The Palsied Man.

From: The Evangelist: Volume 2 (1868)

Mark 2:1‑12

(Read Mark 2:1-12¹And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house. ²And 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. ³And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. ⁴And 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. ⁵When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. ⁶But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, ⁷Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? ⁸And 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? ⁹Whether 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? ¹⁰But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) ¹¹I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. ¹²And 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. (Mark 2:1‑12).)

IT is a fact no less sorrowful than true, that man by nature knows not his utter helplessness in the sight of God, and consequently fails to appreciate God’s unbounded love in giving His only-begotten Son to die for the ungodly, even while they were “without strength.” When a soul is in any measure conscious of the necessity of righteousness in order to appear before God, the first thought almost invariably is, that such righteousness must be wrought out by doing good works, keeping the commandments of the law, or obeying the precepts of the gospel; not knowing that poor fallen human nature is incapable of doing anything which can be acceptable to God, nor the force of that Scripture, “they that are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8:8⁸So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. (Romans 8:8).)

The case of the man who was sick of the palsy, as recorded by the Evangelists, beautifully illustrates this truth, and also exemplifies the way in which the Lord meets the necessity of the poor helpless sinner.

A palsied man, who is so prostrate, that he is “borne of four,” is brought unto Jesus, and let down on a bed or couch before Him; just a picture of man as a sinner, altogether incapable, so to speak, of moving hand or foot towards God. There he is, completely powerless, lying before Jesus, who though found in fashion as a man, is the “the mighty God.” “The Saviour of the world,” and also “the power of God, and the wisdom of God.” And what is the first act of this great and gracious One? Does He comply with the desire of those who bring the man to Him, by communicating strength to his paralyzed limbs? He does indeed, in due time; but He first surprises all who hear Him, by saying to the sick of the palsy, “Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.” The man is brought for help and healing, but Jesus speaks of “forgiveness of sins.” He knows what is in man, and what man is. He penetrates beneath the surface to the source. “All things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” (Hebrews 4:13¹³Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. (Hebrews 4:13).) He knows that the cause of man’s helplessness and misery is SIN, that root of all bitterness. To put away sin He came into the world, He shed His precious blood, He died upon the cross. He put it away, root and branch, “by the sacrifice of HIMSELF.” (Hebrews 9:26²⁶For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. (Hebrews 9:26)); and having finished the work which God gave Him to do, He is now seated “on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” (Hebrews 1:3³Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; (Hebrews 1:3).) Hence, in the case of the poor paralytic, the Lord goes at once to the root of the disease, and pronounces with divine authority the forgiveness of his sins; and then, and not till then, does He give strength to his fixed and helpless limbs to rise up and walk.

Dear reader, do you know the forgiveness of your sins, through the precious blood of Christ? or are you seeking to be justified by works? The word of God, which is truth, declares that we cannot be justified before God by works; but that we are poor, helpless, vile sinners, who can do nothing towards saving ourselves. A sinner has neither the strength, nor the will, to walk in the ways of God and to serve Him, while he remains unreconciled to Him, through not believing the record concerning His Son; but when, through grace, he believes in Christ, as the One who, “when we were yet without strength, in due time died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6⁶For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6)), he is saved with a present and everlasting salvation: and then, with this salvation is given power, through the Holy Spirit leading the soul to abide in Christ, the source and secret of all strength; to walk in the ways of the Lord “unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work.” (Colossians 1:10¹⁰That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; (Colossians 1:10).) So that good works are the fruits of faith in Christ; but until God’s record concerning His Son is believed, there can be no fruit borne to God; for “without faith it is impossible to please Him.” (Hebrews 11:6⁶But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6).)

Thus in the instance before us, the Lord having made known to the poor man, the forgiveness of his sins, adds the gift of strength, to enable him to arise, take up his bed and walk; and so he goes forth before them all, insomuch that they are all amazed, and glorify God. Yes! God is glorified in the holy, upright, intelligent and devoted walk of His saints, in newness of life; having created them in Christ Jesus unto good works, which He hath before ordained that they should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10,¹⁰For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10) &c.)