Healing Paralytic

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Jesus Heals a Paralytic

    Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.” -- Matthew 9:1-2

The circumstances surrounding this miracle are interesting. The history of it is compressed into a short paragraph, yet it is ripe with valuable insights and ideas.

Jesus had just left the region of Gadarenes, where demons which he had driven from two men entered into a herd of pigs, angering the whole town.

Leaving them, he stepped into a boat and crossed over to Capernaum, the town where he was at that time residing. No sooner did he arrive than a paralytic was brought to him.

Mark elaborates further on this miracle.

    A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, 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 and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” -- Mark 2:1-5

    At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!”

    Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? Which is easier; to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins ...” Then he said to the paralytic, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” -- Matthew 9:3-6

The condition of the sufferer

  • A paralytic, probably suffering from palsy, a disease that was rarely, if ever, cured
  • Confined to bed, unable to work
  • Hopeless

The faith of the people

  • Confidence
    • They brought him to Jesus
  • Perseverance
    • Mark says that the house where Jesus was living was surrounded by multitudes of people, so that they could not reach the door
    • Lowered him in through the roof
  • Love and compassion
    • Faith works through love

The healing

  • First
    • Removes sickness from within
    • Pardons guilt of the soul
  • Then
    • Tells the man to arise
    • Take his mat and return to his own home

The prejudice of the scribes

  • This fellow is blaspheming
    • Unspoken thoughts; yet
    • Jesus heard them
  • The miracle that Jesus had performed was evidence of his divinity, yet they were offended

The reaction of the multitude

    When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men. -- Matthew 9:8

  • Admitted the miracle
  • Filled with awe
  • Praised God

Application of the miracle

  • Sin is the great cause of suffering
  • Christ is the Savior
  • It should be our desire to bring others to Christ
  • God should be glorified in all things

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