Mark 2:1-12

Having returned after the preaching tour word gets out that Jesus is home.  Most likely “home” was living with Peter’s family.  While gone for some time everyone had the memory of the wonders done and His teaching and they wanted more.  Word spread and people came.  The actions of the friends of the paralytic may indicate that this was no impromptu action.  “If and when Jesus shows up again we will do this…” The construction of verse 3 may indicate a larger company of friends, but only four are serving as carriers.  The language indicates they intended to come face to face with Jesus; this is no distant vague nearness.  Verse 5 is a challenging verse.  Jesus responds to “their” faith with forgiveness.  Rugged individualism is confronted with Jesus forgiving one man based on the collective faith.  Certainly the paralytic was also a man of faith, but there is power and importance in being in intimate relationships with faith-filled people.  Jesus responds positively to bold faith.  Forgiveness wasn’t apparently what the sick man and his friends came after, but Jesus jumps to the greater need. 

The presence of the religious busybodies is a first in Mark.  In the other Gospels we see them in the ministry of John the Baptist, but this is their first appearance in Mark.  It is worth noting that their first reaction was negative.  Perhaps caught off guard their mental, first reaction was an accusation.  Some people have a default setting in their heart to be negative.

It must have been very strange to have Jesus read your mind.  In answer to the unspoken question, Jesus produces outer evidence to go along with the inner change.  The miracle of healing gave evidence to the authority of the spoken word.  That is the pattern of the New Testament.  We may doubt but the evidence is enough to convince if we are willing.  But if we choose to persist in unbelief (a stubborn refusal to choose faith) that unbelief reflects an issue of our heart, not the evidence.