The Gospel for Thursday, March 4, 2004
Mark 2:1-12
When he returned to Capernaum, some time later word went round that he was in the house; and so many people collected that there was no room left, even in front of the door. He was preaching the word to them when some people came bringing him a paralytic carried by four men, but as they could not get the man to him through the crowd, they stripped the roof over the place where Jesus was; and when they had made an opening, they lowered the stretcher on which the paralytic lay. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, ‘My child, your sins are forgiven.’ Now some scribes were sitting there, and they thought to themselves, ‘How can this man talk like that? He is being blasphemous. Who but God can forgive sins?’ And at once, Jesus, inwardly aware that this is what they were thinking, said to them, ‘Why do you have these thoughts in your hearts? Which of these is easier: to say to the paralytic, “Your sins are forgiven” or to say, “Get up, pick up your stretcher and walk”? But to prove to you that the Son of man has authority to forgive sins on earth’— he said to the paralytic—‘I order you: get up, pick up your stretcher, and go off home.’ And the man got up, and at once picked up his stretcher and walked out in front of everyone, so that they were all astonished and praised God saying, ‘We have never seen anything like this.’ -- The New Jerusalem Bible. 1995, c1985. Doubleday: Garden City, N.Y.
A Study
Mark has Jesus returning to Peter's house in Capaernaum, and the neighbors -- as neighbors will -- found out that Jesus was in residence again. On Jesus' previous visit, the townspeople had come to the door, but had done so with a bit more politeness and consideration. This time, they jammed into the house and spilled over into the street.
One of the great children's Sunday-school themes is described here, the lowering of the paralytic through the roof! But in Sunday school, the takeaway for the class is the demonstration of faith that the paralytic has, not Jesus' interaction with the religious elite. Indeed, here we have Mark's account of the first interaction with his earthly opposers, following not too far behind his interaction with the Evil One in the wilderness.
Jesus knows what the scribes are thinking, perhaps just by the looks on their faces, and confronts their accusatory thoughts head-on. He plants in them the knowledge that He is not like the other magicians and faith-healers they have encountered. Already jealous because Jesus can speak "with authority" in the synagogue -- while they must rely on their recorded precedents -- the scribes are ready to be done with this carpenter from Nazareth.
But in a classic Markian summation: "they were all astonished and praised God...", Mark shows us how Jesus was able to overcome the scribes' attitude for a while longer.
A Reflection
This entire scene occurred in Peter's house in Capernaum, and is told by the one to whom Peter had entrusted the telling of Peters recollections. It is highly detailed, and is followed almost to the letter in the two other synoptic gospels.
Jesus begins the very slow but steady and relentless ratcheting-up of his goading the religious elite, his earthly opposition. This theme, but not all the details, is central to John's gospel, as well.
We gloss over Jesus' mission and intent when we use only the pleasant memories of Jesus' great mercies toward the lame, the blind, the deaf. He tantalized those present when he told the paralytic "... your sins are forgiven." That was the WOW!! moment -- but produced only accusatory confusion in the scribes -- and we don't know what the reaction was from the others present.
The greater mercy, his very real intent to forgive all of us all of our sins, seemed then, and to many seems even now, too much to be real. But it is God's grace revealed through the Son, and it is as real today as it was then. Sweep away the confusion and receive gratefully the gift offered.
6:42:59 AM 
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