100 Reasons to Believe New Testament History
79. The Pool of Bethesda
In John 5:1-9 we read of how Jesus, visiting Jerusalem on a feast day, healed a crippled man at the Pool of Bethesda. According to John 5:2, the pool was situated near the sheep market (gate), and is described as having five porches.
In 1888, excavations in the northeast corner of Jerusalem in the district called Bethzatha (situated north of the second wall), a structure was discovered which many feel must be the pool spoken of in John 5:1-9 A. The pool is now situated many feet under ground. The remains of several pillars around the area are though to be the pillars spoken of in John 5:2.
79. The Pool of Bethesda - Notes and References
A. “The Pool of Bethesda, with its five porticos, has been discovered deep below the level of present day Jerusalem.” The Eerdman’s Handbook to the Bible”, 1973, p. 538
“Recent excavations revealed that before A.D. 70 there existed a rectangular pool with a colonnade on each of the four sides, and a fifth across the middle.” E.M. Blaiklock, “The Archaeology of the New Testament”, Revised and Updated, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1984, p. 83
J.A. Thompson, “The Bible and Archaeology”, Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1962, p.341