Jn. 5.13: Jesus, a swimmer?

From: LISATIA@aol.com
Date: Wed Mar 27 1996 - 21:19:51 EST


dear friends,
    In John 5.13, we read that the cured man did not know who it was that
had healed him, because IHSOYS EKSENEUSEN OXLOY ONTOS EN TW TOPW - "Jesus
swam away (had conveyed himself away, ASV, 1901), a crowd being in the
place." The verb EKNEYW (or EKNEW), properly means "to swim away", but
according to Liddell-Scott-Jones, 1940, generally means "escape, get safely
through". Or could the verb be EKNEYW, "shun, avoid"?
    I wonder if in this case, Jesus and the paralytic being at a pool called
"Bethesda" and the man himself stumbling to get into the water, is it too
far-fetched to say that Jesus after performing his cure went for a little
dip?
    There also arises the question whether it is lawful to swim on the
Sabbath, something still frowned upon in some areas. Note that in Jn. 5.16,
three verses later, it is said KAI DIA TOUTO EDIWKON hOI IOUDAIOI TON IHSOYN
OTI TAUTA EPOIEI EN SABBATW, "and for this reason the Jews persecuted
Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath."

  richard arthur, Merrimack NH LISATIA@aol.com



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