Daily Bread Mark 2
Jesus Heals a Paralytic
1A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 3Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. 4Since 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. 5When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."
6Now 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?"
8Immediately 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? 9Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take your mat and walk'? 10But 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." 12He 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!"
Observation:
Jesus comes back to his hometown and this time there is a crowd waiting for him. News had traveled fast, even without the internet. It was such a packed house that four men who came to bring a paralytic to him, couldn’t get to him. So they dig through the roof and lower him down on a mat. Jesus sees their faith, but instead of healing his physical condition, first he tells him his sins are forgiven.
Jesus heals his soul condition, before his physical disease, but this is also to show his authority. The bottom line is that all healing of conditions we face in this life are temporary, but true and permanent healing comes as we receive forgiveness for our sin. This is a healing that not only repairs our soul, but also reconnects us in true fellowship with God.
Jesus has his first confrontation with the leaders, who think He doesn’t have the authority to make such a claim. This is the first time Jesus begins to unveil his identity as not only a man, but God. Eventually this is the statement about himself that will lead to him being crucified on the cross. For either Jesus is the Son of God and has the authority to forgive our sins, or not. Since he claimed this publicly, either he is lying, deluded, or truly the Son of God. One thing he cannot be is just a good person, or a good teacher, or just a prophet. He himself doesn’t leave us that option.
The Pharisees knew what he was saying and he was crucified for it, so it is not some very fairytale, it is a historically true event. This is more evidence that Jesus is and was the true Son of God.
Application:
Often we look to provide physical and emotional healing in Jesus’ name, as indeed we should. But how often to we focus on spiritual healing, as people confess their sins and get right with God. Believe it or not, in Scripture, we are told to confess our sins to each other (James 5:16). And just as Jesus gave the disciples authority to heal, he also gave them authority to pronounce forgiveness for sin in His name.
In our traditional worship service after the Brief Order of Confession, the minister says, “As a called and ordained minister of the Church of God I therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen.” I have always felt this was an amazing part of the service and an honor to preside over.
By application if your brother or sister confesses to you, you might say, “as a disciple of Jesus Christ, I declare to you that you are forgiven in Jesus’ name.”
Prayer: God as human beings we are bound to sin, but when we do help us to confess our sins, so that our souls will be healed and we will be restored to true fellowship with You. Also help us to be those who might hear confession and announce forgiveness in the name that is above all names and in so doing bear one another’s burdens for Your sake Jesus. Amen.
1A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 3Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. 4Since 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. 5When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."
6Now 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?"
8Immediately 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? 9Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take your mat and walk'? 10But 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." 12He 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!"
Observation:
Jesus comes back to his hometown and this time there is a crowd waiting for him. News had traveled fast, even without the internet. It was such a packed house that four men who came to bring a paralytic to him, couldn’t get to him. So they dig through the roof and lower him down on a mat. Jesus sees their faith, but instead of healing his physical condition, first he tells him his sins are forgiven.
Jesus heals his soul condition, before his physical disease, but this is also to show his authority. The bottom line is that all healing of conditions we face in this life are temporary, but true and permanent healing comes as we receive forgiveness for our sin. This is a healing that not only repairs our soul, but also reconnects us in true fellowship with God.
Jesus has his first confrontation with the leaders, who think He doesn’t have the authority to make such a claim. This is the first time Jesus begins to unveil his identity as not only a man, but God. Eventually this is the statement about himself that will lead to him being crucified on the cross. For either Jesus is the Son of God and has the authority to forgive our sins, or not. Since he claimed this publicly, either he is lying, deluded, or truly the Son of God. One thing he cannot be is just a good person, or a good teacher, or just a prophet. He himself doesn’t leave us that option.
The Pharisees knew what he was saying and he was crucified for it, so it is not some very fairytale, it is a historically true event. This is more evidence that Jesus is and was the true Son of God.
Application:
Often we look to provide physical and emotional healing in Jesus’ name, as indeed we should. But how often to we focus on spiritual healing, as people confess their sins and get right with God. Believe it or not, in Scripture, we are told to confess our sins to each other (James 5:16). And just as Jesus gave the disciples authority to heal, he also gave them authority to pronounce forgiveness for sin in His name.
In our traditional worship service after the Brief Order of Confession, the minister says, “As a called and ordained minister of the Church of God I therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen.” I have always felt this was an amazing part of the service and an honor to preside over.
By application if your brother or sister confesses to you, you might say, “as a disciple of Jesus Christ, I declare to you that you are forgiven in Jesus’ name.”
Prayer: God as human beings we are bound to sin, but when we do help us to confess our sins, so that our souls will be healed and we will be restored to true fellowship with You. Also help us to be those who might hear confession and announce forgiveness in the name that is above all names and in so doing bear one another’s burdens for Your sake Jesus. Amen.
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