We are going to witness an astonishing act of faith today when the four friends of a paralyzed man decide to get their friend to Jesus no matter what it takes. The man needs a form of healing that only Jesus can provide, for he is sick both in body and in soul.
"A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that He had come home." (Mark 2:10) The "home" here is thought to be the home of Simon Peter and his brother Andrew. Jesus never owned a home of His own, as is evidenced by His remark in Matthew 8:20 and Luke 9:58, "Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head."
Word spreads quickly that Jesus is in town and the people rush to see Him. "They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and He preached the word to them." (Mark 2:2) The main priority of Jesus' ministry is not to heal the sick or raise the dead or cast out demons, but to preach the word of God. The miracles are the proof that Jesus is who He says He is, but the performing of miracles is not His primary mission on earth. Miracles may astound, but they do not save. Only the truth of God's word is able to save those who accept it in faith.
"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 he was lying on." (Mark 2:3-4) These proceedings take a fair amount of effort. The four men heft their friend onto the roof, bed and all. They then make a hole big enough for the man and the bed to fit through. After that they lower their friend and his bed through the hole using ropes. What a beautiful example of love in action! These men will stop at nothing to get their friend to Jesus. When He heals this man, I think He does it as much for the sake of these friends as He does it for the man himself.
There is a great deal of value in interceding with the Lord on behalf of those we love, for God may perform a miracle in their lives, not so much because they have requested it, but because we have. Another example of this type of intercession is found in Genesis 18 and 19 when God rescues Abraham's nephew Lot. God does this more for Abraham's sake than for Lot's sake. Lot appears to be a man with one foot in the church and one foot in the world, so to speak. But Abraham pleads with the Lord to save Sodom for the sake of ten godly people that Abraham believes the Lord can surely find there. We don't really get the impression God finds anyone godly there, but because the Lord loves Abraham and because Abraham loves the Lord, God saves the lives of Lot and two of his daughters. Lot himself seems to be quite reluctant to go, so in the end the angels have to take him by the hand and pull him outside the gates. (Genesis 19:16) Why do these angels do this if not for the sake of Abraham who has been praying for the city and its inhabitants? Who might the Lord grab by the hand and save from destruction because we have been praying for them?
When the paralyzed man's friends lower him through the roof, we don't know how Simon Peter and Andrew react to their house being damaged, but we know how Jesus reacts. "When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralyzed man, 'Son, your sins are forgiven.'" (Mark 2:5) This is not what anyone expects Jesus to say! Those assembled at the house expect Jesus to touch the man, just as He touched the leper in yesterday's passage, and make him whole. We don't know whether a sinful life has led to this man's health problems, but we do know that he's troubled more by the condition of his soul than by the condition of his body. Jesus sees his deepest need. What this man wants more than anything else is to be right with God. The afflictions of the body are temporary because life is temporary, but the paralyzed man knows the destiny of his eternal soul is at stake here. He doesn't even have to say a word or make any sort of confession because Jesus immediately knows every thought in his head.
Some of the visitors to the house are outraged when they hear what Jesus says. "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?'" (Mark 2:6-7) Indeed! Who can forgive sins but God alone? Since Jesus is God, God is in the house. He's right in front of them.
The teachers of the law don't say anything out loud. Jesus can read their minds as easily as He can read the mind of the paralyzed man. "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?'" (Mark 2:8-9) He knows the teachers are thinking, "Talk is cheap! Jesus can say anything He wants about the paralytic's sins being forgiven, but where is the proof? We can't see the sins in the man's heart. We can't see his forgiveness. How do we know he has received absolution? Furthermore, only God can forgive sins, so Jesus is committing blasphemy by telling the man he's forgiven. Where is the proof the man is forgiven? Where is the proof Jesus has the authority to forgive?"
Jesus is about to provide them with proof. He says, "'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 2:10-12) Imagine how much it shocks the teachers to realize Jesus can read their minds! On top of that, the next thing He does is tell the man to get up and walk....and the man gets up and walks! I picture the teachers sitting there with their mouths hanging open. I see the others assembled there raising their hands to heaven and shouting, "Praise God!"
Of course they've never seen anything like this, because God has never come in the flesh before. Jesus presents His credentials as the Messiah by healing the sick and raising the dead and casting out demons because these things are the visible proof of His identity. Many people, Jews and Gentiles alike, are going to believe that the One who performs such miracles also has the authority to forgive sins. They are going to believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God because He does things that only God can do.
No comments:
Post a Comment