John,” and the fishpool of Bethsaida[John 5:1-9] until the advent of Christ: thereafter it ceased curatively to remove from Israel infirmities of health; since, as the result of their perseverance in their frenzy, the name of the Lord was through them blasphemed, as it is written: “On your account ...
Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 3, page 671, footnote 13 (Image)
Tertullian (I, II, III)
Ethical. (HTML)
On Baptism. (HTML)
Use Made of Water by the Heathen. Type of the Angel at the Pool of Bethsaida. (HTML)
CCEL Footnote 8577 (In-Text, Margin)
... nymph-caught, or “lymphatic,” or “hydro-phobic.” Why have we adduced these instances? Lest any think it too hard for belief that a holy angel of God should grant his presence to waters, to temper them to man’s salvation; while the evil angel holds frequent profane commerce with the selfsame element to man’s ruin. If it seems a novelty for an angel to be present in waters, an example of what was to come to pass has forerun. An angel, by his intervention, was wont to stir the pool at Bethsaida.[John 5:1-9] They who were complaining of ill-health used to watch for him; for whoever had been the first to descend into them, after his washing, ceased to complain. This figure of corporeal healing sang of a spiritual healing, according to the rule by which ...
Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 9, page 77, footnote 29 (Image)
Gospel of Peter, Diatessaron, Apocalypses, Visio Pauli, Testament of Abraham, Acts of X/P, Zosimus, Aristides, Clement, Origen
The Diatessaron of Tatian. (HTML)
The Diatessaron. (HTML)
Section XXII. (HTML)
CCEL Footnote 1549 (In-Text, Margin)
[10] And there was in Jerusalem a place prepared for bathing, which was called in [11] Hebrew the House of Mercy, having five porches. And there were laid in them much people of the sick, and blind, and lame, and paralysed, waiting for the moving [12] of the water.[John 5:4] And the angel from time to time went down into the place of bathing, and moved the water; and the first that went down after the moving [13] of the water, every pain that he had was healed. And a man was there who had a [14] disease for thirty-eight years. And Jesus saw this man laid, and knew that he had [15] been thus a long time; and he said unto him, ...
Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 1, Volume 1, page 164, footnote 16 (Image)
Augustine: Prolegomena: St. Augustine's Life and Work, Confessions, Letters
The Confessions (HTML)
The design of his confessions being declared, he seeks from God the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, and begins to expound the words of Genesis I. I, concerning the creation of the world. The questions of rash disputers being refuted, ‘What did God before he created the world?’ That he might the better overcome his opponents, he adds a copious disquisition concerning time. (HTML)
He Begs of God that Through the Holy Scriptures He May Be Led to Truth. (HTML)
CCEL Footnote 1023 (In-Text, Margin)
... Mediator and ours, through whom Thou hast sought us, although not seeking Thee, but didst seek us that we might seek Thee, —Thy Word through whom Thou hast made all things, and amongst them me also, Thy Only-begotten, through whom Thou hast called to adoption the believing people, and therein me also. I beseech Thee through Him, who sitteth at Thy right hand, and “maketh intercession for us,” “in whom are hid all treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Him do I seek in Thy books. Of Him did Moses write;[John 5:4-6] this saith Himself; this saith the Truth.
Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 1, Volume 8, page 507, footnote 6 (Image)
Augustine: Expositions on the Psalms
Expositions on the Book of Psalms. (HTML)
Psalm CIII (HTML)
CCEL Footnote 4674 (In-Text, Margin)
... infirmity, and pray for the physician. This is the hidden way of God. Thou hadst long ago heard, “Who healeth all thine infirmities.” Their infirmities were as yet hidden in the sick; the five books were given to Moses: the pool was surrounded by five porches; he brought forth the sick, that they might lie there, that they might be made known, not that they might be healed. The five porches discovered, but healed not, the sick; the pool healed when one descended, and this when it was disturbed:[John 5:2-4] the disturbance of the pool was in our Lord’s Passion.…Since therefore this is a mystery there, he teacheth that the Law was given that sinners might be convinced of their sin, and call upon the Physician in order to receive grace.…Therefore, as I ...
Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 2, Volume 10, page 105, footnote 3 (Image)
Ambrose: Select Works and Letters
Dogmatic Treatises, Ethical Works, and Sermons. (HTML)
On the Holy Spirit. (HTML)
Book I. (HTML)
Chapter VII. The Holy Spirit is not a creature, seeing that He is infinite, and was shed upon the apostles dispersed through all countries, and moreover sanctifies the Angels also, to whom He makes us equal. Mary was full of the same likewise, so too, Christ the Lord, and so far all things high and low. And all benediction has its origin from His operation, as was signified in the moving of the water at Bethesda. (HTML)
88. You read, too, in the Gospel that the Angel descended at the appointed time into the pool and troubled the water, and he who first went down into the pool was made whole.[John 5:4] What did the Angel declare in this type but the descent of the Holy Spirit, which was to come to pass in our day, and should consecrate the waters when invoked by the prayers of the priest? That Angel, then, was a herald of the Holy Spirit, inasmuch as by means of the grace of the Spirit medicine was to be applied to our infirmities of soul and mind. The Spirit, then, has the same ministers as God the Father ...
Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 2, Volume 10, page 320, footnote 1 (Image)
Ambrose: Select Works and Letters
Dogmatic Treatises, Ethical Works, and Sermons. (HTML)
On the Mysteries. (HTML)
Chapter IV. That water does not cleanse without the Spirit is shown by the witness of John and by the very form of the administration of the sacrament. And this is also declared to be signified by the pool in the Gospel and the man who was there healed. In the same passage, too, is shown that the Holy Spirit truly descended on Christ at His baptism, and the meaning of this mystery is explained. (HTML)
CCEL Footnote 2851 (In-Text, Margin)
22. Therefore it is said: “An angel of the Lord went down according to the season into the pool, and the water was troubled; and he who first after the troubling of the water went down into the pool was healed of whatsoever disease he was holden.”[John 5:4] This pool was at Jerusalem, in which one was healed every year, but no one was healed before the angel had descended. Because of those who believed not the water was troubled as a sign that the angel had descended. They had a sign, you have faith; for them an angel descended, for you the Holy Spirit; for them the creature was troubled, for you Christ Himself, the Lord of ...