A Paralytic’s Story                                                                                                                           F - 3     

 

A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that He had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and He preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, 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 by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, “Why does this fellow talk like that?  He’s blaspheming!  Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

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? Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’?  But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.”  So he said to the man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home”.  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!”

Mark 2: 1-12 (NIV)

 

Here’s a story with so many moving parts.  Let’s try to look at each part!  First, we have a crippled man on a mat, with a lifestyle no one would want.  It is hard to imagine the crippled man’s life.  He was dependent on everyone, and in need of everyone.  Perhaps because of his condition he never even saw Jesus before that day.  Would he be in favor of trying to visit that house that day?

There were four friends of the crippled man, bound and determined to help him resume full health, at any cost.  His friends were determined to help him by taking him to Jesus.  It is doubtful if they had destroying part of the roof in their plans.  But by the end of that day, what a story they could tell!

Make sure you understand how difficult it would be to carry a man on a mat to the house, then the movement to the roof, then through the roof down to where Jesus was at, all the while keeping the man comfortable by keeping the mat as level as possible.

The house was crowded and people could hardly move inside.  And outside, people were trying to hear what was happening inside the house.  Not a great place to be if you have fear of crowds! 

Some “teachers of the law” were there, probably there to catch this uneducated preacher with unauthorized teaching.  These were people who should have been helping and encouraging the faithful, spreading hope and good news.  But they used their positions as religious “know-it-alls” to spread fear and a rule-based lifestyle.

One person not mentioned at all is the owner of that house.  More on that person later.

And in the middle was the main attraction, Jesus.

And the first thing Jesus said was to assure the cripple that his sins were forgiven!  Not perhaps the prime reason behind all the friends’ work, but in the scale of eternity Jesus was emphasizing what is most important.  This announcement set off the teachers of the law, who became infuriated at what Jesus said.

And finally, we have the final statement of Jesus; you are healed!

     

1) Some “teachers of the law” were in that house.  Were they open to meeting with and understanding Jesus and His message? 

2) As Teachers of the law, they were self-important religious professionals, so in their minds who was more important in that house: they, or some uneducated, itinerant preacher?

3) The four friends were obviously full of determination and faith.  Do we know where the crippled man was mentally?

4) Why did Jesus want to address the man’s spiritual condition (forgiving the man’s sins) first?

5) At the start of this physical healing, why do think Jesus used the words, “I tell you”?

6) Finally, think for a moment about the owner of that house, now coping with a hole in his roof.  As he was googling the next day for roofers to come and fix that hole, was he thinking that this unexpected expense was worth it due to the miracle that happened in his front room, or might he have been whining about being stuck for this expense?  Which line of thinking might have held blessings for him? 

7) How would you feel if it were your house?

8) And if you were the person on the mat, what would Jesus say to you and do for you?