Mark 2

And again he entered into Capernaum, after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house.

And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.

And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.

And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.

When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.

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.

And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them.

And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.

And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him.

And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?

When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?

And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.

But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.

No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse.

And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.

And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.

And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?

And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him?

How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?

And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:

Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

What does Mark 2:4 mean?

Explanation

This verse from the Gospel according to Mark describes an event where four people bring a paralyzed man to Jesus for healing.

Because the crowd is so dense, they cannot directly access Jesus through conventional means.

Demonstrating their perseverance and faith, they climb onto the roof of the house where Jesus was preaching, remove part of the roof, and lower the paralyzed man down to Jesus on his bed (a mat or a sort of stretcher).

This act of determined faith sets the stage for a dramatic healing and teaching moment, where Jesus not only heals the man physically but also forgives his sins, which leads to a theological discussion about the authority of Jesus.

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

The story is set in Capernaum, a town in Galilee that served as a base of operations for Jesus during his ministry.

Houses during the time of Jesus were typically constructed with flat roofs made of beams covered with branches, thatch, and packed earth.

They often included stairs or ladders on the outside that led to the roof, which was used as additional living space.

The cultural norm was one of hospitality, but the presence of a renowned teacher like Jesus would naturally draw large crowds, making personal access difficult.

Theological Insights

From this verse, several theological insights emerge. The act of breaking through the roof shows the faith of the paralytic's friends, a faith that Jesus acknowledges before he heals the paralytic.

This suggests that faith is an essential precursor to divine intervention.

Additionally, the incident raises questions about Jesus’ authority to forgive sins; this incident is one of several where Jesus demonstrates power that Jews of that era believed was reserved for God alone, thus suggesting Jesus' divine identity.

Practical Applications

The determination of the friends to bring the paralyzed man to Jesus teaches the value of tenacity and faith in overcoming obstacles.

It also highlights the importance of community and interdependency, how people can carry each other in times of need toward a source of healing.

There's a lesson in thinking outside the box (or literally, breaking through the roof) in order to accomplish a noble goal.

This can be applied in instances where conventional methods fail, and innovative or daring solutions are required.

Cross-References

Matthew 9:1-8: Another account of Jesus healing a man with palsy and forgiving his sins, triggering a discussion about Jesus' authority.
Luke 5:17-26: Luke’s account of the same story provides additional insight, such as the presence of Pharisees and teachers of the law during the healing.
James 2:14-26: Discusses faith being demonstrated through actions, mirroring the actions of the friends who lowered the man through the roof.

Language Study

Important Greek words used in the original text:

"Uncovered" (ἐξορύξαντες exoryxantes): To dig out or break up, indicating significant effort.
"The press" (ὄχλου ochlou): A crowd or throng of people, indicating that Jesus was surrounded and difficult to reach.
"Palsy" (παραλυτικόν paralytikon): A paralytic person; the term used for various conditions causing paralysis at the time.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In other ancient cultures, acts of faith and perseverance are often seen as merits worthy of divine favor.

Myths frequently involve humans overcoming extraordinary challenges to gain the attention or assistance of the gods.

In the Hebrew Bible, friends and family often intercede on behalf of the afflicted, such as the friends of Job who sit with him in his suffering.

Therefore, this story resonates with a larger cultural and religious narrative of divine-human interaction predicated on faith and action.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific perspective, the paralytic's condition could relate to numerous medical issues common in the ancient world, ranging from spinal cord injury to polio or stroke.

The mention of "palsy" is not specific enough to diagnose by modern medical standards.

The story also reveals early forms of communal and innovative problem-solving, a principle consistent with many scientific and technological breakthroughs throughout history.

Commentaries

Various biblical scholars have commented on this verse and its surrounding passages.

Some focus on the friends' collective faith as a model for Christian communal support. Others highlight the immediacy of forgiveness as central to the healing process.

Commentators like William Lane note the interplay between faith and signs in Mark's Gospel, where miracles often validate spiritual truths.

Theologian N.T.

Wright points out how the story encapsulates the scandal and the power of Jesus' ministry, as it challenges religious authorities by asserting Jesus' authority to forgive sins.

Mark 2

Mark 2

What does Mark 2:4 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Mark 2:4 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?