Mark 2:1-12 tells us that Jesus was returning to Capernaum. The last time He was here, after preaching at the synagogue, Jesus ended up at Peter’s house for dinner. Only, he couldn’t really relax, because everyone and their brother ended up at the door wanting Him to do a miracle for them.
Now, He’s back in town. Probably back at Peter’s house. Word got out that He was back in town, and they made their way back to Peter’s house. So many people are there that there wasn’t any room – even for those waiting at the doorway.
Jesus used the opportunity to preach, which is what He had intended all along. Then, some men brought a man who was paralyzed and lying on a mat. They wanted to get him close to Jesus. But they couldn’t because of the crowd.
Since Jesus was inside and surrounded by the crowd, they decided they would carry this paralyzed man up the exterior stairs.And get this – they literally dismantle the roof and lower this man down through a hole they made in the roof.
Can you imagine that? How determined would you have to be to do something like that? They know Jesus is something special. He must be from God. He can heal our friend. So, Jesus, moved to compassion does exactly what you expect Him to do. He bends down and says, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
Huh? What just happened here? We just pressed through the crowd, tore a hole in our neighbor’s roof. And for what?
Oh, but it gets even better. Because among the folks who heard Jesus was back were the Pharisees – the teachers of the Law. And now they were in shock. “He can’t do that! Only God can forgive sins.” They thought to themselves. “Who does He think He is!”
They were thinking these things to themselves, but they hadn’t called Jesus on this yet. Before they could, Jesus asked them, “Why are you thinking these things?” Did you catch that? Jesus knew what they were thinking. He could read their minds. And He asks them:
“Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’?”
That’s when Jesus makes this very important statement:
“But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.…” He said to the paralytic,“I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”
Amazingly, the paralyzed man stood up, picked up his stretcher, and walked away. Can you picture it? He’s lying there one second, and then Jesus tells him to get up, and he does. Can you imagine that? Neither could they! That’s why the people in the crowd said, “We have never seen anything like this!” Indeed, who has! This proves that:
As God, Himself, Jesus has authority over BOTH physical AND spiritual life and death.
Jesus wasn’t looking for an answer. He was the answer. The question that the Pharisees were so concerned about was regarding His identity. If He was just a man, then He just declared Himself God by telling a man that all of his sins were forgiven. They were onto something that is profound and important:
Forgiveness of sins is always the exclusive right of God.
That’s why Jesus refers to this word, authority, in verse 10. It’s the Greek word, exousia. It means to rule over, to control over, to have power over. Jesus demonstrated His power over physical paralysis and disease. To prove that He had the right and authority and power to heal physical disease AND spiritual disease.
In this one short scene, He proves that He has power over the body, the mind, and the soul. Truly, “We have never seen anything like this!”