Title Healing a Paralytic/Mark 2:1-12
Contents Healing a paralytic/Mark 2:1-12
After Christ had preached the gospel in the countryside for some time, he returned to his headquarters, Capernaum, and appeared again, hoping that by this time the rumors about him and the crowds who followed him would have been greatly reduced.
So let's take a look at this statement below.
I. A large crowd came to Christ. Although it was Peter's house or the temporary lodging place of Jesus, "there was heard that he was in the house, and many people gathered there" (vs. 1, 2). They were sure that Jesus would come to the synagogue on the Sabbath, but they could not remain still until that time. Where a king appears, there will be an audience, and where Shiloh appears (Gen. 49:10) "many people will come". Be careful not to lose time to make good use of the opportunity for our souls. They invited different people to "let's go see Jesus." Therefore, "there were so many people that the house could not accommodate all the visitors, so that they could not stand at the door" (verse 12). Even though the house was shabby, as doves flock to their home, so many people like a cloud. It is a blessed spectacle to see it rushing into the presence of Christ.
II. Christ treated the gathered visitors well. It was the best hospitality that his house could give him, and he treated them better than anyone else, because "Jesus spoke the way to them" (v. 2). Many of them probably came to be healed, and a few were drawn out of curiosity merely to see the signs revealed by Christ. But Jesus greeted them all and "speaks the way" to them. Although the doors of the synagogue were open to him at an appropriate time, such as the Sabbath though some would say it was an inappropriate place and an inappropriate time it was appropriate to preach the gospel in any house on any day of the week. "Blessed are you who sow by all waters..." (Isaiah 32:20).
1. Sin is the cause of all our suffering and sickness. The word of Christ washes away the thoughts of sin that caused and resulted from disease, and brings more attention to the forgiveness of sins.
2. When God forgives sins, He graciously removes the stings and malice of disease. Therefore, recovery from sickness is God's mercy through the forgiveness of sins (Isaiah 38:17; Psalm 103:3). To eliminate an effect, you must eliminate its cause. Forgiveness is the factor that cures sickness or banishes all evil spirits and eradicates all diseases.
1. This fact has its own controversial subject. If Christ had not removed the sin that caused disease, He could not have healed the disease that was the result of sin. Also, since sin is a disease of the soul, Christ's healing is a symbol of the forgiveness of sins. You will be forgiven of your sins and you will be healed. He who works a sign in the Word can also do what the sign signifies.
2. This fact was appropriate for them. These carnal scribes must have been persuaded by this proper conclusion that in order to be healed, sins must be forgiven. And it would have been easier to persuade than any other more divine conclusion. Therefore, it was appropriate for Christ to ask, "What is easier to say, 'Your sins are forgiven, or to say, 'Get up, take up your mat and walk'? To be pardoned from such punishment is to receive forgiveness of sins. He who is able to heal will be able to forgive sins. See Isaiah 33:24.
Ⅵ. The healing of the sick and the impression this fact made upon the people (v. 12). The sick man not only got up completely from the "bed" but showed him that he had been refreshed. “When he got up, he immediately took the table and went out in front of all the people, and they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, We have never seen anything like this” (verse 12). Note that the miracles performed by Christ were unprecedented. When we see what Christ does to heal our souls, we will say, "We have never seen anything like this."