Day 18 – Capernaum: Right through the Roof

“Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, your sins are forgiven,’ or to say ‘get up, take your mat and walk’”? Mark (2:9)

Is this a trick question? He was making His critics think and then think some more. “Your sins are forgiven.” It is easy to say those words. But it is another thing to have the power to actually forgive sins. The critics knew that He had healed the paralytic so they would have known He had power to forgive.

These teachers of the law were right on one point. Only God can forgive sin (6). If Jesus is not God, then He is indeed a blasphemer and should be stoned. But if He is truly God, then He can both heal and forgive.

Which is precisely what He does.

There are two miracles in this story – one visible, the other invisible. It is good to heal a paralytic, but it is far better to have your sins forgiven. The healed paralytic will die someday and go out into eternity to face the Lord. What then?

In that day it won’t be enough to say, “Jesus healed me.”

Healing of the body is temporary.

Healing of the soul is forever.

By the order in which He does things, Jesus is teaching a crucial lesson. Our greatest problems are spiritual, not physical. As important as healing is, it is not as important as forgiveness.

It is clear the physical healing had taken place. The four men who carried him to the roof top would testify how sick he was. The crowd would have to testify of what their eyes had seen. The healing was complete and this paralytic took his bed and walked and began to go home changed physically. The crowd let him pass and the point is clear that both healing and forgiveness flow from the word of Jesus. He has authority to do both because He is the Son of Man.

How does your heart answer this question? Who is this Man? Is this not Joseph and Mary’s Son or is He really something greater than we believe? Is He just another religious leader or is He the Son of God from heaven?

If He is a blasphemer . . . then join the crowd that crucified Him.

If He is the Son of God . . . then crown Him the Lord of your life.

Lord, open our eyes and let us see Jesus as He really is. Allow us to give Him the honor that is due Him. Help us to crown Him King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Amen.