Healing the Paralytic
TRANSLATION
(1) And a few days later when he returned to Capernaum, it was reported that he was at home. (2) And so many gathered that there was no more room for them, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. (3) And some came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. (4) And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him. And when they had made a large enough opening, they lowered the bed on which the paralytic lay. (5) And seeing their faith Jesus said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
(6) Now there were certain teachers of the Law sitting there and questioning in their hearts: (7) “Why does this man say such things? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (8) And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they were questioning in their hearts, said to them, “Why are you questioning these things in your hearts? (9) Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, pick up your bed, and walk?’ (10) But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” he told the paralytic, (11) “I say to you get up, pick up your bed, and go home.” (12) And he got up, immediately picked up his bed, and went out in front of them all so that they were all amazed and glorified God saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”
OBSERVATIONS
Several surprises in the narrative lead us to an astounding conclusion. The first surprise was the lowering of the paralytic through the roof of the house by the four friends. Blocked by the crowds, they creatively found a totally unexpected way to drop their friend down into Jesus’ presence. The second surprise is found in what Jesus said to the paralytic: “Your sins are forgiven.” The crowd certainly hoped that Jesus would heal the man, but they never expected him to forgive his sins. The reaction of the teachers of the Law, accusing Jesus of blasphemy in their hearts, shows us just how unexpected his words were.
The third surprise was Jesus’ immediate awareness of the unspoken accusations of his critics and then his asking, “Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven’ or ‘Take up your bed and walk?’” The final and climactic surprise was Jesus demonstrating his authority to forgive sins by healing the crippled man and then watching him walk out of the house carrying his bed. No wonder everyone was astounded, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.” If only God could forgive sins, the conclusion was obvious: the one who had performed such a miracle to demonstrate that the paralytic’s sins have been forgiven could only be deity.
Repeated words in this segment included “paralytic” used five times (vss. 3, 4, 5, 9, & 10), “bed” occurring four times (vss. 4, 9, 11, & 12), “question” found three times (vss. 6 & 8), and “sins...forgiven” likewise found three times (vss. 5, 7, & 10).
OUTLINE
I. Jesus forgave the sins of the paralytic who had been lowered through the roof. (1-5)
II. Jesus demonstrated his divine authority to forgive sins by healing the paralytic. (6-12)
IDEA STATEMENT
Jesus demonstrated his divine authority to forgive sins first by declaring the paralytic forgiven and then by healing his disability.
APPLICATION
Mark described two notable interactions that took place in that crowded room in Capernaum where Jesus’ was preaching the Word of God. The first was Jesus’ response to the four friends who had broken through the roof in order to lower the paralytic into his presence. Because of their faith and the faith of the paralytic, Jesus forgave the disabled man’s sins. But he did not stop there. Immediately sensing the doubts of those who were observing this interchange, Jesus posed two questions which powerfully revealed his authority, the second notable interaction. With the first, “Why do you question,” Jesus demonstrated his ability to read their innermost thoughts. With the second that began with the phrase, “Which is easier,” he healed the man, proving without a doubt that he had divine authority to forgive sins.
The doubting teachers of the Law had already asked themselves another crucial question which Jesus answered by his actions in the crowded room that day: “Who can forgive sins but God alone?” It is only when we willingly acknowledge that the one who healed the paralytic by forgiving his sins must be the one who likewise forgives each of us our sins that we can be reconciled to God by receiving the gift of eternal life which he alone can offer us.