Nov 8, 2015
Mark 2:1-12 Amp
Jesus returned to Capernaum, and a few days later the news went out that He was at home. 2 So many people gathered together that there was no longer room [for them], not even near the door; and Jesus was discussing with them the word [of God]. 3 Then they came, bringing to Him a paralyzed man, who was being carried by four men. 4 When they were unable to get to Him because of the crowd, they [a]removed the roof above Jesus; and when they had dug out an opening, they let down the mat on which the paralyzed man was lying. 5 When Jesus saw their [active] faith [springing from confidence in Him], He said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 But some of the [b]scribes were sitting there debating in their hearts [the implication of what He had said], 7 “Why does this man talk that way? He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins [remove guilt, nullify sin’s penalty, and assign righteousness] except God alone?” 8 Immediately Jesus, being fully aware [of their hostility] and knowing in His spirit that they were thinking this, said to them, “Why are you debating and arguing about these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven’; or to say, ‘Get up, and pick up your mat and walk’? 10 But so that you may know that the [c]Son of Man has the authority and power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralyzed man, 11 “I say to you, get up, pick up your mat and go home.” 12 And he got up and immediately picked up the mat and went out before them all, so that they all were astonished and they glorified and praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”
Commentary:
The Lord did not tell the paralytic “you are healed.” The first thing that He told him was that “your sins are forgiven you.” Then the second thing He said to the man was “get up, pick up your mat and go home.” When Jesus forgave that paralytic, he was healed. What this means is that it was this man’s sin that made him sick.
Our sickness is often times connected to our sin. Sin causes sickness. And many are sick because of sin. Our greatest sin is loving someone or something else more than Jesus. It can be a spouse, a children, a friend…..anyone that we give all of our affection, love and loyalty to. And when our utmost devotion is towards this one person, we have replace our love for our God, Jesus Christ with an idol.
Proverbs 8:12-13
I, [godly] wisdom, reside with prudence [good judgment, moral courage and astute common sense], And I find knowledge and discretion.
“The [reverent] fear and worshipful awe of the Lord includes the hatred of evil;
Pride and arrogance and the evil way, And the perverted mouth, I hate.
The paralytic did not have the fear of the Lord. Perhaps, he loved himself more than the Lord Jesus Christ. He was in compromise to sin.
Psalm 25:1-5, 12-15 Amp
To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
2 O my God, in You I [have unwavering] trust [and I rely on You with steadfast confidence],
Do not let me be ashamed or my hope in You be disappointed;
Do not let my enemies triumph over me.
3 Indeed, none of those who [expectantly] wait for You will be ashamed;
Those who turn away from what is right and deal treacherously without cause will be ashamed (humiliated, embarrassed).
4 Let me know Your ways, O Lord;
Teach me Your paths.
5 Guide me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
For You [and only You] I wait [expectantly] all the day long.
(vv.12-15)
Who is the man who fears the Lord [with awe-inspired reverence and worships Him with submissive wonder]? He will teach him [through His word] in the way he should choose.
13 His soul will dwell in prosperity and goodness,
And his descendants will inherit the land.
14 The secret [of the wise counsel] of the Lord is for those who fear Him,
And He will let them know His covenant and reveal to them [through His word] its [deep, inner] meaning.
15 My eyes are continually toward the Lord,
For He will bring my feet out of the net.
Commentary:
To fear God is to walk in His righteous ways. That is why the psalmist is saying to God to teach me your path, guide me in your truth…. If a person does not fear God, he will not walk in God’s path nor want to be taught His ways. If a person’s eyes are not focused on Jesus, it is focused on something else and that means that Jesus is not his God, something else or someone else is.
In the case of the paralytic man, if Jesus just healed him without forgiving him first, he would not know that his sickness is connected to his sin. Jesus did it this way to show that his sin is what caused his ailment to begin with. This is why when we are sick, we are to confess our sins that we may be forgiven and then healed.
James 5:13-18 confirms this.
13 Is anyone among you suffering? He must pray. Is anyone joyful? He is to sing praises [to God]. 14 Is anyone among you sick? He must call for the elders (spiritual leaders) of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with [a]oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the prayer of faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another [your false steps, your offenses], and pray for one another, that you may be healed and restored. The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) can accomplish much [when put into action and made effective by God—it is dynamic and can have tremendous power]. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours [with the same physical, mental, and spiritual limitations and shortcomings], and he prayed [b]intensely for it not to rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land produced its crops [as usual].
Here, James is urging us to confess our sins to one another that we may be healed and restored. For without the confession of our sins, we may never be healed and restored.
People who refused to confess their sin actually love their sin more than Jesus. That is why they want to keep it. If they really hate their sin, it would not be a problem to confess it and get rid of it.
(Matthew Henry concise commentary on Mark 2:1-12)
It was this man's misery that he needed to be so carried, and shows the suffering state of human life; it was kind of those who so carried him, and teaches the compassion that should be in men, toward their fellow-creatures in distress. True faith and strong faith may work in various ways; but it shall be accepted and approved by Jesus Christ. Sin is the cause of all our pains and sicknesses. The way to remove the effect, is to take away the cause. Pardon of sin strikes at the root of all diseases. Christ proved his power to forgive sin, by showing his power to cure the man sick of the palsy. And his curing diseases was a figure of his pardoning sin, for sin is the disease of the soul; when it is pardoned, it is healed. When we see what Christ does in healing souls, we must own that we never saw the like. Most men think themselves whole; they feel no need of a physician, therefore despise or neglect Christ and his gospel. But the convinced, humbled sinner, who despairs of all help, excepting from the Saviour, will show his faith by applying to him without delay.
"Mr. Miyagi"
