The Bible does not tell us the name of the angel at the Pool of Bethesda. In John 5, the angel is not identified as Gabriel, Michael, or any other named angel. In fact, the verse that mentions an angel stirring the water, John 5:4, appears in some older Bible translations such as the King James Version, but many modern translations either omit it or place it in a footnote because it is not found in many of the earliest Greek manuscripts.
The clearest answer is that the angel is unnamed, and the main focus of John 5 is Jesus Christ, not the angel. This story also inspired the famous Angel of the Waters statue at Bethesda Fountain in New York City’s Central Park, though the statue is symbolic rather than a literal image of the angel from the Bible.
Introduction: A Statue Inspired by a Biblical Mystery
In Central Park, New York City, the Angel of the Waters stands above Bethesda Fountain, one of the park’s most recognized landmarks. Created by American sculptor Emma Stebbins and completed in 1873, the statue shows a winged angel above flowing water, expressing themes of healing, mercy, purity, and life. Its name comes from the biblical story in John 5, where sick and disabled people waited beside the Pool of Bethesda.
Some Bible translations say that an angel would come down at certain times and stir the water, and whoever entered first after the stirring would be healed. This mysterious detail has led many readers to ask who the angel was and whether the event really happened. The statue gives visual form to the idea of healing waters, but the biblical story itself points to a deeper message.
Emma Stebbins's "Angel in the Water" at the Pool of Bethesda In Central Park
Who Was the Angel at the Pool of Bethesda?
The angel at the Pool of Bethesda is not named in Scripture. In the translations that include John 5:4, the angel is simply described as coming down into the pool and stirring the water. The King James Version says, “For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water.”
However, the passage gives no details about the angel’s identity, rank, or role beyond this action. Because Scripture does not identify the angel, it would be speculation to say it was Gabriel, Michael, or another known angel. John 5 does not seem designed to satisfy our curiosity about the angel. Instead, it directs our attention to Jesus, who heals the disabled man without using the pool at all.
What Is the Angel of the Waters?
The Angel of the Waters is a symbolic statue inspired by the biblical theme of healing waters. It is a bronze sculpture located at the top of Bethesda Fountain in Central Park. Created by Emma Stebbins, the statue was inspired by the Pool of Bethesda story, but it also had a civic meaning for New York City.
When the statue was created, clean water was a powerful symbol of health and blessing for the city. The fountain celebrated the life-giving importance of fresh water, while the angel connected that idea to the biblical image of healing. For this reason, the statue represents healing, purity, mercy, and public well-being. It is not a literal portrait of the angel from John 5.
Where Is the Pool of Bethesda Mentioned in Scripture?
The Pool of Bethesda is mentioned in John 5:1–9. In this passage, Jesus comes to Jerusalem and visits a pool near the Sheep Gate called Bethesda. Around the pool lay many people who were sick, blind, lame, or paralyzed. Among them was a man who had been disabled for thirty-eight years.
When Jesus saw him, He asked, “Do you want to be healed?” The man replied that he had no one to put him into the pool when the water was stirred, and that someone else always went down before him. Instead of helping the man reach the water, Jesus simply said, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” Immediately, the man was healed. This moment shows that the man’s hope did not ultimately depend on the pool, but on the authority of Christ.
Emma Stebbins's "Angel in the Water" at the Pool of Bethesda Fountain
Did an Angel Really Stir the Pool of Bethesda?
Some Bible traditions say an angel stirred the water, but many modern scholars believe John 5:4 may not have been part of the original text. This is because John 5:4 is not found in many of the earliest Greek manuscripts. As a result, many modern Bible translations either omit the verse or place it in a footnote.
Many scholars believe the verse may have been a later explanatory note added to clarify why sick people were waiting by the pool and why the disabled man spoke about the water being stirred. This does not remove the main story of Jesus healing the man. It only means that the sentence about the angel is debated. Either way, the passage clearly shows that people at the pool believed the stirred water was connected with healing.
Is the Angel of the Waters the Same Angel from John 5?
No, the Angel of the Waters statue is not the actual angel from John 5. It does not claim to show the angel’s real appearance, nor does it identify the angel by name. Rather, it is an artistic interpretation inspired by the biblical story of Bethesda and the theme of healing water.
This distinction matters because art often takes biblical images and turns them into symbols. The statue points to the idea of healing, blessing, and mercy, but it should not be treated as a historical image of the angel in John 5. The Angel of the Waters gives visual beauty to the theme of healing waters, while the Gospel of John points beyond the water to Jesus Himself.
Emma Stebbins's "Angel in the Water" at the Pool of Bethesda In Central Park
Why Did Emma Stebbins Create the Angel of the Waters?
Emma Stebbins created the Angel of the Waters to connect the idea of healing water with both biblical meaning and public life. The sculpture was completed in 1873 for Bethesda Fountain in Central Park. It was connected not only to the biblical Pool of Bethesda, but also to the importance of clean water in New York City.
In the 19th century, clean public water was a major blessing because it improved health and helped protect people from disease. By choosing the image of an angel above water, Stebbins connected the city’s fresh water supply with the biblical idea of healing. The sculpture therefore carries both religious and civic meaning, reminding viewers that water can symbolize life, cleansing, health, and mercy.
What Does the Pool of Bethesda Mean Spiritually?
Spiritually, the Pool of Bethesda shows human helplessness and the mercy of Christ. The disabled man had waited for many years, but he could not get into the water by himself. He had no one to help him, and every time the water was stirred, someone else reached it before him. His situation reflects the frustration of people who feel forgotten, powerless, or unable to change their condition.
Yet Jesus came directly to him. The man thought he needed the pool, but what he truly needed was Christ. Jesus did not require the man to compete for healing or reach the water first. He healed him with a command. This shows that true hope does not rest in a place, a ritual, or even a mysterious angel, but in the power and mercy of Jesus.
Emma Stebbins's "Angel in the Water" at the Pool of Bethesda At the center of Bethesda Terrace
Why the Focus Should Be on Jesus, Not the Angel?
The focus of John 5 is Jesus, not the angel. It is natural to be curious about the angel at the Pool of Bethesda, but the story is ultimately about Christ’s authority to heal. The angel is mysterious, and the verse about the angel is debated, but Jesus’ power is clear.
The disabled man believed his problem was that no one could help him into the pool quickly enough. Jesus showed him that his healing did not depend on getting into the water at all. The man had waited by the water for years, but one word from Christ accomplished what the pool never had.
The Angel Is Mysterious, But Christ Is Clear
The Bible does not identify the angel at the Pool of Bethesda. The angel is unnamed, and John 5:4, the verse that describes the angel stirring the water, is not found in many early manuscripts. The Angel of the Waters statue in Central Park is also not the actual angel from John 5, but a symbolic artwork inspired by the biblical story of healing waters.
The main message of John 5 is that Jesus is greater than the pool, the water, and the mystery of the angel. A helpless man waited by the pool, hoping for healing, but Jesus came to him and healed him by His word. The mystery of the angel may attract our curiosity, but the mercy and authority of Christ are the true center of the story.
