Mark 2:1-12 | Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Much has been made about Jesus being homeless, usually in light of Matthew 8:20 - “…the Son of Man does not have a place where He may lay His head.” But Mark says something different here - that Jesus indeed had a home. Multiple gospels note that Jesus’ home base was in Capernaum during his years of public ministry. But Mark pinpoints what seems to be a particular building.
…which makes it all the more remarkable what this man’s friends did. It’d be one thing to break through someone else’s roof to lower your invalid friend. And yet another thing that it was Jesus’ own home!
But also notable in this story is the moment at which Jesus decides to heal the man - when he saw their faith. What a powerful notion - Jesus healed a man, not based on his request or his faith, but the faith of those who brought him. There are many resulting implications.
Mark 2:1-12
After a few days, Jesus went back to Capernaum, and people heard that he was at home. So many gathered that there was no longer space, not even near the door. Jesus was speaking the word to them. Some people arrived, and four of them were bringing to him a man who was paralyzed. They couldn’t carry him through the crowd, so they tore off part of the roof above where Jesus was. When they had made an opening, they lowered the mat on which the paralyzed man was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Child, your sins are forgiven!”
Some legal experts were sitting there, muttering among themselves, “Why does he speak this way? He’s insulting God. Only the one God can forgive sins.”
Jesus immediately recognized what they were discussing, and he said to them, “Why do you fill your minds with these questions? Which is easier—to say to a paralyzed person, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take up your bed, and walk’? But so you will know that the Human One has authority on the earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed, “Get up, take your mat, and go home.”
Jesus raised him up, and right away he picked up his mat and walked out in front of everybody. They were all amazed and praised God, saying, “We’ve never seen anything like this!”'
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Two are better than one because they have a good return for their hard work. If either should fall, one can pick up the other. But how miserable are those who fall and don’t have a companion to help them up! Also, if two lie down together, they can stay warm. But how can anyone stay warm alone? Also, one can be overpowered, but two together can put up resistance. A three-ply cord doesn’t easily snap.
Prayer
God -
Thank you for the gift of friendship. For sure, friendship with Jesus is something in and of itself. But today, I am more particularly thanking you for those earthly relationships I have with others.
While I’ve never had a group of friends lower me through a roof for healing, I do have friends who sacrifice for me, who’d go out of their way to make sure my needs are met.
Lord, make me a friend of others who’d do the same. Give me eyes of awareness and hands of sure help. And should the occasion rise, give me the courage to be as of Christ, to lay down my life for another.
By your spirit & in Christ,
Amen.