One of the subtle features of John's Gospel is the way in which he refers to feasts: they are Jewish feasts. John hints that they are not Christian feasts because they have been replaced by the presence of Jesus, who in his own person is the great Christian feast. Indeed, Jesus' replacement of these Jewish feasts forms the main theme of at least chapters 5-10 of John's Gospel. Thus, for example, the event of Jesus' passion, death and resurrection is our Christian Passover, our liberation from sin. But this event derives its entire significance from the person of Jesus himself, true God and true Man, so that the celebration of the event is a celebration of Jesus.

So John begins Chapter 5 with the affirmation that there was a Jewish festival, but he does not specify which Jewish festival: only in verse 10, almost as an after thought, he remarks that it was a Sabbath day. Jesus is our Sabbath: it is only when we find Jesus that we can find rest for our souls: "Come to me all you who labour and are burdened and I shall give you rest" (Mt 11:8). This rest which Jesus gives includes the healing of all our wounds and illnesses