Through the Roof
Jesus reveals His deity
Have you ever done something extreme so that someone would notice you? Children are famous for this, of course, but adults can be foolish, too.
How far would you go to be noticed by Jesus?
Climb a tree?
Shout?
How about ripping open a roof?
The men we learn about in Mark (2:2:1-12) and Luke (5:17-26) did just that. The house where Jesus taught overflowed with people, leaving no space even near the entrance. (v. 2) But these four men knew Jesus could heal their friend. So they strapped him to a pallet and wrestled him up onto the roof. Then Luke tells us they removed the tiling above where Jesus was teaching, and using ropes, lowered the pallet into the house.
I wonder if Jan Karon got her inspiration from this account when she wrote about the man in the attic? Quite the dramatic interruption!
Unlike Father Tim in Karon’s story, Jesus wasn’t the least bit surprised. Scripture tells us, “He saw their faith.” (Mark 2:5) Then, turning to the paralytic, who was hoping to be healed, Jesus said, “Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.”
Wait. What?
Scripture doesn’t tell us, but we can guess what his friends might have been thinking. “We went through all this trouble, and Jesus didn’t even heal him!”
The man himself must have felt a great relief, being freed from the burden of his sins, yet he still couldn’t control his limbs or get up off his pallet.
Friends, sometimes what we ask of Jesus isn’t what we need at all. Or at least, it is not our greatest need.
Jesus met this man’s greatest need, and ours. He forgave his sins.
Who knows what might have happened if Jesus hadn’t perceived the thoughts of the scribes sitting around Him in judgment.
“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.” (Mark 2:6-12)
If the scribes hadn’t doubted, no one would have known whether the man’s sins were forgiven. It’s not something you can show or prove. But by their own stated beliefs, the man could not be healed unless he was forgiven. By healing him, Jesus proved He had the power to forgive sin.
The man and his four friends got what they came for, and God was glorified. As F.B. Meyer notes in his commentary on this passage, “At first the bed bore the paralytic, but after the power of Jesus had entered into him, he bore the bed. So Jesus pours His energy into our anemic natures, and we master what had mastered us.”
We don’t have to rip open a roof, climb a tree, or shout to get Jesus’ attention. He is always “at hand” waiting for us to turn to Him.
“Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:5-7)
Shalom.
AI Disclaimer: No part of this blog was written by bots. Every word, typo, grammatical error, and witticism is lovingly and/or accidentally crafted by my own two (very human) hands.
Photo Credit: @jelenalapina on unsplash