John 5:7 Commentary and Bible Study

The infirm man does not really answer the question. He simply answers defensively that he has no one to help him into the water. But why did he have no man, no helper? Well possibly because he did not want one. But who got him to this spot every day from his home or whoever he lived with? He was not allowed to be there overnight. Somebody enabled him to get there, somebody helped him. But then they would leave him. So yes, he had no helper. Why? Because he gave up years ago possibly. I do not think we see this as a reply of deprivation and longing. We see it really it as a sidestepping of the question. Do you want to be made whole? He did not think about it. He stopped thinking about that for years, probably decades.