Mark 2
A paralysed man is forgiven and healed
And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house. And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them. And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.
Back in Capernaum, Jesus is teaching in a packed house. Four men carrying a paralysed friend dig through the roof and lower him down. Jesus tells the man his sins are forgiven; when some scribes silently object that only God can forgive sins, Jesus heals him, and he walks out carrying his mat.
What does this mean?
'Palsy' (KJV) means paralysis. 'Son of Man' is Jesus' most frequent way of referring to himself in the Gospels; it can simply mean 'a human being', but also echoes the heavenly figure 'like a son of man' given authority in Daniel 7:13–14. Interpreters differ on how much of each sense is meant. 'Blasphemy' means speech that insults God or claims what belongs to God.
Historical context
Village houses usually had flat roofs of beams, branches and packed clay, reached by an outside stair, so a hole could be dug through and repaired. Many people in the ancient world linked illness with sin, though the Jewish scriptures also question that link (the book of Job).
Why does it matter?
This begins a series of five conflict stories (2:1–3:6) in which opposition grows until there is a plot to kill Jesus. The charge of blasphemy anticipates the charge on which he is condemned (14:64).
Editorial notes, not scripture.
Told in three Gospels
Matthew 9:1–8
A paralysed man is forgiven and healed
How Matthew tells it
Matthew's account is much briefer than Mark's or Luke's, with no crowd blocking the door and no opening of the roof to lower the man. Only Matthew ends by saying the crowds praised God for giving such authority 'to men'; some interpreters connect this with the authority later given to the disciples (16:19; 18:18).
Continue reading in Matthew →Luke 5:17–26
A paralysed man is forgiven and healed
How Luke tells it
Luke places Pharisees and teachers from every village of Galilee, Judea and Jerusalem in the audience from the start and notes that "the power of the Lord" was present to heal. Only Luke mentions roof "tiles" (Mark describes digging through the roof), and only he says the healed man went home glorifying God.
Continue reading in Luke →How Mark tells it
Mark sets the scene at 'home' in Capernaum with a crowd blocking the door, and alone says that four men carried the man and dug through the roof (Luke has him lowered 'through the tiling'; Matthew mentions no roof). Matthew ends with praise to God for giving such authority 'to men'; Mark ends with 'We never saw anything like this!'