|
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
|
