The Meaning of Bethesda in John Chapter 5 John 5:2 "Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches." According to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, Bethesda is made from two Hebrew words: bayith (#1004 in Strong's Hebrew section) and checed (#2617 in Strong's Hebrew section). Bayith means house. Checed (kheh'-sed) is lovingkindness and many other things. According to NAS Exhaustive Concordance, the Hebrew word checed (Strong’s #2617) includes lovingkindness, lovingkindnesses, unchanging love, devotion, favor, kindnesses, deeds of devotion, mercies, loyalty, and goodness in its definition. (Strong's Exhaustive Concordance includes pity as well.) So, Bethesda Is a Word Meaning House of Lovingkindness. (Or, house of ... favor / mercies / goodness / deeds of devotion / {God's} devotion {to believers} / pity / unchanging love) [Note: According to Strong's Concordance and Englishman's Greek Concordance, Bethesda is a Hebrew word written in Greek as Βηθεσδά (Bethesda) and Βηθζαθα (Bethzatha).] This house of lovingkindness shows God's love and kindness for His children. It is a place of rest and fellowship with God. It is a home and a place to be safe and have true joy, peace, happiness, and rest. And, God offers it to all, but Jesus is the door to this house. Salvation, blessing, peace, and healing are only through Jesus Christ and by Jesus Christ's blood atonement which He offered once at Calvary hill about 2,000 years ago. Shalom Comes from Resting in God and Obeying God. Isaiah 32:17 says: "And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever." Peace, rest, and blessings (shalom) come from walking (or actions of) in righteousness. There is no peace, rest, or blessing in resisting God's Spirit and God's Word. (Note: This is not performing for God. See the book of Galatians.)

The peace Isaiah 32:17 speaks of is shalom (#7965). Its definition includes these words (from the NAS Exhaustive Concordance): peace, prosperity, welfare, well-being, perfect peace, safety, secure [as in being secure]. Strong's Concordance includes rest. If we walk in obedience to God and follow the convictions of God's Word, together with the Holy Spirit, we will have shalom. Fellowship with God Is More than What We May Think. Our loving Abba Father God also desires to have intimate, deep, personal fellowship (koinonia) with each of us. 1 John 1:5-7 "[5] This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. [6] If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: [7] But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." According to Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, the word fellowship in English is koinónia in Greek (Strong’s #2842). It means “...fellowship, association, community, communion, joint participation, contact; … 2. contact, fellowship, intimacy:...” According to Webster’s 1828 dictionary, communion also means: “... Fellowship; … a state of giving and receiving; agreement; concord. …” Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines contact as: “... A touching; touch; close union or juncture…” As we Christians have koinónia (fellowship) with Abba Father God, we are having intimacy (spiritual intimacy) with Abba God; friendship with Abba God; and joint participation with Abba God. Having koinónia with Abba God means that we are giving Abba God our burdens and receiving His blessings. As we have koinónia with Abba God, we are having concord (harmony and agreement) and close union with His heart. That is what Abba God deeply desires for each of us. (If you would like to know more about Jesus Christ, click here.)

Reference: Webster, Noah. (2009). American Dictionary of the English Language (First Printing in 1828). Baltimore, MA: United Book Press, Inc.