Gospel of Mark Series: Mark 2 (focus on verses 1-12)
While [Jesus] was preaching God's word to them, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They 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. (Mark 2:2-4, NLT)
It was the scheme of a lifetime.
The four men—lifelong buddies—got word that Jesus was back in Capernaum. They had heard about all the amazing things Jesus had done. He was freeing people of diseases. A feverish woman hopped out of bed and started running around the kitchen. Jesus was somehow making sick people whole.
The four men told their friend about Jesus. He was skeptical, to say the least. He had been paralyzed for many years, and no doctor was able to offer him an ounce of hope. He would almost rather resign himself to this fate than dream about a different life. Hope is a dangerous thing when you've been disappointed so many times.
Still, his friends insisted they bring him to Jesus, and there wasn't much he could do to stop them. So they picked him up, mat and all, and ran as fast as they could toward Capernaum. They heard Jesus was staying at some fisherman's house. But by the time they arrived that morning, it was too late. Jesus and his crew had packed up and moved on. More disappointment.
"I told you this was a stupid idea," piped the man from his mat.
But a few days later, Jesus was back in town. The four friends, undeterred, picked up their buddy again, much to his grumbling. When they arrived at the house Jesus was staying at, it was already packed to the brim with people. There was no way they were getting through that crowd.
"I told you this wouldn't work," said the man from his mat. "Now take me back home."
"No," said one of the men. "There's got to be a way in." His eyes scanned the crowd, then gazed up at the roof of the house. A smile slowly spread across his face.
"Guys, I've got a crazy idea…"
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Okay, so the above story is a bit of "Bible fan fiction." It's what I imagine took place before the opening verses of Mark 2.
The dedication these men have to their paraplegic friend is amazing. It couldn't have been easy to carry him to the roof and then develop some sort of pulley system to lower him right down to Jesus.
Years ago, I spent the day in New York City with a friend. My legs were tired after walking for hours. We had tickets to see a musical that night, but the theatre was several blocks away, and I couldn't go on. We were short on time, so my friend picked me up and started running toward the theatre. We took our seats just as the first song was beginning. (He also talked the usher into letting us sit in the front row, but that's a different story!)
Sometimes we need to carry our friends when they are weak. Sometimes we need to be carried.
Can you imagine the crowd's response as they saw dirt start falling from the roof? Confusion. Panic. I'm sure whoever owned that house wasn't too happy. (Hopefully, they had insurance and could file a claim under "Act of God.")
But Jesus remains unfazed. He looks down at the man on the mat, smiles, and says something no one was expecting:
Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, "My child, your sins are forgiven." (Mark 2:5, NLT)
What?!?!
If you were this man, what would you be thinking right now?
"Um, I'm lying here on a mat, I can't walk, and you're supposed to be some kind of miracle worker... All you can say is my sins are forgiven?! See guys, I told you this was a bad idea!"
His friends must have been stunned too. Were all the rumors about the healings false? Was this Jesus guy a fraud, or was he out of his mind?
Luckily for the man, some of the religious leaders took offense to Jesus' words.
But some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there thought to themselves, "What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!" (Mark 2:6-7, NLT)
Stand back! Whenever the religious leaders criticized Jesus, he usually responded by healing someone. I think he wanted to show them that love and compassion always win out over traditions and rules.
This is how the story ends:
Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking, so he asked them, "Why do you question this in your hearts? Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man 'Your sins are forgiven,' or 'Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk'? 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, "Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!"
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!" (Mark 2:8-12, NLT)
The question Jesus asks these religious leaders is profound.
Is it easier to forgive the sins of a person or to heal their body?
As a parenthetical, Jesus' question is more proof that sickness isn't punishment for sin. If sin and suffering were linked together, the man would have gotten up immediately after being forgiven. But he didn't.
Jesus was saying to the crowd, "Having your sins forgiven by me is a big deal. And just to prove I have the authority to do that, I'll do something easier. Like, oh, I don't know… Heal this man's body!"
The paralyzed man and his four friends witnessed two miracles that day.
One of the miracles was the man finally set free from his physical disability. I can't imagine the joy he felt as he ran throughout the town. But it was still the lesser of the two miracles. The ultimate miracle was being set free from his sin.
Do we live our lives as if Jesus' biggest miracle is overcoming our inner brokenness?
I know I don't. I gloss over it most days as if it's a given. But when I think about it, that's the miracle I need most of all.
My cerebral palsy causes me discomfort at times. Others have it worse than me, and I can't complain, but I often do. Sometimes I get aches and pains. There are days I wish I could walk farther and faster without tiring out.
But you know what has caused me more pain in my life than CP? My own bad choices. By far! My own sin has hurt me (and others) more than my CP ever has. I'm a mess, with or without CP. And Jesus came to clean up my mess and set me free from that sin.
I want to live like that's the greatest miracle in my life. Because it is.
I don't say that lightly. I know many people are praying for physical healing, and it's a God-honoring prayer. God cares about our physical bodies. I'm not trying to dismiss the pain we experience in life. But I want to remember the promise of a future day when everything in this world will be redeemed.
The man and his four friends must have celebrated the day Jesus healed his body. I'm sure the celebration lasted for days, weeks, and even years into the future. Jesus gave this man a new life.
But as the years went by, the man's body began to break down again slowly. No, he wasn't paralyzed, but he started moving slower. He had more aches and pains. Disease crept back in. The man would have to face death, just as Lazarus would have to face death a second time after Jesus raised him from the grave. Jesus' lesser miracle had a shelf life.
But because of the greater miracle, the man could look forward to a day when God's kingdom would be fully realized on earth. It's a day when death, decay, and sadness will lose all authority, and we will live forever with Jesus.
Questions to Ponder…
Who are some friends who carry you when you are weak? Is there anyone you need to help carry in their weakness?
Would your perspective on life change at all if you saw Jesus' greatest miracle as overcoming your sin? What are some ways you can remind yourself of this miracle each day?
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