Untitled Sermon

Mark 2:1–12 ESV

1 And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3 And they 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 an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— 11 “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

Mk. 2:1-4--Setting: a house in Capernaum (Mk. 2:1). A crowd was gathered there to listen to Jesus (Mk. 2:2). There was not enough space for a paralytic & friends to enter, but there was enough space for him to leave (with everyone standing in awe, Mk. 2:12). [People make concession for the things of God when they realize the effects of God.] Jesus was “speaking the word to them" (Mk. 2:2). [The people were drawn to that place because Jesus had previously cast out an unclean spirit from a man in the synagogue on the Sabbath (Mk. 1:21-28).] The paralytic seems to have had a good support system (i.e., at least four friends who wanted to see him healed; Mk. 2:4).

Mk. 2:5--The men made their faith visible to Jesus; he saw their faith. [God recognizes true faith. True faith produces action.

Mk. 2:5-8--Jesus forgives the man's sins (Mk. 2:5) and the scribes mentally label him a heretic. Except, "Who can forgive sins but God alone?" (Mk. 2:7). The answer is, no human can. This is exactly Mark's point. The scribes recognized a peculiar, assuming character about this man. [They did not recognize Jesus as Christ; the scripture says they referred to him in their minds as "this man"). Therefore, to them He was neither God nor sent by God, and He was not a priest to declare forgiveness to anyone. God knows the thoughts of human hearts, especially these scribes (Mk. 2:8). Theologically, all sickness is truly the result of sin, whether the sin of an individual or the long-term effects of the Edenic fall. No human is immune (cf. Ps. 14:3; 53:3; Ro. 3:10).]

Mk. 12:9--"Which is easier," asks Jesus. Did the man have things to repent from? ABSOLUTELY. Yet this healing is like a jump-start to his heart. He actually gets up and walks out! He becomes a first-hand witness to the power of God without having to endure a complicated process. Jesus said the word, the man followed his instruction, and it was done. [Key word: OBEDIENCE.] According to this man's own worldview, he is a sinner and unclean. What is worse, he is lame and unable to go to the temple to offer sacrifices on his own behalf [RESEARCH: This is just a thought...is this referenced in the Law??] Jesus could have simply healed him and moved on, but it would not have dealt with the sin issue.]

Mk. 2:10-12--Jesus gives a simple but powerful instruction. "...get up, pick up your pallet, and go home" (Mk. 2:11). [God's displays are simple, they typically endow a person with excitement and/or energy, and they address the root of the issue, not only the symptoms. The root of the issue was sin, and Jesus caused both the man and the audience to think differently about it. This is not just physical healing; it speaks to the issue of identity (both the identity of the man as an inept sinner and Jesus as the Christ. Stepping out a bit further, one could say that most likely, this man became a Jesus follower after this. When Jesus offers healing, it is not to save the flesh. Instead, it is for the sake of recommencing Edenic balance in the human heart whence the newly whole person enters eternal life.]

Mk. 2:12--At this point, the people acknowledge by "glorifying God" that God is doing amazing things through this man. [God is revealing His presence, His personhood, and His power through a human who is NOT a priest and without the need for a sacrifice. This entire incident is truly the result of faith.

Takeaway: God is expressing in this passage that healing is available through faith in Jesus, and God's healing manifests through forgiveness. Under Torah, sins could only be forgiven in the presence of a priest who had made a sacrifice on behalf of a sinner.