Which is easier?

And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven you." And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, "Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?" But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, "Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Arise, take up your bed and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins" -- He said to the paralytic, "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house." Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"

- Mark 2:1-12

We have just finished chapter 1 of Mark's Gospel. Jesus' Galilean ministry has been widely established. In yesterday's reading, we read of several healings: by touch, Peter's mother-in-law was healed of fever; then the whole city gathered to his door in Capernaum, and Jesus healed many with diseases and cast out demons from others. Jesus again showed His power over the demons because He would not let them speak. Long before it was light, early in the morning, Jesus went out to pray alone. But everyone was looking for Him. He told Peter they must go to the next towns, "that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth." Then a leper came to be cleansed, and Jesus healed Him. He forbade the healed leper to tell others of it, but simply to go to the priest for a certificate. Nevertheless, Mark tells us, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every direction.

And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. Jesus sticks to His purpose: for the ministry, preaching comes first. My study bible points out that "Jesus preached wherever there were people -- in the synagogue, on the mountain, on the plain, and here in a house."

Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven you." There's an interesting note here that this story relates to our preparation for Easter. This particular passage tells us "(1) We must come to Christ in faith and let Him heal us of our spiritual paralysis. Sin is a paralysis of the soul. (2) We should let nothing deter us from getting to Christ, who alone can heal us, both in body and in soul. (3) We must help each other come to Christ." Many comment on the help of friends illustrated here, and of course, to me it suggests also the power of intercessory prayer on behalf of others. It also speaks of the great effort we may put in to get this great gift, the presence of Christ. In faith, the effort confirms our great and true desire.

And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, "Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?" But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, "Why do you reason about these things in your hearts?" In Scripture, the heart is usually meant to refer to the center of our consciousness, which includes both our will and reason. Jesus, as the Gospels so often illustrate, and as the Apostles prayed, is the knower-of-hearts. Neither is He afraid to challenge the scribes, based on His knowledge.

"Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Arise, take up your bed and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins" -- He said to the paralytic, "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house." Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!" My study bible says that the point here is not which is, in fact, easier, but rather that the one who can say to a paralytic, "Arise, take up your bed and walk" also has the power to forgive sins. The scribes have, in an ironic twist, confirmed that only God can forgive sins, and the implication about Jesus' divine nature is clear, yet remains a great secret! As we read in yesterday's cleansing of the leper, this secret is one that is, in fact, hidden in plain sight, so to speak. And the people give glory to God in their amazement, and say, "We never saw anything like this!"

Have you ever experienced anything in your life that felt to you as if it must have been the work of God's presence in your life, and yet to all others it passed as the normal order of the day? I don't think this is such a very unusual experience. Often we may attribute workings in our lives, or insights we may gather, simply to natural forces or the capacity of our own minds. I have had friends insist that this must be so for me, when I tell of insights that I don't feel I could possibly have had without spiritual grace -- things I don't feel I learned from merely my experiences of life. Regardless of how we feel we get there, today's story is an expression of the effort that is always worthwhile, and that is the power that we put into our faith. It really doesn't matter how things look to others. Jesus illustrates this by His conviction, His preaching, because "for this purpose" He "has come forth." He doesn't heal to please people, nor to gather followers, but rather out of compassion -- and in today's story, we learn, He "saw their faith." The knower-of-hearts responds to what is in our hearts, and out of our hearts comes our effort. What may be hidden in plain sight, even to those who may be amazed, won't be hidden in the heart when we understand the relationship of faith to effort, to love and relationship, and to the Comforter, the One that graces us with help. How do you prepare for Easter today by making the effort to find the One whom your heart most desires?