Why is the idea of grace important in the story of the healing at Bethesda?

In the account of the healing at the Pool of Bethesda, grace is a central theme that illustrates how salvation is a gift from God, independent of human effort or merit. The impotent man did not seek Jesus out; instead, Jesus sought him amidst the multitude of the sick. This demonstrates the initiative of divine grace whereby Christ reaches out to the undeserving. Jesus instructs the man to rise and walk, and immediately he is healed, showcasing that salvation and healing are not contingent on the man's actions or faith prior to the encounter but are purely the result of Christ's compassionate grace. This reinforces the historic Reformed understanding that salvation is by grace alone (sola gratia), emphasizing that we cannot earn God's favor but must receive it freely from Him.