Curtis Deterding, a pastor emeritus and theologian, shares insights on the profound healings of Jesus as they explore John 5 and Mark 3. They delve into the significance of the Pool of Bethesda, contrasting superstition with Christ's true mercy. The conversation highlights the paralytic's hesitation to accept healing and the burdensome rules imposed by the Pharisees regarding the Sabbath. Curtis and Phil emphasize Jesus' radical challenges to religious legalism and His call to compassion over strict adherence to the law.
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insights INSIGHT
Misplaced Faith At The Pool
Jesus confronting a man waiting 38 years at Bethesda exposes misplaced hope in rituals over true healing.
The miracle redirects attention from superstition to Christ's authoritative word and mercy.
insights INSIGHT
Question Reveals Deeper Longing
Jesus asks "Do you want to be healed?" to expose the man's misplaced expectations and passive hope.
The man answers with excuses about the pool, showing he sought a ritual rather than the Healer.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Shut-In Visits That Stalled
Curtis Deterding recalls elderly shut-ins who repeatedly listed ailments and never improved.
He wondered whether chronic illness became part of their identity and hindered spiritual healing.
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“Do you want to be healed?” This is a curious question from Jesus to a man desperately trying to make his way to a miraculous healing pool. Of course he wants to be healed! So, why does he put his hope in this “magical” pool? In this episode of The Magnificent 37, we first follow Jesus to the Pool of Bethesda and then into a synagogue, where He encounters men burdened by infirmity and a religious system steeped in legalism. By commanding the invalid to rise and the man with the withered hand to stretch it out, Jesus “breaks the law” so far as the Pharisees are concerned, but, in reality, He is reclaiming the Sabbath as a day of mercy. The Rev. Dr. Curtis Deterding, pastor emeritus in Ft. Meyers, FL, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study John 5:1–15 and Mark 3:1–6. Thy Strong Word kicks off the new year by dedicating our time to study "The Magnificent 37: The Miracles of Jesus." Christ didn't just speak the Word; He demonstrated it with power. From the quiet intimacy of water turning to wine at Cana to the earth-shaking reality of the empty tomb, the Gospels record thirty-seven distinct moments where Jesus suspended the laws of nature to reveal the power of his grace. This isn't just a list of "neat tricks" from history. It is a systematic walkthrough of how God breaks into our broken world to fix it. Why did Jesus curse a fig tree? Why did He need mud to heal a blind man? What does the coin in the fish's mouth teach us about being citizens of heaven and earth? Host, Pastor Phil Booe and a lineup of guest pastors will take you through each event, verse by verse. We’ll move past the Sunday School summary and get into the meat of the text, including the Old Testament connections, the cultural context, and the immediate comfort these signs bring to your life today. Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God’s Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.
Thy Strong Word from KFUO Radio