Jesus Heals The Paralyzed Man
June 18, 2019
Commentary
Jesus chose Capernaum as the headquarters of His Galilean ministry. This was a commercial city on the main road of traffic between Egypt and Damascus. We find Jesus back in this city in a crowded house preaching the Word. Four men came carrying their paralyzed friend on a stretcher. They could not get to Jesus because of the crowd so they went up on the roof, made a hole and let the man down through the hole to Jesus’ feet. When Jesus saw their faith He healed the man. In seeking to bring their friend to Jesus, we notice:
The determination of the four. – (v. 3) “And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.”The difficulties they faced. – (v. 3b) “……bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.” In a very real sense, these four men were willing to bear the physical burden of their friend in order to get him to the One who could help him.The deliverance they fostered. – Jesus said, “Son, thy sins be forgiven thee” (v. 5). As usual there were some scribes sitting there “reasoning in their hearts” (v. 6), “Who can forgive sins but God only?” (v. 7) Jesus knew that they resented His implication that He could forgive sins. They were actually right in their theology that God alone can forgive sin, but wrong in their deduction that Jesus was an imposter and not the Son of God.Their hostile response reveals three things:
They admit that Jesus can do something they are unable to do – forgive sins.That blasphemy is a serious charge – whoever blasphemes the Name must be put to death (Lev. 24:16).Jesus knows hidden thoughts even as God does – prophets are said to perceive all things in their spirits (Lk. 7:39).
Application
___ I need to ask the question: Who am I the most like? ___ The paralyzed man ___ The crowd___ His friends ___ The religious leaders
Mark 2:1– 12 (NET)
1 Now after some days, when he returned to Capernaum, the news spread that he was at home. 2 So many gathered that there was no longer any room, not even by the door, and he preached the word to them. 3 Some people came bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. 4 When they were not able to bring him in because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Jesus. Then, after tearing it out, they lowered the stretcher the paralytic was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some of the experts in the law were sitting there, turning these things over in their minds: 7 “Why does this man speak this way? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 Now immediately, when Jesus realized in his spirit that they were contemplating such thoughts, he said to them, “Why are you thinking such things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up, take your stretcher, and walk’? 10 But so 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, stand up, take your stretcher, and go home.” 12 And immediately the man stood up, took his stretcher, and went out in front of them all. They were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”
Illustration: Taylor quotWe Have 25 Cents-And The Promises of God
During an especially trying time in the work of the China Inland Mission, Hudson Taylor wrote to his wife, “We have twenty-five cents—and all the promises of God! (Wycliffe Handbook of Preaching & Preachers, W. Wiersbe, p. 242)