Mark in March

Finally!  Chapter TWO.  It only took me twelve days to get through Chapter One!  The title may be changed to Mark in March through May!

Mark 2:1-12

Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man

¹ When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home.

Even without technology, good news traveled fast.

² Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God’s word to them, ³ four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat.

“….he was preaching God’s word to them.”  God’s word, the Scripture, has always pointed us toward Jesus Christ, therefore, it is safe to say that Jesus was preaching about Himself, probably from the books of the prophets in the Old Testament.  Or, can you imagine listening to the One, in person, who was there when the world was created?  But according to what has been recorded for us, I’m confident that He did not stray from the Scripture.

So… four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat.  Hold that thought.

⁴They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus.

Just imagine… Jesus is preaching and He has the full attention of the crowd.  Suddenly, dust begins to fill the air.  Dirt and clay particles begin falling on Jesus.  Before they knew it, there was a hole in the ceiling big enough for the mat and paralyzed man to be lowered down.  A few of the men in the room closest to Jesus probably reached up and helped by lowering the mat to the floor right in front of Jesus.

 ⁵ Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.”

Seeing their faith.  Not only the faith of the paralyzed man, but the faith of the four men who carried the man, touched Jesus.  But even more than their faith, Jesus knew the repentant heart of the paralyzed man and forgave him.

Two words jumped out at me from this verse:  paralyzed and sins.  Jesus didn’t say, “Be healed,”  He said, “My child, your sins are forgiven.”  Jesus knew that the real paralyzing issue in the man’s life was sin.  Sin in our lives paralyzes our spirit, our mind, our heart, and our body.  Sin renders us useless to God and others, making us a burden instead of a blessing.

⁶ But some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there thought to themselves, ⁷ “What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!”

Look out!  Mumbling, grumbling, stinkin’ thinkin’ is going on in the room.  But not by ordinary people…. by leaders in the church who should have been able to recognize the Truth right before them!  But Satan is always lurking in the midst, especially when Jesus is working.  And how sad that these religious leaders allowed themselves to be used by the enemy. 

“Only God can forgive sins!”  Well, hello.  There’s your answer.  Open your eyes and your hearts!  The fact that they did not accept Jesus or recognize the work of God He was doing, reveals their heart.  Religious leaders that belong to the Father would have discerned the Truth and rejoiced.  Point:  there were, are, and always will be, religious leaders who do not belong to The Father.  The Bible refers to them as false prophets and false teachers and warns us to test their teachings against the Word of God.

⁸ Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts? ⁹ Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk’? ¹⁰ So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, ¹¹ “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!”

I love it!  Jesus knew.  Immediately.  What they were thinking.  oh wait… Jesus knows what I’m thinking?  Yes, He does and I still love it.  The knowledge of that fact helps me stay accountable.  My best friend reads my mind, hears my thoughts.  What better motivation do I need to keep my thoughts and guard my heart.

Jesus proved His authority to forgive sins.  He told the paralyzed man to stand up, pick up his mat and walk home.  Again, He never said the words, “Be healed!”  Jesus never even touched the man!  Jesus forgave and healed by His authority over sin.  The man who was once paralyzed by sin, was now forgiven and free!

¹² And the man jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers. They were all amazed and praised God, exclaiming, “We’ve never seen anything like this before!”

Jesus proved that He had the authority to truly forgive sins.  This how sure He was and how committed He was to His reason for being God incarnate, that He was to be sacrificed on the cross for the sin of every person, ever.  On this earth, three years before His actual death and resurrection, the Father, gave Jesus authority over sin because of what He knew Jesus was going to do… pay for our sins by being our sacrifice.  Does God honor our commitment, submission and obedience?  Does God honor our heart toward Him?  Does God honor our love for Him?  Indeed He does!

The same man who could not get through the crowd to get to Jesus, carried on a mat, suddenly could make his way though the crowd after Jesus forgave his sins and he was healed.  When that paralyzed man suddenly JUMPED from his mat and picked it up, the crowd jumped back and made a way for him.  They had never seen anything like this before, because only Jesus had the authority given to Him by the Father because of what Jesus would accomplish on the cross.  Because Jesus was God’s ultimate expression of love.

What does Mark 2:1-12 say to you?