John 5:6

Jesus could have learned about the man’s condition from others, or John may have written what he did to impress his readers with Jesus’ supernatural knowledge. In Capernaum Jesus healed another paralytic lowered through the roof in front of him (Mark 2:1-12), but at Bethesda He reached out to the man as one among many invalids. Jesus’ question may have probed the man to discover if he had a desire for healing. Some people are perfectly content to remain in their miserable condition (cf. John 3:19-20). Jesus apparently only delivered people who wanted His help. Evidently this is the only person He healed this day even though there were many more whom He could have healed (John 5:3; cf. Acts 3:2). He only saves people who want salvation and whom He sovereignly chooses to save (cf. John 6:37).