Mark 2:1-12 --un-paralizing hearts

Brief word on the book of Mark

CSB Study Bible: Notes Contribution to the Bible

Many notions of the Messiah existed in Jesus’s day, and several individuals laid claim to the title. Mark contributes a clarification of the idea of the Messiah and a redefining of the term. Peter’s insightful confession at Caesarea Philippi in 8:29 became the turning point at which Jesus began to explain that the divine conception of the Messiah involved rejection, suffering, death, and then resurrection (8:31). Mark also shows us the human side of Jesus. In fact, more than the other Gospel writers, Mark emphasizes Jesus’s human side and his emotions. Thus Mark gives us a strong picture of both the humanity and the divinity of Jesus.

First let me ask some questions

Have you ever watched something amazing and not understood the consequences at first?

Is sickness a result of sin?

Are you skeptical of religious teachers?

Some terms:

Capernaum: Jesus moved to Capernaum, which is on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, from Nazareth (Matt. 4:13). It was a second hometown, of sorts. He called his disciples Peter, Andrew, James, John, and Matthew from Capernaum. It’s still in the region of Galilee, only 16 miles apart, so it’s the distance between Hillside Baptist Church and the Arizona Science Center/Chase Field/Suns Arena downtown.

Scribes: Reading and writing was a marketable skill in the ancient world. Rich or poor, scribes did most of the writing for letters, court documents, merchant orders, math, military accounting, and religious copying. Paul used scribes to write his letters except Galatians (Tertius/Romans, Sosthenes/1 Cor., Tychicus/Ephesians, Timothy/6 letters, Silas/3 letters, Luke/3 letters).

Jewish scribes copied the Torah and the prophets, and so had a large influence on religious life. Their guild, therefore, was a powerful influence in politics as well.

Blasphemy: It means to profane, insult, slander, or otherwise disrespect God or something holy. In the ancient world, and some of the modern world, it was considered a crime.

Son of Man: A term used in Ezekiel to mean an obedient human, but in the book of Daniel a heavenly messiah who led Daniel to the Ancient of Days (God). Jesus uses the term to teach his disciples about how he is both man and the Son of God.

Mark 2:1–12 CSB

When he entered Capernaum again after some days, it was reported that he was at home. So many people gathered together that there was no more room, not even in the doorway, and he was speaking the word to them. They came to him bringing a paralytic, carried by four of them. Since they were not able to bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and after digging through it, they lowered the mat on which the paralytic was lying. Seeing their faith, Jesus told the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” But some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts: “Why does he speak like this? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Right away Jesus perceived in his spirit that they were thinking like this within themselves and said to them, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat, and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he told the paralytic—“I tell you: get up, take your mat, and go home.” Immediately he got up, took the mat, and went out in front of everyone. As a result, they were all astounded and gave glory to God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

This is the first of five controversies that Mark will tell us about in chapters 2 and 3.

He could forgive sins (healing of the paralytic man)

He associated with the “wrong” people (Levi and the tax collectors)

How to pray (Jesus is a wedding feast when John’s disciples fasted)

How to give alms/charity (the Pharisees’ disciples fast)

Healing and the reason for the Sabbath

These controversies set up the central conflict in Mark, and begin our understanding of why he had to die. We can look at these controversies as teachings about the Christian life: forgiveness of sins, saving the lost, praying/knowing God, giving/living as a result of knowing God, and restoration and rest in God.

The people who brought the paralyzed man to Jesus overcame a human barrier to get to Jesus. Then the scribes stood in the way. Then it was up to the paralyzed man to obey Jesus’ command. Are these barriers similar to what people face today?

Applications:

Crowds are no measure of spiritual success. The crowd missed the meaning here—they were amazed at the healing but did not (yet) have their own sins forgiven. The crowd stood in the way of healing.

Everyone in the house believed that Jesus could heal. That’s why he had a crowd! Only one was confirmed forgiveness. Who do you want to be?

Jesus told the man to “God home.” He did, and he was a walking testimony to Jesus’ words. I should be too.

Make sure that you are forgiven. The scribes, these men who had copied God’s law over and over and over again… didn’t get Jesus. Make sure that you do.