David Bahn – Reflections

Mark 2:1-12

And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. ² And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them.³ And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. ⁴ And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. ⁵ And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” ⁶ Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, ⁷ “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” ⁸ And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? ⁹ Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? ¹⁰ But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— ¹¹ “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” ¹² And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

The core of the problem we all have is sin. We have missed the mark. We have done things we should not have done and failed to do things we should have done. Sometimes, however, our truest needs are disguised by other seemingly more-urgent concerns and distractions. Such is the case of the paralyzed man let down through the roof.

Looking at the encounter you might ask, Is Jesus insensitive or inaccurate in the way he treats the paralyzed man? Does he not care that this man is a captive audience, and all the people in the house are privy to what Jesus says? It might appear that Jesus’ announcement that the man’s sins are forgiven is much like pointing out someone’s faults in public. People in that day often drew the conclusion that someone had sinned when he or she had a physical illness (cf. John 9:1-2). We know today that it is impolite to point out people’s faults and flaws.

On the other hand we might wonder if Jesus has missed the mark. The man is paralyzed! He needs to be healed. How can you be talking about sin when you see him in a bed before your eyes? We all have bad days. Maybe Jesus just isn’t on his game today. Perhaps he’s distracted by the crowds – especially the judgmental scribes: they certainly do need forgiveness!

Jesus is neither insensitive nor inaccurate. His heart is deeply concerned for this man and his physical, spiritual, and emotional wellbeing. He shows that in the end, sending the man home with his now-unneeded bed. The questions people then and there asked, however, center on Jesus’ authority and ability to forgive sins – not on whether the man needed forgiveness nor Jesus’ insensitivity. Can Jesus really do this? Can he forgive sins?

Those who know the story of Jesus know that his question about which is easier…to forgive or to heal is pointed. In order for Jesus to forgive our sins he had to take them into his being and die for them. If he was going to make good on his initial word to this man Jesus will have to die. That’s not easy.

But Jesus spoke the words. And the man was healed. And one day Jesus will go to a cross to make that pronouncement more than just words. Our gravest need has been met in Jesus. He forgives sins: paralyzed men and modern women, easy or not. That’s not only amazing, it’s Good News!