The Healing of the Paralytic

1 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2 So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? 9 Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat 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 tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

Introduction

We’ve been studying together the Gospel of Mark, and as we’ve done that study through the first chapter of Mark, I think it’s clear that Mark has been placing a great emphasis on the fact of the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and the authority of Jesus Christ.

Mark very clearly outlines specific incidents which took place in the life of Jesus Christ which indicated to the crowds looking on that here was one that had come into the world who was authoritative! Jesus was one who was looked upon by those who saw him as a man with authority!

This Gospel, according to Mark, is the Gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Mark 1:1). And very quickly, the authority with which Jesus spoke, and the authority that He demonstrated through the works (miracles) that he performed, demonstrated to the crowds that He had authority, and they evoked within the crowds a sense of awe and wonder!

But until this point in the Gospel, that’s really the only response we’ve been shown - that of awe and wonder!!

Chapter 2 in Mark’s Gospel marks a turning point. From Mark 2:1 - 3:6, Mark outlines a series of events which take place which are marked by confrontation to Jesus Christ by the spiritual leaders of the day. The spiritual leaders are going to oppose Jesus, and they will confront him. These are sections marked by conflict!!

The transition to this new section on conflict really began back in 1:44, where Jesus told the leper that he had just healed of leprosy to go and show himself to the priest, and to offer the required sacrifices as a testimony to them (or rather, as a testimony against them).

You will recall that I mentioned last week that the healing of the leper presented a dilemma for the priests, in that the miracle that had been performed would need to have been recognised as a work of God (since the power behind the miracle was undeniable). Thus if the priests were honest with themselves, they would have to acknowledge that Jesus Christ was from God.

Further than that however, these priests would never be able to point the finger at Jesus and say that Jesus was working against God by going against the law of Moses, since Jesus had specifically instructed this leper who was healed to go and perform the necessary sacrifices, and thus abide by the law of Moses.

But despite the clear authority of Jesus, and despite the miracles that were performed in order to confirm that this was indeed the promised Messiah, the spiritual leaders of that day would rise up in opposition to Jesus. And that opposition begins in the text we read this morning.

1. The Request for Healing

Verse 1 of our text sets the context for us. You will recall that previously after Christ had had a busy Sabbath day, he awoke the next morning very early and went out to pray, and the entire town was looking for Him, Jesus said to His disciples that they would go to the other nearby villages so that he could preach there also (v.38).

And so, according to Mark 1:39 Jesus traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and driving out demons.

At this point, in Mark 2:1, Jesus Christ has returned to what was considered his “home” in Capernaum, and the people of the town get word that He has returned, and that He is in the house. It’s not certain if this was a home that was given to him by those who supported his ministry, or if this was the house of Simon and Andrew again that Jesus was staying in - I think it’s likely the latter.

But When the people hear that Jesus is back, they once again flock to Him. They remember him from when He performed mighty miracles in their midst. Many of them had probably had members of their own family healed, or if not, most likely they had had people that they knew well healed. And so they all flock to Jesus in order to hear what it is that He has to say.

The crowd is again, we’re told, so large that all the people that wanted to hear him couldn’t fit into the house where he was preaching, and they filled the place to overflowing, such that one could not even gain access to the front door of the house.

Notice what Christ was doing: Preaching the Word!!!

Those gathered had gathered to hear the word preached.

But we must also note who specifically were amongst those gathered.

At this point, not merely those who lived in Capernaum.

By this time, the fame of Jesus had spread, and various scribes and pharisees came to listen (and probably test) what it was that Jesus was saying.

Luke 5:17 NIV84

One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there. And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick.

Recall that Jesus had been throughout Galilee, preaching in the synagogues.

All these pharisees and teachers of the law had now been exposed to His teaching, and were intrigued.

These teachers had now come together to hear Christ preaching...

The paralytic arrives...

At this point, the paralytic arrives on scene, being carried by four men.

Mark 2:3–4 NIV84

Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on.

Some things to note...

The men have a genuine concern for their friend who is paralysed.

Wonderful demonstration of love and kindness...

They would most likely have made a special arrangement for him to be able to be carried there.

But they are obstructed, unable to reach the Saviour.

But they don’t stand waiting, hoping for something to happen.

The proactively take further steps in order to ensure that this man is brought to the feet of Christ without delay!!

Application:

The friends are eager to bring this man who is in need of healing to Christ in order to receive that healing.

Are we eager to bring our friends, and to even overcome obstacles in bringing our friends to Jesus, even when the obstacles seem great?

Continue:

And so they take the man up onto the roof of the house that Jesus is in.

In that day, there were usually stairs on the outside of the houses which went up onto the roof.

The roof ...

Baker New Testament Commentary: Mark 2:1–12 The Healing of a Paralytic

This outside cover of a house was generally flat. It had beams with transverse rafters, overlaid with brushwood, tree branches, etc., on top of which was a thick blanket of mud or clay mixed with chopped straw, beaten and rolled. Such a roof was not difficult to “unroof”

Even though this may not have been the most difficult roof to get through, it still would have caused quite a stir.

Digging away the dirt of the roof / clay of the roof, would have resulted in bits of dirt falling down onto the heads of the those below.

Consider what your response would be, with all these important teachers of the law sitting there, evaluating this authoritative teaching...

How dare these people do this…what are they thinking!?!

I would certainly imagine that most of those present there would have been indignant to the malicious damage to property being caused.

But the determination of the men drives them forward.

And eventually, having dug through the roof, a hole large enough to fit a man lying down on a stretcher / mat / pallet, they lower the man down at the feet of Jesus.

2. The Response of Jesus: Forgiveness

Immediately we see the contrast to how we would typically respond and react, and how Jesus responded.

Mark 2:5 NIV84

When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

The word “son” here is an endearing term rather than a condescending one

It shows Jesus’ care and concern for the man.

There is no wasted time on the concern and unhappiness of the roof having been damaged / broken through, but rather Christ focuses on the core issue, and he demonstrates concern for people, above concern for things!!!

Application:

How often are we so concerned for the things of lesser significance, where there are opportunities to speak into matters of great significance.

But not only does Jesus respond with affection, but he responds to a problem completely different to that which was perceived by all those present there that day.

It was as clear as could be that the man was a paralytic.

It was patently evident that here was a man with a real physical need.

And Christ didn’t deny that - he addressed it, as we will see.

But Christ recognised that there was a deeper and more serious problem than the physical, and he immediately addressed the more serious problem.

Regarding this man having his sins forgiven, we can be sure that he must have been in a sense overwhelmed.

We need to recall that in the day of the Israelites, very often those who were ill or disabled were thought to be so as a consequence of sin.

Recall the time that Jesus and his disciples came across a man who had been blind from birth...

Jesus disciples asked Him, “who was it that sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” ...

We also have the example of the friends of Job, who suggested to Job that it must have been sin which had caused his punishment...

Job 4:7 NIV84

“Consider now: Who, being innocent, has ever perished? Where were the upright ever destroyed?

And so it’s possible that even this paralytic lived with some measure of guilt for sin, with the society surrounding him bringing judgments...

We should not however infer from this that the paralysis of the man was directly caused by sin.

But what we do see is that Jesus, through this proclamation of the mans sins being forgiven, is declaring and demonstrating to all people present that He has not only the power to heal the body, but also the power to heal the soul.

3. The Response of the Teachers: Indignation

As Christ says these words to this man, “your sins are forgiven” the pharisees and teachers of the law are having their minds begin to work overtime...

“What did He just say” - “What does He mean when he says your sins are forgiven”?

Recall that these are men zealous for God. Zealous for the law. Zealous to ensure that people say all the right things in all the right ways...

They have an eye and ear for error

And so as they hear these words, we read in verse 7 that they were thinking to themselves...

Mark 2:7 NIV84

“Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

Now we need to consider some important questions here.

What exactly is meant here when it says that God alone can forgive sins?

What did Christ imply by His words “your sins are forgiven”?

And why was it that it was seen as blasphemy?

After all, do you and I not forgive people?

William Hendricksen writes:

Baker New Testament Commentary: Mark 2:1–12 The Healing of a Paralytic

To be sure, there is a sense in which we, too, forgive, namely, when we earnestly resolve not to take revenge but instead to love the one who has injured us, to promote his welfare, and never again to bring up the past (Matt. 6:12, 15; 18:21; Luke 6:37; Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:13). But basically, as described, it is God alone who forgives. It is he alone who is able to remove guilt and to declare that it has actually been removed.

Ephesians 4:32 NIV84

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

We see in Ephesians 4:32 2 dimensions of this forgiveness - one is between God and man, and the other is between parties who have offended each other.

But notice that this man had performed no sin directly against Christ

Christ never knew the man, and this was the first encounter.

Christ was not saying to the man that a particular sin against him had been committed, and that he was now forgiven for doing wrong, but He was making a blanket statement to the man, saying that his sins were forgiven - all of them - entirely!! He was pronouncing purity!!

But this is why this was such a confrontation and challenge to the Teachers of the law.

Ultimately, forgiveness is required from God, because ultimately all sin is performed against God!!!

Sin must always be seen in relation to God - an offense against His will, a contradiction of His holy character and nature!

Throughout the Scriptures, and within the law of Israel, this is how sin was seen.

Sin was seen to be that which contravened the Holy law of God given to the nation of Israel through Moses.

Remember that the entire law of Israel, that by which they as a nation lived, was given to them by God.

HE was their law-giver!

And HIS holiness and righteousness was the standard according to which that law was given.

And so when Jesus says to this man “your sins are forgiven” He is making an audacious claim…

On what grounds could this Jesus of Nazareth possibly say to any person that their sins are forgiven.

We need to also bear in mind another point which would have aggravated these men!!

As pharisees and scribes, they would have been aware that there were very specific requirements and processes that needed to be followed in order for a person to be cleansed, or to receive forgiveness.

In the OT law, there would be offerings / sacrifices which needed to be brought in order to make atonement for sins, and then the sins would be forgiven.

Over and over in the book of Leviticus, we read this phrase concerning offerings having been made, and the result of this...

...In this way the priest will make atonement for them, and they will be forgiven. (Le 4:20)

This formula appears 8 times in Leviticus 4-5.

And so the priests formed an integral part of the process required for the forgiveness of sins...

And even then, it was not the priests themselves who were forgiving the sins of the person, it was God, who having prescribed these processes for atonement and forgiveness, would bring forgiveness.

And so the pharisees and teachers of the law are rightly perturbed, because by their assessment, here was a man who was claiming that a person’s sins were forgiven absent any of the required legal requirements

Here was a man who was in their eyes going entirely contrary to the law of God!

And not only that, but he was proclaiming forgiveness, which was the prerogative of God alone!!

And so, as William Hendricksen goes on to write...

Baker New Testament Commentary: Mark 2:1–12 The Healing of a Paralytic

Either: a. Jesus is what by implication he claims to be, namely, God; or b. he blasphemes, in the sense that he unjustly claims the attributes and prerogatives of deity. The scribes accept b.

According to their deductions, they make the assessment that Christ can certainly not be God, or have any authority from God to do what He was doing, and thus it was clear to them that He was blaspheming!!!

He was taking on that which was the prerogative of God alone, thus putting himself in the place of God!!

4. The Challenge of Jesus: Spiritual vs. Physical

With the pharisees and teachers of the law thinking these things over in their minds, Jesus immediately perceives that this is what they’re thinking!!

Some have taken these words in verse 8 to mean that Jesus somehow saw the reaction on their faces, and thus deduced what they were thinking.

I don’t think this is what is recorded for us here.

Consider the words of verse 8 carefully...

Mark 2:8 NIV84

Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things?

He could perceive what was in the hearts of these men...

Compare this instance to Nathanael...

John 1:47–48 NIV84

When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false.” “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”

And also...

John 2:25 NIV84

He did not need man’s testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man.

The inner deliberations of these pharisees were not concealed from Him!

Having perceived what was in their hearts, He presents a challenge to them.

You see for Jesus to say the words “your sins are forgiven” was straightforward and easy!!!

This was a claim that was unverifiable (at least to the people who were standing there!)

And so in order to put the challenge to them concerning their doubts, he asks them the question:

Mark 2:9 NIV84

Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’?

Both of these acts - forgiveness of sins, and healing a paralytic - would most certainly require great power and authority.

But in order that those looking on may know and be convicted that this was indeed the one with all authority, Christ will proceed to heal the man of his paralysis, so that there would be no doubt whatsoever in His claims...

5. The Pronouncement of Jesus: Be Healed

That’s why Christ goes on to say in verse 10 - 11...

Mark 2:10–11 NIV84

But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins….” He said to the paralytic, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”

“…That you may know that the Son of Man has authority...”

Those words reveal the motivation behind Christ’s actions in this healing.

He is performing this healing in order that all those looking on, including in this instance the pharisees and teachers of the law from all the surrounding towns in Galilee, may know for certain that Christ has the authority that he claims to have.

Christ didn’t perform this miracle in a vacuum, or in front of a controlled group!

He performs the miracle in front of these religious elites, and this again is going to add fuel to the fire in terms of their animosity towards Him.

Because the teachers of the law have a pre-conceived notion that Jesus is no one special. They have this pre-conceived idea that Jesus is a trouble maker, and imposter.

And when one has their heart and mind set on a particular view, and are determined of that view, you end up pushing that view despite all evidence to the contrary!!

One other thing I’d like us to notice from those words…and that is the phrase… “THE SON OF MAN”…(v.10)

This is an interesting title that Jesus ascribes to Himself, and in one sense reveals something of him, but in another, concealing His true character.

One commentator writes...

Baker New Testament Commentary: Mark 2:1–12 The Healing of a Paralytic

It is Christ’s self-designation, revealing something with reference to him, concealing even more, especially to those not thoroughly acquainted with the Old Testament. Use of the term led to the question, “Who, then, is this Son of man?” (John 12:34). The term characterizes Jesus as the Sufferer, the One who is going to be betrayed and killed (9:12; 14:21, 41), all of this in accordance with the divine decree,

Another commentator writes:

The New American Commentary: Mark (1) Over the Forgiveness of a Paralytic (2:1–12)

The question arises, Why did Jesus choose this term as his favorite self-designation? The best answer is its ambiguity. It could refer to an ordinary human being or to a supernatural being. It had overtones of both humanity and deity. By using it, Jesus forced persons to make up their own minds as to what kind of person he was. Was he a man or The Man? By using the term, Jesus further avoided the undesirable political connotations of the term Messiah/Christ.

And so this “Son of Man”, in order to demonstrate His great authority with which He had come, and the authority by which He claimed the ability to proclaim that this man was forgiven of his sins, says to the paralytic:

Mark 2:11 NIV84

“I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”

6. The Response of the Paralytic and Crowds

The response from the paralytic, as in all other healings, was immediate...

In verse 12 we read: “He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all.”

Here was a profound working of God.

A miracle to stun the crowds.

I’m sure I’m mentioned to you before, the time that I broke my leg playing soccer on a youth camp.

Having been in plaster for 14 weeks, when my plaster eventually was taken off, it took me at minimum 4 weeks before I could walk again without the use of crutches, because my ligaments were simply too weak to hold up my weight, and too tight for me to even bend my knee or ankle.

It was literally months before I could walk properly again without any limp whatsoever.

But this man, who was a complete paralytic, unable entirely to walk, simply stands up, his legs entirely strengthened, stands up, he bends down, perfectly balanced and stable, takes his mat, and walks out...

What a powerful miracle for this man, and his friends who were looking on. What joy.

The crowds are stunned!!!

And notice their words at the end “We have never seen anything like this!”

If we thought that they had been awed previously by the powerful healings that Christ had performed before he left to minister in Galilee, now they were far more amazed!!

None of the previous miraculous healings could touch what had taken place here!!!

And friends, note that in this case, or at least in the present moment, their response was appropriate...

“THEY PRAISED GOD!!”

Given what we’ve considered previously (that this town would eventually receive words of judgment and condemnation against them), this was sadly an isolated case of them praising God, and many of them, if not most of them, would ultimately not turn their hearts to God.

But in this moment, the response is correct. Praise God.

Let me just say, as an aside, no doubt the pharisees and teachers of the law were not part of those who were praising God. They were probably stunned to silence in that moment....

And they ultimately would go out and would continue to build their animosity against Christ....

But their could be no denying that Christ had proven Himself to them, and they would have to excuse for their failure to worship Him as Lord in time to come!

Application

Many lessons can be drawn for us!!!! Will limit...

Again, see the amazing grace of Jesus!

Last week, as we considered the leper, who was filthy, seen as unclean, we saw him coming before Christ, and Christ showing mercy.

In today’s passage, we see another man, desperate in his helplessness come before the Saviour.

There is no condemnation. There is no rebuke here to them man.

Instead, Christ shows the man great mercy - beyond merely the healing of his paralysis…He confirms that the mans sins are forgiven, this without even a request for such from the man Himself.

That Christ would show mercy for those who come before him is no different today dear friends.

Charles Simeon:

Horae Homileticae Vol. 12: Mark-Luke Discourse 1418: The Paralytic Healed (Mark 2:8–12)

Will he who bestowed mercy unasked, cast out our petitions? Let us then present ourselves before him with all our miseries and wants. Let us try, by all possible means, to get access to him. Let us break through every obstacle that would defeat our endeavours; and let us approach him with an assurance of his power and willingness to save. Sooner shall heaven and earth fail, than he reject one such a believing suppliant

Matthew 11:28–30 NIV84

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

A further helpful application that Charles Simeon brought out that I really appreciated was to do with the benefit of affliction, and how so often our afflictions are the means by which we are drawn to Christ...

He writes...

Horae Homileticae Vol. 12: Mark-Luke Discourse 1418: The Paralytic Healed (Mark 2:8–12)

[If the paralytic had never been disordered, he had never been brought to Jesus. Had he never come to Jesus, his sins had never been forgiven. Would he not then rejoice, yea, does he not rejoice even to this very hour, that God ever sent him that affliction? Would he not number that amongst his richest mercies? Thus many of us would never have thought of Jesus if we had not known trouble; but through temporal afflictions we were brought to the enjoyment of spiritual blessings. Let those then, who have experienced this, give thanks to God; and let those, that are now in trouble, seek chiefly the remission of their sinsi.]

Example of Gramps…on the brink of suicide…rifle in his hand…said to God that he was going to leave this world, and that God needed to show himself to him...

Conclusion

As we progress in our study in Mark - the battle lines are being drawn.

The conflict is going to increase against the Saviour.

The pharisees and teachers…will seek to condemn Christ.

Christ on the other hand will continue on the path of grace, mercy and peace.

He will continue to show love, compassion to the poor and insignificant, and will continue to proclaim the wonderful gospel of peace, the forgiveness of sins for those whose trust in Him, this despite the opposition.

Have you been transformed by that Gospel message? That wonderful good news of the forgiveness of sins?

And then further to that, have you, as one who has coming to know this peace, living out that same kind of life that Christ lived out?

Are we as Christians showing love, compassion and kindness to those who do not know Christ - ALL people, from whatever walk of life?

Are we taking that message of hope and healing, the message of the forgiveness of sins, to a lost and dying world?

Let us be faithful to our master!!

Let us respond with gratitude in our hearts because of what He has done!

Let us live as Christ lived, so that He may receive all the glory due His name!!