Why was there so much washing in Jewish religious ritual?
There was so much washing in Jewish religious ritual because water indicated a need for cleansing, pointing to sin. The pool and water showed that need, and the impotent man and blind man were associated with sin, making cleansing central to their rituals.
Les explains that the pool and water indicated a need for cleansing, which is why there was so much washing in all of their religious ritual. He notes that the impotent man is associated with sin, as is the blind man, and both are associated with a pool. He calls these intricacies of Scripture that make things interesting, adding that none of the rest of the miracles mention sin; they show need but do not necessarily reveal the fact of sin. The water pointed to the need for cleansing, explaining the extensive washings.