Mark 2:1-12
Introduction
In this passage we see another example of divine healing. However, on this occasion Jesus also forgave the man his sins.
Furthermore, we see again how the preaching of Jesus was accompanied by His healing ministry.
Verses 1 to 4
In this passage we see Jesus returning to Capernaum after spending some time in other towns in Galilee. Jesus stayed at someone’s house and the people of Capernaum found out. We are told by Mark that the place was so packed that the door to the house was blocked.
As the people crowded in and around the house, Jesus was preaching. Try to picture in your mind what it was like as we see what happened next. In verse 3 we are told that 4 men brought a paralytic to Jesus. A paralytic is someone who is paralysed and unable to use their arms and legs.
When the four men found that they could not get to Jesus through the door, they made a hole in the roof and lowered the paralytic through it to Jesus.
To understand how they did this I just want to describe to you what this house would have looked like. It would have been a single-story building with a very strong, thick flat roof. There would have been some stairs on the outside of the house leading up to the roof. It might have also been a tiled flat roof. The roof was designed for the inhabitants to use it as an outside space where they could sit on it to have meals.
Therefore, it would have been hard work breaking through the roof to lower the paralytic down on the stretcher. In pulling this off, the four men showed great determination.
Verses 5 to 7
Mark tells us that Jesus, having seen their faith, forgave the sins of the paralytic. In this instance Jesus was responding to the faith of the men who brought the paralytic to Him.
So, why did Jesus forgive the paralytic his sins? I suggest that it was because He saw this as the most important need that the paralytic had. Instead of healing the man of his paralysis, Jesus healed him of the guilt of his sins. In fact, I would that the greatest need of all mankind is to have their sins forgiven.
In verse 7 we are told what the scribes thought about Jesus forgiving the man his sins. They incorrectly regarded it as blasphemy. They were right about one thing, however. Only God can forgive sins.
The scribes thought that Jesus was blaspheming because they thought that He was just a man. What they failed to understand is that Jesus is incarnate – both God and man. This is one of the passages of scripture that shows us that Jesus is God.
Verses 8 to 12
In verse 8 we see that Jesus was able to read the minds of the scribes. And He used this to address the thoughts they were having.
In verse 9 Jesus puts a question to the scribes. The scribes don’t answer the question so I’m going to put it to you instead. Which is the easier of these two options? I suggest to you that it is healing the man of his paralysis. It was easier for Jesus to heal the man of his paralysis because it would not have upset the scribes. Remember what Jesus was accused of at His trial. He was accused of blasphemy. By forgiving the man of his sins, Jesus was giving the religious authorities evidence to accuse Him of blasphemy. And the penalty for blasphemy was death.
In verse 10 Jesus gives Himself the title, Son of Man. This is the first time He uses this title in Mark’s gospel. So, what is He saying when He calls Himself the Son of Man? The title, Son of Man, tells us that Jesus is human, humble and divine. It tells us that Jesus, as God’s Son, humbled Himself and took on flesh and lived among us.
We also see in verse 10 another aspect of Jesus’ authority. In Chapter 1 of Mark’s gospel, we saw that the subject of Jesus’ authority cropped up a number of times. And here we have it again. This time we learn about His authority to forgive sins. Remember only God has this authority. No man can do this.
As proof of this authority Jesus heals the paralytic. And once again, the crowd are amazed. Are we amazed when we see what Jesus can do? We should be.