Mark Chapter 2 v 1-17

Jesus and the paralysed man. Jesus is again in Capernaum and news spreads that he is back. There is a great build up of people outside his door. They have come for healing. Jesus is soon actively involved in healing those who came to him. Friends bring a paralysed man for healing but they cannot get next or near Jesus. They have a sinking feeling when they realise that their journey may have been in vain. They get up on the roof of the house, tear back the roof or branches, straw and dried clay and lower their friend to the floor. Jesus is struck by the faith of the friends. He says to the paralysed man something quite curious 'your sins are forgiven'. Why did he say this? Surely the priority is for the man to be healed. Why does Jesus mention forgiveness?

The reason is that in Jewish thinking of the time illness was like a pay back from God for sinfulness in the past. If you were ill you probably deserved it. So when Jesus says ' your sins are forgiven' he is in fact saying 'you are healed'.

Jesus words spark off the first conflict with the Jewish religious authorities. The scribes or Pharassees are listening. 'Heresy!' they shout. 'No one can forgive sins but God.' This is a highly charged scene. Getting on the wrong side of the Pharassees was not recommended. The punishment for heresy was stoning. This is also a scene filled with irony. Only God can forgive sin but standing in the middle of this group is Jesus whom we know to be God himself! Both Jesus and the Pharassees are correct the problem is that the Pharassees cannot see who Jesus really is.

This is a recurring theme in the gospel of Mark. Many will meet Jesus, hear Jesus, be healed by Jesus but many will not recognise who he really is. There is some tragedy in this.

The paralysed man is healed. He gets up and lifts his mat and he returns home. Many who watched were amazed and gave thanks to God. Yet they do not recognise who Jesus is.

Jesus calls another disciple. Matthew or Levi is a tax collector. He is hated by his own people for assisting the Roman authorities and is suspected of dishonesty by his fellow countrymen. He is despised by his Roman employers. He is regarded as a sinner. Here is the isolation again. Just like the leper he has no place in decent society. Isolated, forgotten and dismissed. No one speaks to him but he is challenged by Jesus. The words are repeated 'come follow me'. The bible account sows no hesitation on his behalf. Once more it can be asked what influence did Jesus have? What does Matthew see that others cannot?

Cut off from normal society Matthew has made a new community for himself. His friends are regarded as 'sinners' by the religious people of the day. Jesus goes home to eat with Matthew, one of the ways of showing respect and being respected. He sits among those who are lost to society ans isolated. Why does Jesus do this? What can we learn from his example.