Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Arise, take up your bed and walk'?

 

 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 

 

Yesterday we read that, as soon as they had come out of the synagogue (where Jesus cast out an unclean spirit), they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.  But Simon's wife's mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once.  So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her.  And she served them.  At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed.  And the whole city was gathered together at the door.   Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.  Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.  And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him.  When they found Him, they said to Him, "Everyone is looking for You."  But He said to them, "Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth."  And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons.  Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean."  Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed."  As soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.  And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once,  and said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."  However, 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.  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!"  My study Bible asks us to note here that one purpose of the coming of Christ into the world as the incarnate Jesus is to forgiven sins.  This is to free humanity from its bondage.  To forgive sins, it says, is a greater power than physical healing.  As the scribes correctly note, God alone can forgive sins.  So, therefore, the easier task is to grant physical healing.  Although Christ is fully God and holds the authority to forgive, He condescends to those who are gathered in the crowded house in Capernaum (St. Peter's family home, His ministry headquarters) in order to draw people to God, whom they glorified.  

 

 Jesus asks the scribes, "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."   Although we're told that all were amazed and glorified God following this miraculous sign, we really don't know if the scribes were convinced and came to believe that Christ (the Son of Man) truly had the power on earth to forgive sins.  Jesus offers a crossroads to the people who witness this healing of the paralytic, because it takes one more step from simply witnessing the miraculous healing to truly believing that He is God, and has the power to forgive sins.  That one more step is the step of faith.  As shown by this healing, faith is an indispensable condition for salvation; the text tells us that this forgiveness was extended when He saw their faith.  My study Bible comments on this note that faith is collective as well as personal, which we can see here as the faith of the paralytic's friends which helped in his healing.  Additionally, regarding the power to forgive sins, there are other signs of Christ's divinity on display in this story.  First, He knows the secrets of hearts (when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, the text tells us).  This is a quality that also touches upon the power to forgive sins as it is essential for the One who will judge.  See also 1 Samuel 16:7; 2 Chronicles 6:30.  Moreover, He heals by the power of His word (as in the story of Creation, when God spoke the cosmos into existence; see Genesis 1:3).  All the people can see His miraculous healing.  But will all -- including the scribes -- believe that He has the power to forgive sins, and that as Son of Man He is fully human and fully divine?  Throughout the Church's history, we find that so many of the heresies ruled on by Ecumenical Council really had to do in some way or another with this question of the divinity and humanity of Christ.  For whatever reason, it is this paradox of our faith that seems to be the most difficult for many to accept, and this has been true throughout the history of Christianity.  But, nevertheless, this is our faith, and this is the claim Jesus makes in the healing of the paralytic.  It's perhaps extraordinary how Christ presents His claim to the power to forgive sins couched within the healing of the paralytic, for it cracks open the question of whether to believe or not to believe in His divinity.  The human Jesus they see before themselves; can they also believe that He has the power to forgive sins?  In this action, Jesus confronts everyone with an immediate choice.  And this is really our choice, for without faith there is no healing, either physically of the paralysis, or spiritually in the forgiveness of sin and salvation in reconciliation with God.  For the power of judgment and Resurrection is given to Christ, as He teaches in John 5:22-27.  The power to forgive and the authority to judge go hand in hand, and there is only One who can do both.

 

 

 

Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him

 

 And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean."  Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed."  Immediately the leprosy left him.  And He charged him to tell no one, "But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering or your cleansing, as a testimony to them, just as Moses commanded."  However, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities.  So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.  

Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem.  And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.  Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him.  And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus.  When He saw their faith, He said to him, "Man, your sins are forgiven you."  And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies?  Who can forgive sins but God alone?"  But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, "Why are you reasoning in your hearts?  Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise up and walk'?  But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins" -- He said to the man who was paralyzed, "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house."  Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.  And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, "We have seen strange things today!"

 

- Luke 5:12-26 

 

 Yesterday we read that, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, Jesus stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets.  Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land.  And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.  When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch."  But Simon answered and said to Him, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net."  And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking.  So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them.  And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.  When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!"  For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon.  And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid.  From now on you will catch men."  So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.

 

  And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean."  My study Bible comments here that leprosy was one of the most dreaded diseases of Christ's time.  It brought tremendous physical suffering, and included total banishment and isolation from the community.  Leprosy is also symbolic of our sin.  

Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed."  Immediately the leprosy left him.  And He charged him to tell no one, "But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering or your cleansing, as a testimony to them, just as Moses commanded."   According to the Mosaic Law, a priest had to give a certificate certifying that a person was clean leprosy and could therefore rejoin community.  According to St. Cyril of Alexandria, my study Bible notes, Christ gives this command to "show yourself to the priest" in order to convince the priests by a tangible miracle that He is superior to Moses.  The priests hold Moses to be greater than Christ, but Christ heals leper immediately and with His own divine authority.  However, my study Bible points out, Moses had to seek mercy from above, and still she was only healed after seven days (Numbers 12:10-15).  

However, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities.  So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.  Let us note Christ's withdrawal into the wilderness to pray.  It emphasizes that if this solitude for prayer was necessary for Christ, how much more necessary for each of us?

 

 Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem.  And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.  Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him.  And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus.  When He saw their faith, He said to him, "Man, your sins are forgiven you."  And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies?  Who can forgive sins but God alone?"  But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, "Why are you reasoning in your hearts?  Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise up and walk'?  But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins" -- He said to the man who was paralyzed, "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house."  Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.  And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, "We have seen strange things today!"  My study Bible comments that, as shown by the healing of the paralytic, faith is an indispensable condition for salvation.  It notes that faith is collective as well as personal, for the faith of the paralytic's friends helped in his healing.  Three signs of Christ's divinity are on display here.  First, that He knows the secrets of hearts ("when Jesus perceived their thoughts").   See 1 Kings 16:7; 2 Chronicles 6:30.  Second, Christ forgives sins, which is a power belonging only to God.  Finally, He heals by the power of His word.

 

 Leprosy as a sign or symbol of sin forms a great deal of imagery from the Old Testament. Seen in this light, we can understand how a defect or imperfection forms a kind of mark or impurity, symbolizing the reality of sin on our true image in God, with healing coming through its lifting via repentance.   It's important to know that in a traditional Christian context, paralysis also is symbolic of sin, as in sin we are seen as "stuck" somewhere, victim of a type of stumbling block, unable to move forward in our faith.  Certainly the habitual return to repeated sin so often works like an addiction of one sort or another, and this emphasizes the symbolism of paralysis.  In this sense, we see what help there is to avail us to move past our stumbling block, move past where we are stuck, where a particular habit or temptation has a hold of us.  Many people have observed the help of this paralyzed man's friends, and how necessary it is to his salvation.  In this we see not only that the nature of faith is collective as well as personal, as my study Bible noted.  But we also see the universal need to acknowledge that such collective nature extends to the communion of saints, and our need to recognize prayer within this communal reality.  When saints -- living or dead according to worldly perspective -- are venerated or we ask for their prayers, we are asking for the kind of work done by this man's friends.  Even lowering his bed down to Christ can be seen as help "coming from above," so to speak, in the form of friends.  The same is true of asking for prayers from our own friends and community and fellow believers.  So often, this kind of prayer can help to bring a person to healing when that person, for whatever reason, is unable to pray for themselves.  Such is the power of prayer, that even our prayers for the dead are important in this respect, to help to draw closer to God.  The importance of prayer, as we've observed, is emphasized in our reading in the fact that Christ Himself often withdrew to solitude in order to pray.  This tells us that there are those who are helpful in pursuing what we need, to draw closer to God, and those who are not.  Let us consider the power of community in prayer, and all those who are in the "great cloud of witnesses" upon whom we call for help with prayer.  For there are those times when we can't help ourselves to move forward, but we can call upon others to help us to do so.

 

 

 

 

 

Who can forgive sins but God alone?

 

 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 

 

Yesterday we read that, as soon as they had come out of the synagogue where Jesus had been preaching (and cast out a demon), they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.  But Simon's wife's mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once.  So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her.  And she served them.  At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed.  And the whole city was gathered together at the door.  Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him. Now in the morning, having arisen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.  And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him.  When they found Him, they said to Him, "Everyone is looking for You."  But He said to them, "Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth."  And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons.  Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean."  Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed."  As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.  And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, and said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."  However, 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.  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!"  My study Bible emphasizes in ts comments that, as shown by this healing of the paralytic, faith is an indispensable condition for salvation.  Faith, we understand, is collective as well as personal, because the faith of the friends of the paralytic (the four men who carried him) helped in his healing.  It notes three signs of Christ's divinity on display.  First, He knows the secrets of hearts (see 1 Samuel 16:7; 2 Chronicles 6:30).  Second, He forgives sins, which is a power belonging to God only.  And finally, He heals by the power of His word.  My study Bible further elaborates on the fact that one purpose of Christ's coming into the world is to forgive sins, which frees humanity from its bondage.  It notes that to forgive sins is a greater power than physical healing.  As the scribes correctly note, God alone can forgive sins.  So, therefore, it is the easier task to grant physical healing.  Although Christ is fully God and He holds the authority to forgive, to heal this man is to condescend to those gathered in order to draw people to God, whom they then glorified.

In a worldly perspective, we would see the healing of this paralytic as truly a more extraordinary power than forgiving sins.  But from a perspective that includes some sense of the reality of God, the forgiveness of sins is more extraordinary, as noted by my study Bible (see commentary above).  Perhaps in our modern world, we take forgiveness for granted, as in what is now frequently called a "post-Christian" culture, we are inculcated into a sense in which for centuries we have prayed the Lord's Prayer, the Our Father, which was given to us by Jesus, and in and through which we are taught to forgive as we are forgiven.  Forgiveness can be a tricky problem, as we don't necessarily think of it in the correct paradigm of understanding God's forgiveness as first and primary, and our own as something which is secondary to God's.  Christ teaches, in giving that prayer, that we can't ourselves realize God's forgiveness without being forgiving ourselves.  But the primary judge, our Lord, is the One who is the true arbiter of such forgiveness, as He shows in today's reading.  Once again, we may turn to the paradigm and culture of the ancient Jews which existed at the time of Christ, the context in which this event took place, and within which Christ so stuns the scribes in today's reading.  As discussed in yesterday's commentary, the system of sacrifices and institutions of the temple were a process whereby the people not only could understand what sin was, but in and through which they were reconciled to God.  Christ's remarkable forgiveness then, comes as a shock indeed to the scribes, for how could a man forgive sins?  Or, as they ask here, significantly, "Who can forgive sins but God alone?"  Indeed, and therein is the riddle that poses the question of just who Christ is.  Who is this Son of Man, as He refers to Himself?  And we know the answer, that Christ is both fully human and fully God.  It's within this understanding that the greater power is to forgive sins, but to express also the truth of the Son of Man, a miraculous healing is also given, expressing concretely the identity of the One who is present to them in a "worldly" sense that can be perceived and understood.  But if we don't have the mind and the understanding of the truth of the spiritual reality behind Christ and within which our world is created and known by God, then we moderns fail to understand the real impact of sin and its detriments to us.  Is it possible that this paralytic suffers from something sinful that has affected his condition?  This is possible, but one thing is clear:  although he suffers physically, he is still in need of forgiveness for his sins, and this is the great grace of God, and our Lord Christ, in response to the faith of his friends who help to carry him.  In the same way, we can pray for our friends and help to "carry" them to Christ.  Moreover, it's helpful to understand that in the tradition of the Church, paralysis is often seen as a metaphor for the condition of being "stuck" in a sin, unable to repent -- or to change -- that is, to get past it, to grow.  For sin is like paralysis, like slavery, as my study Bible describes it.  We are stuck in a repeated pattern, perhaps even despite our best efforts, and we need help to break it.  For that also, the Holy Spirit has been given to us as a gift of Christ and His Incarnation into the world, so that we have a Helper.  We might, today, take for granted this possibility of forgiveness, but for those who have experienced the freedom of God's forgiveness, the effect upon the soul and upon our lives is boundless, for we are set free to live differently, to establish something good in our lives, to live as we are taught to live in Christ's light.  Let us consider the power of God to forgive, for it is also the power to liberate us, to set us free from our paralysis within something detrimental to ourselves and our mental, physical, and spiritual health.  Let us also glorify God in return.

Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men

 

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 those 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 

 Yesterday we read that as soon as Jesus and the disciples had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.  But Simon's wife's mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once.  So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her.  And she served them. At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed.  And the whole city was gathered together at the door.  Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.  Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.  And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him.  When they found Him, they said to Him, "Everyone is looking for You."  But He said to them, "Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I  have come forth."  And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons.  Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean."  Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed."  As soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.  And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, and said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."  However, 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.  My study Bible notes for us that Christ preached wherever there were people -- in the synagogue, on the mountain, on the plain, and here in a house.  This vital part of His ministry He always made time for, and put first in His care of the people.

 

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."  My study Bible comments that this passage shows us that faith is an indispensable condition for salvation.  It notes also that faith is collective as well as personal, for  the faith of the paralytic's friends helped in his healing.

 

 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?"  My study Bible notes that the scribes are correct, that only God can forgive sins.  Unwittingly, they thus confirm the divinity of Christ.

But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, "Why do you reason about those things in your hearts?"  In Scripture, my study Bible says, the heart usually refers to the center of consciousness, including the will and reason.

"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 explains that the point of Christ's challenge ("Which is easier . . . ?) is not that either one is easier, but rather that One who could say, "Arise, take up your bed and walk" is also capable of forgiving sins.   Additionally, it's noted that there are three signs of Christ's divinity shown in today's passage.  First He knows the secrets of hearts (see 1 Samuel 16:7; 2 Chronicles 6:30).  Second, Christ forgive sins, which indeed is a power which belongs to God alone.  Finally, He heals by the power of His word (John 1:1).

Today's passage is read on the second Sunday of Lent in the Orthodox Church.  As such, my study Bible explains that it has a three-fold symbolism which relates to our preparation for Easter, and so, pertinent at this time.  First, we must come to Christ in faith, and let Him heal us of our spiritual paralysis.  Sin is thought of as a kind of paralysis of the soul.  That is, a place where we are "stuck," so to speak. Second, we should let nothing deter us from getting to Christ, for He alone can heal us in body and soul.  Finally, we need to help one another to come to Christ.  It's a powerful testimony to how we may find our way through the intervention of others, and especially by prayer.  Recently I saw a video of a woman named Tammy Peterson, who is the wife of the famous psychologist Jordan Peterson.  In it, she explained how prayer helped her through a diagnosis and treatment of a very rare and very deadly cancer.  See this video.  She was apparently greatly helped by a friend who prayed with her and brought a rosary to her, teaching her how to pray with it.  Tammy, who was not particularly religious, has found for herself a great source of faith and strength in the rosary, and has become Roman Catholic as were her great-grandparents.  I write this not to advocate for one particular Church or another, but to speak about the power of prayer, and how interconnected we are in prayer itself.  For when we open up communion with Our Father, with Christ, with the Holy Spirit, then we open up a vast interconnected web of communion that intersects everything, including our relationships with our own loved ones and community and the people around us.  There is no doubt that Tammy's "discovery" of prayer in her own life also affected the lives of her husband and family, for -- just like the paralytic in this crowded house in Capernaum that we read of today -- the interconnection of prayer as we root ourselves in communion with Christ also makes its connections, even though unseen by us, with all that is around us.  Jesus teaches Nicodemus in John's Gospel, "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit" (John 3:8).  To be "born of the Spirit" can of course take many forms throughout our lives, and in constant fulfillment of our Baptism.  But so goes also the work of prayer, borne in the Holy Spirit, and carried where it will, even unseen by us and unplanned by us!  Let us think about the surprising power of prayer, for the Holy Spirit blows where it wishes, in ways we can't predict -- but we can nevertheless take confidence in prayer always working in us and among us in God's own way.  For this is what Lent is for, to deepen our prayer and to seek God more deeply in our hearts.

 

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?"

 

 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 

 

Yesterday we read that as soon as Jesus and the others had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.  But Simon's wife's mother lay sick with fever, and they told Him about her at once.  So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her.  And she served them.  At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed.  And the whole city was gathered together at the door.  Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.  Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.  And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him.  When they found Him, they said to Him, "Everyone is looking for You."  But He said to them, "Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth."  And He was preaching in the their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons.  Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean."  Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed."  As soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.  And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, and said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."  However, 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.  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."   My study Bible comments that what we can observe here is that faith is an indispensable condition for salvation.  This scene teaches us that faith is collective as well as personal, as the faith of the paralytic's friends helped in his healing. 

 

 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!"  One of the purposes of Christ's coming into the world is to forgive sins, my study Bible notes, thus freeing humanity from its bondage.  It notes that to forgive sins is a greater power than physical healing.  As the scribes correctly note here, God alone can forgive sins.  Therefore the easier task is to grant physical healing.  Although Christ is fully God an holds the authority to forgive, He condescends to those who are gathered in this crowded house and heals the man in order to draw people to God, whom they all glorified God.   Additionally my study Bible also comments on three signs of Jesus' divinity shown here.  First, He knows the secrets of hearts (see 1 Samuel 16:7; 2 Chronicles 6:30).  Second, He forgive sins, which is a power that belongs to God alone.  And finally, He heals here by the power of His word.

 

 One of the notable comments on today's reading in my study Bible mentions a sign that Christ is divine, in the fact that He knows what is in people's hearts.  It cites 1 Samuel 16:7 as a Scriptural reference to this, which describes the time when the Prophet Samuel went to anoint a new king, guided by God's instructions.  The verse reads, "But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.'"  Jesus knows what is in the hearts of the scribes, for the text tells us that He perceived it in His spirit.  Of course, as Christ is the Lord, there are none who can claim an equal capacity for perception of the heart.  But this attribute of knowing in His spirit on the part of Christ is one that sometimes attributed to saints, and this is particularly so in Orthodox tradition.   It is a gift of grace, a gift of the Spirit, shared as other spiritual graces are shared -- but of course, not to the extent of Christ's understanding.  And yet, we can observe in some traditions this "knowing" on the part of older and experienced saints in particular, often those who are called "elders" and to whom many are drawn for help and advice.  Especially within the monastic tradition, the ascetics of this type of life are designed to reveal the truth of one's own heart.  This means, in particular to find the places where we are spiritually vulnerable, given more or less easily to temptation.  Fasting practices teach one about vulnerability to various desires.  This does not simply apply to food, but we should keep in mind that during traditional fasts (such as the forty-day period of Lent before Easter, in imitation of Christ's time of fasting and temptation; see Matthew 4:1-11), we are also guided to fast from many other things and passions, such as, for example, gossip and backbiting.  In modern times, it has become a common practice to refrain in whole or in part from social media as a Lenten practice, and we can each name a number of harmful things we're tempted to by social media.  The true purpose of all forms of spiritual discipline is to come to know the self, so that we may practice repentance or "change of mind" as the word literally means in Greek (metanoia/μετανοια).  But perhaps even more importantly in this context, we can't possibly understand others without first coming to understand ourselves -- especially in this sense of knowing our flaws and seeking to change more toward the image and likeness of God in which we are created, and which is modeled for us in the life of Jesus.  In Matthew 7 (part of the Sermon on the Mount), Jesus teaches, "Judge not, that you be not judged.  For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.  And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye?  Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye" (Matthew 7:1-5).  These words of Christ to His disciples clearly allude to this principle of coming to know oneself and wrestling with our own weaknesses and vulnerabilities to temptation and sin of all kinds.  For how else could they become teachers of others without first removing the "plank" in their own eye, in order to know and help remove the "speck" in another's?  What results from a blindness to our own hearts and our own flaws is the phenomenon known as "projection."  In our own blindness to ourselves, we project our flaws onto others, and see the "evil" we carry in those other people.  We can see this happening all around us, and one only has to take a look at social media to understand modern forms of the kind of hypocrisy and false judgment condemned by Christ.  When we observe such things, it tells about the failure to value humility and the capacity to come to know our own flaws -- and especially to practice compassion in the light of such truths.  When we fail to follow Christ's teachings, such flawed and socially harmful behavior -- this harsh judgment -- becomes a part of our currency.  We run the danger of it becoming "normal" to us, and something in which we willingly participate and introduce to others through our own flawed behavior.  When the world loses track of the "better yardstick" which faith gives us by which to measure ourselves, then the whole of the community and society loses, for sin works this way.  Let us consider the importance of our own awareness of ourselves, and the practices designed to lead us toward better self-knowledge and spiritual growth in the light of Christ, and the grace He brings to us.  For it is only in this sort of humility that we can become "great."  It is there we find ourselves as we need to be, and the road toward the life to which He calls us, and the spiritual fruit that is ours to produce.

 

We have seen strange things today!

 

Byzantine fresco, Platytera Ton Ouranon, "More spacious than the heavens," 14th cent.  St. Demetrius Church, Patriarchate of Pec, Serbia

 And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean."  Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed."  Immediately the leprosy left him.  And He charged him to tell no one, "But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as a testimony to them, just as Moses commanded.  However, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities.  So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.

Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem.  And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.  Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him.  And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus.  When He saw their faith, He said to him, "Man, your sins are forgiven you."  And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies?  Who can forgive sins but God alone?"  But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, "Why are you reasoning in your hearts?  Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise up and walk'?  But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins" -- He said to the man who was paralyzed, "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house."  Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.  And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, "We have seen strange things today!"

 

- Luke 5:12-26 

 

 Yesterday we read that, so it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that Jesus stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets.  Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land.  And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.  When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch."  But Simon answered and said to Him, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net."  And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking.  So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them.  And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.  When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!"  For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon.  And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid.  From now on you will catch men."  So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.

 

  And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean."  My study Bible explains that leprosy was one of the most dreaded diseases of Jesus' time.  It brought great physical suffering, as well as total banishment and isolation from society.  So, the person would be cast out from community.  It is also a symbol of our sin.

Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed."  Immediately the leprosy left him.  And He charged him to tell no one, "But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as a testimony to them, just as Moses commanded."   The priests were in charge of the care of lepers and leprous houses, including issuing a certificate of cleansing, so that the people could again participate in community (see Leviticus 13, 14).  My study Bible cites St. Cyril of Alexandria, who comments that Jesus gave the command to show yourself to the priest in order to convince the priests by a tangible miracle that He is superior to Moses.  The priests hold Moses to be greater than Christ, yet Christ heals a leper immediately and with His own divine authority.  However, when Miriam was struck with leprosy, Moses had to seek mercy from above, and still she was only healed after seven days (Numbers 12:10-15).  

However, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities.  So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.  Let us note that even Christ needs regular time for withdrawal in solitude in order to pray.

Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem.  And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.   Here the text introduces us to members of the ruling establishment of the Jews, and they have come from all over Israel.  They will be witness to what happens, and are no doubt present to observe the ministry of Jesus, which by now is well-known.

 

 Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him.  And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus.  When He saw their faith, He said to him, "Man, your sins are forgiven you."   And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies?  Who can forgive sins but God alone?"  But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, "Why are you reasoning in your hearts?  Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise up and walk'?  But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins" -- He said to the man who was paralyzed, "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house."  Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.  And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, "We have seen strange things today!"  My study Bible comments that, as shown by the healing of the paralytic, faith is an indispensable condition for salvation.  Faith is collective as well as personal, for, as we can see, the faith of the paralytic's friends helped in his healing.  There are there signs of Christ's divinity that are manifest here.  First, that He knows the secrets of hearts (see 1 Samuel 16:7; 2 Chronicles 6:30).  Second, Christ forgives sins, which is a power that belongs to God alone.  Finally, Jesus heals by the power of His word.

It's quite interesting to begin to observe the responses of the scribes and Pharisees to Christ.  The good news of forgiveness is met with indignance.  "Who is this who speaks blasphemies?  Who can forgive sins but God alone?"  Well, I suppose it is a reasonable theological objection, although by now everyone must be aware that Christ is no ordinary Man.  But Jesus Himself responds to this criticism seemingly as if He understands how it seems reasonable to them, and within their own "bailiwick" of regulating the faith and training and instructing the people.  So He responds with a deeper challenge, plunging right into His own way of responding with the truth.  "Why are you reasoning in your hearts?  Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise up and walk'?  But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins" -- He said to the man who was paralyzed, "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house."  We can simply imagine the response of the religious leaders.  One imagines they were simply stupefied and unprepared for what they saw, possibly responding with the rest of the people, "We have seen strange things today!"  That word that is translated as "strange" (in strange things) is παράδοξος/paradoxos in Greek.  And yes, that is the root of the word we use in English, "paradox."  In Greek the form is plural, as in strange or remarkable things, but "strange" and "remarkable" don't quite get the full impact of paradox.  What they've seen are things that are totally unexpected and out of the ordinary, as if right smack into the middle of normal life is something so inexplicable as to be seemingly contrary to all we think we know.  That's what it's like to witness one of the miracles or signs of Christ.  And the word is significant, because for the early Christian Church, there was nothing which so defined the divine, and especially the workings of the Trinity, especially the signs of God working among us, as paradox.  In the Eastern Church, hymns are filled with paradoxical images in order to open to us the things of God.  One of the names for the Virgin Mary, for example, is Platytera.   It is the name of a particular icon as well.  It means "wider" or "more spacious."  But because she held the Creator of the Universe in her womb, she is called Platytera ton ouranon, meaning "More spacious than the heavens."  The ultimate paradox, of course, is Crucifixion and Resurrection.  They are inseparable enough so that the Cross means for us Resurrection, and all that this entails, including the banishing of the evil one.  The Eastern Orthodox hymn in the Resurrection service of Easter declares, "Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, granting life to those in the tombs."   How can we understand this in purely human terms or from worldly expectation?  We can't.  And yet it is true, by dying on the Cross, He trampled death ("the last enemy" - 1 Corinthians 15:26).  And this is not so only for those who would come, but for those "in the tombs" awaiting their own liberation.  What we see on the Cross, which looks like horrific shameful defeat in human terms, is truly the greatest victory of all over the most lethal weapons of the enemy and accuser.  So powerful is the notion of paradox, and so central to our faith it is, that this is the way the early Church found to express the deepest wonders of God, and to open up to us what is ultimately unknowable in its fullness.  But that is precisely what Christ has brought to us -- the strange, unexpected, paradoxical reality we cannot just blink away or rationalize in some odd kind of "reasonable" explanation.  In Shakespeare's "Hamlet," Hamlet is told by his father's ghost of the treachery of his mother and uncle.  His friend from the University of Wittenberg (which was known for the shift from theology to humanism), Horatio, responds with words which might be taken right out of our text, calling this encounter "wondrous strange."  Hamlet responds, "And therefore as a stranger give it welcome. There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."  Paradox is the one way to describe the surprising work of God, even in our midst, which surpasses our expectations and defies all categories and limitations.  For just as Christ is both God and man (another extraordinary paradox), so even we carry the kingdom of heaven within us and among us (Luke 17:20-21).

 

 

 

 

When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven you"

 

 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 

 

Yesterday we read that as soon as Jesus and His disciples had come out of the synagogue in Capernaum where He preached, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.  But Simon's wife's mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once.  So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her.  And she served them.  At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed.  And the whole city was gathered together at the door.  Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.  Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.  And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him.  When they found Him, they said to Him, "Everyone is looking for You."  But He said to them, "Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth."  And He was preaching in their synagogues and throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons.  Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean."  Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed."  As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.  And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, and said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself t the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."  However, 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.  Again, we observe that Mark's Gospel emphasizes the quick growth of Christ's ministry.  Once Jesus was known to be in the house of Simon and Andrew's family, a sort of Galilean ministry headquarters in Capernaum, immediately many gathered together.   The house is so full that there is no longer room to receive more, not even near the door.  How does Jesus respond to the crowds?  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."  My study Bible asks us to observe that this healing of the paralytic shows that faith is an indispensable condition for salvation.  It notes that faith is collective as well as personal, for it is the faith of the paralytic's friends that also helped in his healing.  

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!"  My study Bible points out that one purpose of Christ's coming into the world is to forgive sins, which frees humanity from its bondage.  To forgive sins is a greater power than physical healing, it says, for, as the scribes correctly assert, God alone can forgive sins.  Therefore, the easier task is to grant physical healing.  Although Christ is fully God and holds the authority to forgive, He condescends to those who are gathered in the house, healing this man in order to draw people to God, whom they glorified.  Additionally, we're asked to note that there are three signs of Christ divinity shown in this passage.  First, He knows the secrets of hearts (see 1 Samuel 16:7; 2 Chronicles 6:30).  Second, Christ forgives sins, which is a power that belongs to God alone.  And finally, He heals by the power of His word (Genesis 1:3).

In the "immediate" nature of the people's response to Christ, and His growing ministry that results, we may make a new observation of the people's efforts to get to Him.  They seem desperate for Him, and for what He is offering.  The healings possible through Him could certainly explain this.  But there is more to the story, as what Christ responds with to the initial full gathering inside this house is preaching.  He preaches to them the word of the gospel, a message they need to hear.  It is as though they are hungry, and this is the way He feeds them, offering us one facet of meaning to the feedings that will take place in the wilderness (Mark 6:30-44, Mark 8:1-10).   Then we observe the great efforts made by the paralytic's friends to get him before Jesus.  They not only make a physical effort to go the "extra mile" (so to speak) to lift a part of the roof and lower him down into the midst of the house, they've also first made the creative plan to do so, and executed the plan.  This is a rather creative and adaptive thing to do in a situation that presents difficulties and possible complications.  Perhaps for that house and in that place and time it is a simpler concept than for a modern building of some type, but nonetheless we can see the various efforts they exert here.  But the thing to observe is that Jesus praises them, for this is the effort that displays their faith.  It is the expression of the faith that Jesus says is responsible for the healing.  So what we may observe in these obstacles and difficulties (i.e. the paralytic cannot move himself in the first place, neither can his friends easily bring him into the house without some sort of clever plan and the will to carry it out) is that they bring out the faith of the paralytic and his friends.  Their resourcefulness, their action, their capacity to respond to obstacles with creative plans and the will to execute them, are all expressions of faith and the actual living of that faith.  They were emboldened through their faith; they took courage in their efforts because of faith in Christ and their objective to reach Him.  In this same sense we must view our own lives when things don't come easily to us, when we seem to be surrounded by obstacles we have to think and work and plan and create alternatives around in order to find our way forward toward Christ.  In so many places in the Bible, we're asked to see that it is in this living of our faith -- especially around obstacles and difficulties -- that our faith is displayed, pulled out of us, drawn out, and discovered.  In Mark chapter 7, Jesus seemingly insults a Syro-Phoenician woman who is begging Him to free her young daughter from an unclean spirit.  He responds to her, referring to the Jews as God's children, "Let the children be filled first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs."  But she takes up this challenge, this obstacle thrown in the way of her objective, and meets it with both cleverness and humility.  She tells Him, "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children’s crumbs."  For this effort, He replies to her, "For this saying go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter."  See Mark 7:24-30.   There are all kinds of ways in which we may observe the inherent power found in the efforts of human beings to live their faith in the stories of the Gospels, especially in the challenges met by people who are desperately seeking to encounter Jesus, or even the challenges Jesus Himself places before them in meeting Him.  It seems that we are repeatedly asked to understand that it is in the living of our faith, and the efforts we must make to use our physical capacities, our intelligence, our creativity, and the audacity and courage in our strength to pursue that faith and to discover its depth and power, that God takes delight.  All of the stories of the Bible, from Israel's forty years of wandering in the wilderness, to exile, to the struggles of the faithful individuals and burgeoning communities that fill the New Testament, teach us about challenges that reveal our faith, and call upon every resource we have to express it and live it.  Indeed, we may come to know and understand that this is what it means to "work the works of God" (John 6:27-29).  God, in this sense, seemingly challenges us to come to God, and this mysterious journey is worth every effort for what it gives us, and teaches us about ourselves.

When He saw their faith, He said to him, "Man, your sins are forgiven you"

 

 And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean."  Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed."  Immediately the leprosy left him.  And He charged him to tell no one, "But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as a testimony to them, just as Moses commanded."  However, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities.  So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.

Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem.  And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.  Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him.  And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus.  When He saw their faith, He said to him, "Man, your sins are forgiven you."  And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies?  Who can forgive sins but God alone?"  But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, "Why are you reasoning in your hearts?  Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise up and walk'?  But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins: -- He said to the man who was paralyzed, "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house."  Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.  And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, "We have seen strange things today!"

 

- Luke 5:12-26 

 

Yesterday we read that, as the multitude pressed about Jesus to hear the word of God, He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets.  Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's and asked him to put out a little from the land.  And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.  When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch."  But Simon answered and said to Him, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net."  And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking.  So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them.  And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.  When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!"  For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon.  And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid.  From now on you will catch men."  So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.

 

And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean."  Leprosy, we should understand, was one of the most dreaded diseases of the time of Christ.  It brought great physical suffering, and also total banishment and isolation from society.  This was both in accordance with Mosaic Law and general practice of the time and for centuries later; my study Bible explains that leprosy is also a symbol of our sin. 

 

  Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed."  Immediately the leprosy left him.  And He charged him to tell no one, "But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as a testimony to them, just as Moses commanded."  Christ gives the command to "show yourself to the priest" in order to convince the priests by a tangible miracle that He is superior to Moses.  So writes St. Cyril of Alexandria, who is cited here by my study Bible.  The priests hold Moses to be greater than Christ, but Christ heals a leper immediately and with His own divine authority.  When Miriam, the sister of Moses, as struck with leprosy, Moses had to seek mercy from above, and still she was only healed after seven days (Numbers 12:10-15).  In addition, we should understand that Christ is telling the healed leper to fulfill the precepts of the religious law, in which priests were charged with dealing with lepers and leprous houses, as well as giving a certificate to enable the person to again participate in the community.  

However, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities.  So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.  Note that this is Christ's response to the growing fame of Himself and His ministry:  He often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.  The more the world presses in and knows Him, the more He seeks communion with the Father.

Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem.  It's important to note that at this time, due to the rising fame of Jesus as described above, the Pharisees and other members of the religious establishment have clearly taken note of His ministry.  Here, Jesus is still in Capernaum, but these Pharisees and teachers of the law have come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem to observe what He's doing; that is, they have come from all areas of Israel.  

 

 And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.  Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him.  And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus.  When He saw their faith, He said to him, "Man, your sins are forgiven you."  And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies?  Who can forgive sins but God alone?"  But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, "Why are you reasoning in your hearts?  Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise up and walk'?  But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins: -- He said to the man who was paralyzed, "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house."  Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.  And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, "We have seen strange things today!"  My study Bible comments that, as shown by the healing of the paralytic, faith is an indispensable condition for salvation.  It encourages us to note that faith is both collective as well as personal -- as here the faith of the paralytic's friends helped in his healing.  The text tells us that Christ acts to forgive when He saw their faith.  My study Bible cites three signs of Jesus' divinity here.  First, He knows the secrets of hearts (see 1 Samuel 16:7; 2 Chronicles 6:30).  Second, He forgives sins, a power which belongs to God only.  Finally, He heals by the power of His word.

We note that in the healing of the paralytic, forgiveness and healing go hand in hand.  The Gospels include careful examples of Jesus explicitly denying that sin is responsible for afflictions in particular cases.  For example, when the disciples observe a man born blind, they ask Him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"  Jesus tells them that he is not blind because of sins, his own or those of his parents, but "that the works of God may be revealed in him" (see John 9).  In today's story, however, there seems to be a different understanding; that this man's paralysis is somehow connected to sin.  In fact, in patristic literature, paralysis is seen as an image or allegory to sin.  We become "stuck" in a repeated sin, habits we repeat and can't get past, ways of thinking we don't wish to change, false beliefs that keep us in the same bad place until we can come to a better understanding or more clarity.  Although we know very well that in this world 'bad things happen to good people' (and Jesus serves as our primary example of that), and the Gospels show us the malice of demonic presence and affliction of all kinds upon the innocent, here there seems to be some connection between this man's paralysis and sin -- as the first thing Jesus does, because of their faith, is forgive the paralyzed man for his sins ("Man, your sins are forgiven you").  The remarkable characteristic here is that forgiveness is extended to this man not because of anything he has done, but because of the faith of his friends, who so earnestly seek to get him before Christ that they go up on the roof and lower him down through the tiles into the crowded home.  They have made every effort on his behalf.  But again, we note that it's not simply because of their effort per se, but because of their faith that prompts those efforts.  Here, then, the power of faith is clearly on display -- because the great faith of the man's friends can work to free him from the paralysis of sin, and then even of the physical paralysis of his body due to Christ's spiritual and physical healing and intervention.  While there are several things to learn from this story, perhaps its greatest news for us is the power of prayer that is conveyed here.  Prayer is not only shown as being collective, but it is also somehow "contagious" -- that is, if we are a part of a praying community, we can benefit from that prayer, even when we are "stuck" somewhere in our own incapacity for prayer, our own sins or spiritual paralysis that puts us in such a state.  The prayers of a community can still help those who are nominally connected to that body of faith; prayers here work like a network that does not stop functioning just because one of its points isn't fully functioning.  Even if one is unable to participate due to some sort of affliction, be it of the soul, spirit, or body, prayer here works to bring that person before Christ, to help to gain freedom from sin and affliction, to find forgiveness.  This is why we may pray for others, why every Church service contains numerous prayers for both the living and the dead, for those of community and even outside the nominal church community in some sense (such as civil authorities).  It is why we pray for saints and we consider that saints may also pray for us; we are all part of the communion of Christ, the "great cloud of witnesses" that surrounds us (Hebrews 12:1).  In short, there are no real barriers to prayer that we know of, as illustrated in today's text.  We pray for those who have passed as well as for the living; and like the friends of the paralytic in today's reading, we may pray for those who, for whatever reason, may not be capable of praying for themselves.  It seems safe to say that we all know people who are either unaware of or unable to face their own problems, who may need our faith and our prayers even in secret for them.  Clearly, from the teachings of Christ in the Sermon on the Mount, our prayers need not be known to others to be effective.  The one thing we might say makes our prayers ineffective is insincerity, hypocrisy, doing things only to be seen by others (see Matthew 6:5-6).  (For Christ, we know this also includes charitable deeds.)  For today, let us take note of the amazing power of prayer to make itself effective against all kinds of barriers.  It need not be the person with the problem who prays to be effective; time and space make no difference in terms of boundaries or barriers.  And let us consider, also, that we pray together with an entire created order of beings, including angels of unknown number and rank.  When we think about prayer, let us consider what a wide network we join, together with the work of the Holy Spirit in us and among us, for all gather unto Him.  Jesus Himself sets the example in today's reading, withdrawing all the more for prayer as His ministry expands.  Let us take confidence in doing likewise.