MPV Commentary

This incident follows next in order of time after the cure of the leper (Mr 1:40-45). Jesus entered Capernaum again, and it was noised that he was in the house, likely Simon Peter's home.

Many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, not even space about the door. Jesus preached the word to them indoors, but undoubtedly in the hearing of the multitude pressing around. If He had gone out, as one would naturally expect, the paralytic's faith would have had no opportunity to be displayed.

Luke adds an additional and important incident: "And it came to pass on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem." This was the highest testimony yet borne to our Lord's growing influence, and the necessity increasingly felt by the ecclesiastics throughout the country of coming to some definite judgment regarding Him. The power of the Lord was present to heal them, making this miracle one of the most glorious and worthy to be recorded.

People came to Jesus, bringing a man sick with paralysis, who was carried on a bed borne by four men. When they couldn't get near Jesus because of the crowd, they went up onto the housetop and uncovered the roof where he lay. They broke through the roof and let down the bed into the midst before Jesus.

Jesus saw their faith – not just the patient's, but that of his four friends who bore him to Jesus. This was a faith that would not be defeated, and Jesus marked it as such. He said to the paralyzed man, "Son, your sins are forgiven you." By this statement, Jesus proclaimed the man's pardoned state as a believer.

Certain scribes and Pharisees were sitting there, reasoning in their hearts about why Jesus spoke blasphemies by claiming authority to forgive sins. They asked, "Who can forgive sins but God only?" This was a great truth they expressed (Isa 43:25; Mic 7:18; Ex 34:6-7).

Jesus responded, "Why reason ye these things in your hearts? Is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Arise and take up thy bed and walk'?" He was saying that if He could command away disease, then He had done the other, which they couldn't see – forgiving sins. Jesus said this to demonstrate His power on earth to forgive sins.

He told the paralyzed man, "I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house." The man immediately arose, took up his bed, and went forth before them all, proclaiming by that act to the multitude that He who could work such a glorious miracle of healing must indeed have power on earth to forgive sins.

The crowd had never seen anything like this before. They were amazed at the miracles wrought and the forgiveness of sins pronounced by Jesus' human lips.