John 5:15

Jesus findeth him. Apparently Jesus sought out the man, for the spiritual impact of the healing had not yet been brought to bear upon him. Although the larger purpose of the miracle seems to have been to show the Jews the meaninglessness of their traditions (see on v. 10), Jesus did not neglect the salvation of the one whom He had made whole.

Temple. Gr. hierort, a word that refers to the whole Temple complex rather than to the sanctuary proper (see on Matt. 4:5). Jesus probably found the man in one of the courtyards of the Temple.

Sin no more. Or, “do not go on sinning.” Jesus directed the man’s mind from his physical well-being to his need of spiritual hygiene. His response at Bethesda to Jesus’ injunction, “Rise, take up thy bed, and walk,” had been one of faith, the beginning of spiritual as well as physical health. Now Jesus’ further admonition, “Sin no more,” implied both that his former life had been one of sin (see DA 202) and that those sins were forgiven. The intimate relationship between physical healing and forgiveness of sins was demonstrated in the healing of the palsied man (Mark 2:5-12).

Worse thing. This might be understood as a relapse into even more severe illness than the man had previously experienced, perhaps an acute sickness in place of the chronic infirmity he had so long suffered. It should not be concluded from this passage, however, that sickness constitutes divine punishment for an iniquitous life on the part of the one smitten, or that illness necessarily follows a life of sin. The story of Job and the words of Jesus in regard to the blind man (ch. 9:2, 3) clearly indicate the danger in assuming such a connection. See on Job 42:5; Ps. 38:3; 39:9.