The Healing Ministry of Jesus

Mark 2:1-12

GOLDEN TEXT: “Jesus … was moved with compassion toward them, and He healed their sick.”
—Matthew 14:14

IT WAS but a short time after the incident of our last lesson and our Lord’s subsequent preaching in other cities of Galilee, that He returned to Capernaum, which was now His home city. (Matt. 4:13) People heard that He was at home, and a crowd assembled at the house.

The houses of the middle classes of that time are understood to have been usually of one room only, in size about 20 by 40 feet, with a flat roof, formed by heavy timbers about two feet apart, on which were placed slabs of either wood or stone, the whole being covered with earth or sod closely rolled. The roof was usually accessible by an outside stairway and was often used as a summer sleeping place.

To the crowd of His fellow citizens—who had but recently awakened to the fact that Jesus was a great Prophet, endued with miraculous powers—the Lord was discoursing respecting the Kingdom of God long promised, and which He proclaimed to be nigh, even at the door, if the people were willing to receive the message and its blessing.

At this juncture four men, bearing on a litter a young man paralyzed and utterly helpless, approached the house with a view to having the sick one healed. His helpless condition probably hindered the affected one from applying to Jesus on the day when so many of the sick of Capernaum were cured. Now he had found friends and helpers and had come within the sound of the Master’s voice, yet was unable to gain access to His presence because of the crowd.

But the faith that had brought him thus far insisted that some way of presenting his case before Jesus should be found. Finally he was carried to the roof of the house, the covering was dug away from a portion, the slab lifted, and by improvised ropes he was let down into the very presence of Jesus. He must have had a strong faith not only in the Lord’s power to heal, but also in His gentleness and goodness, that so far from resenting the rude intrusion, He would have patience and realize his deep necessity.

And so it was: instead of finding fault, accusing them of rudeness, etc., our Lord was so pleased with the faith manifested that He overlooked the intrusion entirely and greeted His uninvited guests most graciously, saying, “Son, thy sins are forgiven thee.” Perhaps the young man was thinking less of his sins and their forgiveness than of his hope for recovery, but in any event our Lord put the most important thing foremost. He was primarily the sin bearer and teaches, and His work of healing, at that time was a secondary one, the primary object of which was to emphasize the lessons given.

Among those present were some of the scribes, well informed respecting the Law and looked up to as authorities by the masses of the people. These scribes thought they had found a flaw—that Jesus was arrogating to Himself the power and authority which could belong to God alone. Indeed it seems not unreasonable that it was partly to start this very line of reasoning that our Lord expressed Himself as He did.

Then, reading their hearts, He answered their queries, saying, “Which is the easier for you to believe, that I am able to forgive sin, or that I could heal this man of the result of his sin?” But to prove My power to forgive the sin I will perform the cure, and its performance will testify that I have not blasphemed; that I am not misrepresenting the Father when I declare that I am His special agent and representative. Then Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Arise, take up thy couch and go to thy house!”

When the man did arise and carried forth the stretcher on which he had lain, the people were amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything of the like before.” Luke states that they said “We have seen strange things today.” They had heard the Messiah explain about His Kingdom and declare His power to forgive sins, and also demonstrate that power by miracles.

Sin and its forgiveness may be considered the essence of this lesson. To this subject, therefore, we turn our attention. It is well that we make a wide distinction between the blotting out of sin, which the Scriptures assure us will be accomplished at the second coming of Christ, and the forgiveness of sin which may be enjoyed now by all who will exercise the necessary faith and obedience.

The blotting out of sins at the second advent of Christ will be applied first of all to the church: not a trace of sin in any sense or degree will remain upon these from the time that they share the glorious blessings of the first resurrection. No longer will they need imputed righteousness, but each will, individually, be absolutely perfect, absolutely righteous.—I Cor. 15:42-44

The blotting out of the world’s sins will not be thus instantaneous, in a moment, but will progress gradually throughout the Millennial age. As each individual recognizes sin and falls into line with the Kingdom, he will find himself growing stronger as a reward for his endeavors in the ways of righteousness, the highway of holiness. Those who will, may avail themselves of the privileges of that time and have their sins entirely blotted out—reach absolute perfection of mind and of body by the close of the Millennial age, when they will also be tested as to their heart loyalty to the principles of righteousness, as shown in Revelation 20:10.

QUESTIONS:

What is the difference between the forgiveness of sin and the blotting out of sin?

Was the healing of the sick Jesus’ primary work at the first advent?

When will all the sick be healed?

Upon what basis was Jesus authorized to forgive sins?

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