WordTruth Commentary

Commentary on Mark

4. Jesus Begins His Earthly Ministry in Galilee (Mark 1:14-3:35)

B. Traveling Through Galilee (Mark 1:35-2:12).

(1) Jesus proclaims the purpose of His ministry (Mark 1:35-39).

(35) Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed. (36) And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him. (37) When they found Him, they said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.” (38) But He said to them, “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.”
(39) And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons. (Mark 1:35-39, NKJV)
The next day, Jesus arose early to find a quiet place to pray. He must determine the Father's will so He can complete His mission. The disciples tracked Him down to let Him know that everyone was searching for Him. But Jesus concluded the Father's will was to preach the gospel to the other towns also. So Jesus traveled through Galilee both preaching the word of God and casting out demons to confirm His authority.
Parallel Passages: Luke 4:42-44
Mark 1:35: Jesus arose while it was still dark to pray. His life consisted of selfless, sacrificial service to others. Such service is an emotional and physical drain. Jesus had encountered countless sick and demon-possessed individuals who each required His personal touch. Jesus needed rest. But He also needed restoration and power for a new day of challenges. Jesus chose to shorten His sleep to spend time in quiet devotion with God the Father. You and I will find power for living to the extent we balance our time of service and time of quiet devotion with the LORD. You cannot hope to accomplish great things for God on your feet without first accomplishing great things with God on your knees.
Mark 1:36-37: Simon and the others went on a serious search for Jesus. They did not know where He had gone because the words "searched for Him" are from the Greek word "katadioko" meaning to track and hunt down something. Many people were insistently seeking Jesus at Simon's house. Simon had no answer for them. So Simon told Jesus they were looking for Him as if Jesus did not know that already. He performed many miracles the night before. Now the many people wanted more. They were seeking Jesus, the Miracle Worker, not Jesus, the Son of God. Oh that all men would indeed seek the true Jesus for who He is and not just for what He does!
Mark 1:38-39: The prayer of Jesus had a two-fold purpose, as it always should for the believer. First, He had to discern the Father's will. He needed to understand when to stay and when to go. Second, He had to turn away from anything less than the good and perfect will of the Father. As Paul wrote in Romans:
(1) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. (2) And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:1-2, NKJV)
This is exactly what Jesus was doing early in the morning. He had to face His growing popularity in light of the Father's will to proclaim the good news of the kingdom to all Israel. Jesus faced and overcame the temptation to accept accolades from the people of Capernaum. God the Father had in mind that He preach to the other towns. Leaving was not a popular decision but the right decision for Jesus.
As believers in Christ, we often face such a dilemma. Certain activities can make you extremely popular such as fellowships or personal visits. Certain other activities, such as declaring the whole counsel of God with your life and your lips or confronting a fellow believer in love about a sinful activity can make you extremely unpopular. Through this account in the life of Jesus Christ, we see the real value of prayer. It is necessary to commune with the LORD of all through prayer. We need time to fellowship with Him and receive His special love for us. We need to be in His presence to be changed into the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29). We need to know and acknowledge His will for our lives, committing to do what He has called us to do. As Jesus prayed: “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” (Hebrews 10:9, NKJV).
Jesus established His own time frame for prayer, even though all that was available to Him was to interrupt His sleep. Sleep is important. Nevertheless, there are times that even sleep must take second place to prayer. Jesus also models for us the power of purpose. He understood His purpose on Earth and all His activity then centered on accomplishing that purpose. Dr. Howard Hendricks, professor at Dallas Theological Seminary, makes this point about Jesus: "There is considerable power and peace in knowing who you are, where you have come from, and where you are going."¹ If you want your life to make a difference, make sure you understand these three things.   Your life does count to God. It will be maximized the sooner you understand your purpose and begin prioritizing your time and activity accordingly.

(2) Jesus heals a leper (Mark 1:40-45).

(40) Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” (41) Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” (42) As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. (43) And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, (44) and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” (45) However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every direction. (Mark 1:40-45, NKJV)

When approached by a humble leper seeking to be healed, Jesus mercifully healed his leprosy. Jesus gave the man a direct command not to tell anyone but the priest. Instead, the man went all about telling people how Jesus had healed him. Therefore, Jesus could no longer preach in the city. He was forced to stay in the desert places. Yet, people still came to Him from throughout the region.
Mark 1:40: Note how the leper approached our LORD:

He came to Jesus, indicating his confidence in Jesus' power to heal.

He beseeched Jesus, a word meaning "to call to one's side" or "to call to one's aid."   His was a passionate plea to be healed.

He kneeled down before Jesus, indicating his humility before our LORD.

He said, "If you are willing, you can heal me…" (paraphrased), indicating he knew Jesus had the power but was unsure of His mercy.

The uncertainty about Jesus' mercy seems to be one part of the leper's spiritual need. "Is God merciful?" is a question still on the minds of people today, especially when tragedy strikes a family member. On this point, Scripture abounds with affirmation that God is indeed merciful (Num. 14:18; Deut. 4:31, 5:10, 7:9, 32:43; 2 Sam. 24:14; 1 Kings 8:23; 1 Chron. 16:34; Neh 9:17; Psalm 5:7, 13:5, 25:6, 32:10, 57:10, 69:16, 86:15, 89:14, 100:5, 136:1-26, 145:8,147:11; Isa. 30:18, 54:10; 2 Cor. 1:3; Titus 3:5; Heb. 4:16, 8:12; James 5:11; 1 Pet. 1:3; Jude 1:21). Here the very words of the LORD as He revealed His glory to Moses:
(6) And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, (7) Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation. (Exodus 34:6-7, KJV)
From the beginning, God showed mercy to individuals including Lot (Gen. 19:16), Abraham's servant (Gen. 24:27), Jacob (Gen. 32:10-11), Joseph (Gen. 39:21), David (2 Sam. 7:15), Daniel and his friends (Dan. 2:17-18) and countless others (Exo. 20:6; Isa. 55:7). God was also merciful to nations and city-states including Israel (Exo. 15:13; Ezra 3:11; Isa. 14:1), the northern kingdom of Israel (Jer. 31:20), Ninevah of Assyria (Jonah 3:10, 4:11), Athens (Acts 18:22-34), and all Gentile nations (Rom. 9:24-26, 15:9). So if God is merciful by nature, merciful to both nations and individuals, then every single person can count on the mercy of God in his or her own life.
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us. (Eph. 2:4, KJV)
Mark 1:41-42: Because He is fully God in nature, Jesus was and is merciful. The text says that Jesus was "moved with compassion" toward the leper, a phrase in Greek that indicates He was deeply moved within, literally to have the bowels yearn in sympathy and pity. Jesus really cared for this poor leper who had no hope. According to the Bible, our LORD is always moved with compassion for those who seek His help. In fact, we are commanded to approach God with boldness when we need help: "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb. 4:16, NKJV). God's help reaches down from Heaven to touch the individual at his point of need. True compassion always (1) touches the life of another and (2) actively works to make a difference.
Jesus literally touched the leper. Understand that the Law given to Israel forbid one from touching a leper lest one become defiled by the disease. Lepers were thus considered "unclean" to the Jews (reference Leviticus chapters 13-14). Lepers could not enter the Temple area to worship God. They were to live outside the camp, isolated from the community (Lev. 13:46). If anyone came nearby the leper was to shout "unclean, unclean" (Lev. 13:45). While this law obviously had community health in view, the result was great sorrow for the leper. No more could the leper experience a hug, a kiss, or even a pat on the back. His family and friends could not come near. The leper became isolated, alone, and in great pain physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Death was the only hope for relief but even that carried great fear for the leper. The common notion of that day was that such sickness was a direct result of sin in one's life (John 9:2). When Jesus touched this man, He made a tremendous impact on the leper. Jesus demonstrated how great His love was for one whom all others considered defiled and unworthy.
The touch of Jesus came not only with compassion but with great power. Jesus said, "Be cleansed" and the Bible says the leprosy "immediately the leprosy left him." The word of God spoken by Jesus came with the power to heal this leper to the uttermost. The skin that was most likely falling from the man's bones was now clear and whole. Jesus completely transformed His body from disease-riddled to disease-ridden.
Jesus still touches lives today. Sometimes He touches those who cry out to Him with immediate physical healing. Sometimes He frees the drug-addict from dependence on mind-altering substances. Sometimes He makes supernatural provision that instantly changes your life. Then again, sometimes He changes you in ways that are not physically apparent but just as dramatic. The Bible tells us that, "Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God" (1 John 3:9, NKJV). When you come to Christ for salvation, He changes you inside forever. You become a new creation: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" (2 Cor. 5:17, NKJV). The beautiful part is that Jesus continues to change you throughout your life: "being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Phil. 1:6, NKJV).
If you seek His help, Jesus will touch and transform your life. There may be instant changes, such as happened to the leper. Then again, you may not notice the changes because they are primarily spiritual. Spiritual transformation is no less dramatic than physical healing and, over time, will become apparent to yourself and to others. There is a wonderful story of how the Mt. Rushmore monument came to be. The architect was asked how he could carve such impressive sculptures of the four former presidents. "Oh, the faces were there all along," he said, "I just had to dynamite away thousands of tons of granite to reveal them!" Jesus may have to make many changes in your life so that the beautiful new creation He has made in you will appear. But that is OK -- by His work you will daily "be conformed to the image of his Son" (Rom. 8:29, NKJV).
Mark 1:43-44: Jesus specifically instructed the leper to tell no one about his miraculous healing. How unfair this seems! You would think Jesus would have wanted the man to tell the whole world about the power of God at work in this teacher named Jesus. Surely this would help spread the good news about Jesus, would it not? But Jesus was not interested in being popularized as a magic healer. He came to "To preach the gospel to the poor" (Luke 4:18, NKJV). Miracles confirmed to the crowds the authority of His words but were not the focus of His ministry. His instructions seemed unmerciful to the man but, in fact, were an act of mercy to the crowds of people who needed to hear the good news of the kingdom of God. Jesus kept to the heart of His mission that would result in the greatest good.
Also, this leper was still living under the Law given to Israel. There was a provision under the Law for a leper, who had been cured, to be examined by the priest and officially declared cured. Jesus wanted the leper to be obedient to the Law "as a testimony to them" (Mark 1:44, NKJV). Imagine the shock in the priest's eyes as he saw the leper was completely healed! The results, however, were undeniable.
Mark 1:45: Instead of following Jesus' command, the leper went everywhere telling people what our LORD had done for him. What the leper did in understandable exuberance made it impossible for Jesus to even go into the city, much less preach the gospel. Everyone wanted to see the miracle worker do more of His "magic," at least that is what they seemed to think it was.
Two things we need to keep in mind here. First, God does not need our help, however well intentioned, to accomplish His plans. It is always best to do His will, His way, and in His time. When we try to "help God out" and push things along in our ministry, the same disasters befall us as befell Jesus when the leper disobeyed His command. God's intended ministry is hindered. Jesus had to preach out in the desert places because the city became an uproar when He tried to preach there. Fewer people heard God's word because the people had to travel out to the desert. Secondly, ministry must have the proclamation of God's word as its preeminent purpose and priority. The excitement of miraculous works will draw many people into the church initially. Such a crowd must continually be fed more and more excitement to stay engaged. When the excitement wears off, people leave. What will always remain a constant is the preaching and teaching of God's word. You cannot sustain a miraculous, entertaining ministry. But you can sustain a ministry that faithfully, accurately, and relevantly teaches the word of God. Believers will feed on the great truths of God's word and grow stronger in faith. "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Rom. 10:17, NKJV). Unbelievers also will repent at the preaching of God's word, believe the good news, and enter into the kingdom of God:
(24) But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. (25) And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you. (1 Cor. 14:24-25, NKJV)
The shortcoming of the leper was understandable and forgivable. He had experienced the explosive joy of Jesus, His Savior. He was still learning the part about Jesus being LORD. While the Bible does not say specifically, I suspect the leper became a devoted follower of Jesus since He was so quick to testify to Jesus' mighty work in His life. As the Creator of all things, Jesus has incredible power to work in our lives, just as He did with this leper. More importantly, He has incredible compassion that moves Him to use that power according to His perfect will, that which is always best for us.

(3) Jesus forgives the sins of a lame man (Mark 2:1-12).
After a long trip of preaching in the desert regions around Galilee, Jesus returns to Capernaum. When the town finds out He is there, they crowd into and around the house where He stayed. Jesus preached the word to the crowd that had gathered there. Several friends of a lame man brought him to Jesus for healing. Unable to get through the crowd, they resort to climbing on the roof of the house, digging a hole through the roof, and lowering the cripple to Jesus. Jesus sees the faith of these friends and grants forgiveness to the lame man. When the scribes privately object to Jesus' apparent blasphemy, Jesus responds by publicly healing the cripple. He states publicly the reason: to demonstrate His authority to forgive sins. The amazed crowd glorified God for such an amazing work.
Parallel passages: Matthew 9:1-8; Luke 5:17-26

a. Jesus enters Capernaum (Mark 2:1-2).

(1) And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. (2) Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. (Mark 2:1-2, NKJV)

Mark 2:1: Capernaum was the home of Simon peter and Andrew. Jesus and the disciples again return there for rest and refreshment after a long circuit ("after some days") through desert areas to preach. He was not there long before word got out that Jesus was back in town. In fact, Mark records that as soon as the word of Jesus' arrival got out, "immediately" a crowd gathered. It was the famous evangelist D.L. Moody who once remarked, "When Christ is in your home, people are going to know about it."   The people of that town were excited to see and hear Jesus. Here was a man who spoke like no other, treated every person with dignity and godly love, and easily performed miracle upon miracle.
While you and I cannot perform miracles of physical healing like Jesus, we can speak healing words of truth, hope, and love. If you are "diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing [correctly handling] the word of truth." (2 Tim. 2:15, NKJV), you will be able to make relevant application of God's truth to the issues of life. The words you speak and how you say them to people can bring them to the height of joy or to the depths of despair. As the Bible says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit" (Proverbs 18:21, NKJV). Words do not kill or impart life literally but they do have a dramatic impact. Your words can encourage, comfort, inspire, and persuade when "Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one" (Col. 4:16, NKJV). With the same tongue, you can criticize, hate, condemn, and dominate others. As our brother James put it, "Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so" (James 3:10, NKJV). We need to follow Jesus' example in relating to people who desperately need to hear words of hope and love. Such ministry will attract people with minds and hearts open to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Mark 2:2: A great crowd gathered as soon as they heard Jesus was there. The text says there was no room at all inside the house and more were outside, longing to get close enough to at least hear what Jesus said. The houses were much smaller then, even for a family with a successful fishing business. Yet people gathered to overflowing to hear Jesus. You see, it really does not matter how big or small or fancy your meeting space is if you are faithful in proclaiming both the love and message of Jesus Christ. People with hearts open to God care less about the aesthetics than the substance and quality of what is proclaimed. Large, beautiful church buildings are truly a blessing to God's people. Just be careful your mission focus is not on building facilities to attract people. It is always the love and the truth that God will honor. Consider the words of Christ in this regard: "If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor" (John 12:26, NKJV). Be sure Christ at the center of your home, your work, and your ministry. For He also said, "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself" (John 12:32, NKJV). Proclaiming the LORD Jesus Christ crucified, risen, and coming again will be blessed by God.
Consider the importance of the moment and the sacrifice required. Jesus was very tired after a long journey. A huge crowd gathered to see and hear Jesus. No doubt many wanted only the thrill of seeing Jesus do something amazing. But many also wanted to hear what Jesus had to say. No matter the motivation, Jesus knew their great need was to hear the truth of God's word. This is still a great need for every soul. When a crowd gathers to hear a word from the LORD, you and I must be faithful ministers of the word of God by not wasting any such opportunity. Be prepared to speak. "Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons" (1 Tim. 4:1, NKJV). And "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables" (2 Tim. 4:3-4, NKJV). Jesus told us to be prepared to sacrifice as He did: "I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work" (John 9:4, NKJV). To minister the word of God to people requires preparation, practice, and preaching -- to "...always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear" (1 Pet. 3:15, NKJV).

b. A lame man's friends bring him to Jesus (Mark 2:3-4).

(3) Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. (4) And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. (Mark 2:3-4, NKJV)
Mark 2:3: A group of people brought with them a special friend who was crippled. The word translated "paralytic" is in a verb tense indicating the man was not born this way but something had happened to cause it -- perhaps an accident or illness at some point in his life. While he was "carried by four men," the text uses "they" for the whole group that came with him, suggesting there were more than four. This particular crippled man had many friends. More importantly, he had many committed friends. They really loved him.
The intent of this group was to bring the crippled man to Jesus for His healing touch. They loved their crippled friend enough to bear his burden by carrying him around. Here is a model for your own life. Take a moment to evaluate your friendships. Are you willing to step in and bear the burden of another? Are you willing to get involved? Will you sweat and labor if needed to help your friend? Are you willing to stop and really listen to your friend? These unnamed people are forever inscribed in Christendom for their great love.
Mark 2:4: Why were the friends of the crippled man unable to bring him to Jesus? The crowd around Jesus both inside and outside the home was too selfish to move aside. They had previously seen Jesus heal everyone who was brought near our LORD. This refusal is a clear indication of how hard their hearts had become. They crowded near to see Jesus perform miracles and hear His amazing words. Yet their love was so cold they would not make room for an obviously crippled man who needed healing. "Why," they may have reasoned in their hearts, "if I move I may lose my place." This should give each of us pause to ask: Am I passing by people in need on my way to church-related functions? Am I ignoring people because I am too wrapped up in ministry work? Let us make sure our hearts are on fire for true Christian ministry: ministry to people not programs.
Fortunately, the story does not end here. The friends of the crippled man demonstrated the breadth and depth of their love by going beyond what was practical. They were intent on bringing this friend of theirs to Jesus. They climbed up on the roof of the house and dug a large hole through the roof. The typical house in this time had a flat roof with a small railing all the way around it. Often they adjoined other houses. The roof area was used for both private times of meditation and worship as well as public parties. The roof was accessible by an outside stairway. The owners of this house were most likely Simon and Andrew, undoubtedly perturbed with this unrequested remodeling effort. But Simon and Andrew knew Jesus so I am sure they did not raise a strong objection. The text itself does not note any objections. The roof was formed of a concrete-like substance of clay and straw, strong enough to hold the weight of many people. The hole they dug had to be large enough to let down the crippled man on his mat. Creating the hole took some hard work and made quite a mess for the people below. None of that mattered to these faithful friends. They had to bring the crippled man to Jesus.
Here is a model, not only for friendship, but for evangelism. We must be bold in our witness by going beyond what is practical or pragmatic to bring friends and loved ones to Jesus. There will always be obstacles in your soul-winning path. The time may never seem right. The situation may hinder you from getting there the way you want to go. The selfishness of other people may get in the way of your efforts. Do not stop there! Take the example of these faithful friends to heart. Be creative. Think outside the box, or the house as it were. Your goal in evangelism is to bring the word of God to people who may not want to hear it or may not think they want or need it. You should also make it a goal to bring people to the word of God, sort of a push-pull strategy for evangelism. The point is to use every means available to preach the gospel to every person. That is where the true healing begins.

c. Jesus forgives the lame man's sins and Pharisees are indignant (Mark 2:5-7).

(5) When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” (6) And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, (7) “Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (Mark 2:5-7, NKJV)
It is a peculiar twist of events at this point. Jesus gives to the cripple what he really needed but was not expecting: forgiveness. The scribes accuse Jesus of doing what only God can do: forgive sins. Their anger is right but for the wrong reason.
Mark 2:5: Jesus "saw their faith" the faith of the friends who brought the cripple to Jesus. Whether the cripple had faith in Jesus is not indicated. Jesus did not see the cripple do anything but sit on his bed. But what Jesus saw was a group of people who were desperate to bring their crippled friend to the One person they knew could help and heal. It is the object of one's faith that makes the real difference in your life. Some people speak of having "great" faith or "little" faith. Certainly some people do trust in Jesus more than others. Keep in mind, though, that it is never your faith itself that changes anything. It is the object of your faith, the One in whom you trust. These friends may not have known all there was to know about Jesus but they were confident in His power, wisdom, and mercy. Jesus, also knowing their hearts, saw their faith. He also saw all the ceiling chips He had to dodge as the roof was opened!
Jesus saw the crippled man also. He gave this man the greatest gift anyone could ever receive: the gift of complete forgiveness. There is no thought that the man had sinned to cause his paralysis. The cripple needed forgiveness more than anything. The ability to walk was insignificant compared to his need for cleansing and purity before God. One wonders what his reaction was to being forgiven by Jesus. Was he disappointed or angry? Mark's account does not give us this insight. What we do know is that the man was forgiven of his sins because Jesus declared it so.
Mark 2:6-7: Some of the scribes sitting there immediately had angry thoughts about Jesus' declaration of forgiveness. The scribes were men who were trained in writing (1 Chron. 24:6; Jer. 36:26; Ezra 4:8; Esther 3:12). As keepers of the Law of Moses, the scribes gradually matured from copyists to teachers of the Law (Ezra 7:6 compared to 7:10; also Neh. 8:1-3,7-8). Interestingly, not all the scribes became indignant. Perhaps they were already persuaded by the utter truth and authority of His preaching, along with the affirming miracles.
Certain scribes, though, made a right judgment with a wrong assumption. The word "reasoning" translates the Greek word "dalogizomai" meaning "to bring together different reasons and reckon them up…used in the NT … chiefly of thoughts and considerations which are more or less objectionable."   It would be utter blasphemy for a mere man to forgive sins. Some so-called churches make it a practice for their religious leaders to "forgive sins" on behalf of God. The Bible makes it plain that "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus" (1 Tim. 2:5, NKJV). Sin is first and foremost an offense against a holy God. Sin hurts many innocent people also. But God is the One offended by the sin of mankind. Consider that the greater one's character the greater one's offense. Stealing from another thief is not anywhere near as offensive as stealing from an elderly, godly woman. When you magnify this comparison by the absolute holiness, righteousness, and goodness of God, even one sin is an infinite offense. An infinite offense can only carry eternal punishment as a just sentence. For this reason every human being deserves eternal Hell because even one sin requires Hell as a just punishment. How many human beings have sinned only once? "For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:22b-23, NKJV). God is the One greatly offended by sin and only God can offer forgiveness. The scribes were correct in their reasoning thus far.
Jesus was a man (a perfect, sinless man, ref. 2 Cor. 5:21). The scribes could see that also. The only problem in their reasoning is that they refused to believe Jesus was more than just a man. They could not refute the truth He proclaimed. Indeed, of all people they would be able to verify from the Old Testament Scripture they knew so well that Jesus was teaching everything in accord with what God had already spoken. They also could not rightly accuse Jesus of sin. Neither could they could deny the miracles He performed before their very eyes. The scribes could not help but consider whether Jesus might be the Christ, the promised Messiah. One cannot help but sympathize, to some degree, with their unbelief since Jesus was there in the flesh before them. The scribes, however, were witnesses to One who was obviously so much more than a mere man. Were they to open their hearts to this possibility, these doubting scribes could have become disciples of Christ themselves.
Today we need to be alert when people under-spiritualize Jesus. Yes, He was a man, a flesh-and-blood human being just like us. The incarnation of God is a wonderful, remarkable fact of God's compassion in meeting us right where we are, to speak with us face-to-face. Never forget that Jesus was completely human, able to feel the full range of emotions, the victories, the disappointments, the weariness, and even the monotonies of life. Never forget that Jesus is also completely divine. Jesus never stopped being God the Son, second person of the holy Triune God. The universe did not cease to be held together (Heb. 1:3) when Jesus was born that first Christmas night. Make no mistake about His total humanity and total deity.
d. Jesus heals the lame man to prove His authority to forgive sins (Mark 2:8-12).

(8) But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? (9) Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk’? (10) But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic, (11) “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” (12) Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!” (Mark 2:8-12, NKJV)

Jesus knows your heart, your very thoughts in your inmost being (Psalm 139:2-4; Mark 2:8; John 2:25,6:64). He knew that some of the scribes were objecting to His declaration of forgiveness. In mercy, Jesus provided proof to them that He had this authority. Jesus told them He would heal the cripple so they would know He could also forgive sins. Apparently, it worked. After hearing Him give the purpose for it and then healing the cripple, the people glorified God, as well they and we should.
Mark 2:8: Again, Mark emphasizes the perception of Jesus by using the word "immediately." Jesus knew the thoughts of the scribes instantly. In fact, in His divine nature, Jesus knew their thoughts before they thought them. As the Psalmist wrote:
You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.
(Psalm 139:2-4, NKJV)
Jesus knows your thoughts because He knows everything. Moreover, Jesus cares what you think. The Bible tells us that, "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor. 10:4-5, NKJV). In this situation, Jesus immediately perceives their thoughts and takes action to correct their faulty reasoning.
Mark 2:9: It is (and always will be) beyond all human knowledge and power to heal instantly. God has mercifully provided man the ability to harness resources from the Earth to create therapeutic medicines, vitamins, and minerals. The Balm of Gilead, for example, was an aromatic resin that had certain medicinal uses in ancient times (Gen. 37:25; Ezekiel 27:17). Make no mistake at this point. Doctors and medicines do not have innate power to heal. Only God possesses that power. Doctors can administer the same drug to two different people. One may be healed and the other may die. So God's act of healing is always an act of mercy.   It is God who has declared, "I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion" (Rom. 9:15, NKJV). God often uses doctors and drugs as instruments of His healing. He also uses the love and compassion of individuals to aid the heading process. Let us be careful, in this age of scientific breakthroughs, to keep an accurate view of man's limited ability and God's unlimited power. "Behold, I will bring it health and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth" (Jer. 33:6, NKJV).
In light of this fact, Jesus' question is even more impressive. For man cannot heal and neither can he forgive sins. Neither one is easier than the other for man alone. Both are impossible. But as Jesus said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God" (Luke 18:27, NKJV). Jesus wanted the people to make no mistake about His authority to forgive sins. That authority does not rest upon a miracle alone. The miracle, rather, points out the divine nature of Jesus. For Jesus, one was just as easy to say as the other -- because He is God in the flesh (John 1:1,14).
Jesus asked the question, "Which is easier -- forgiveness or healing?" (Mark 2:9, paraphrased by Randy Lariscy). For Almighty God, healing is easy. God created all things from nothing so restoring the man's malfunctioning legs is but a wisp of effort for God. But for God to forgive sins against His utter perfection, His holiness? That was hard. It cost Him the greatest price ever paid: the life of His only begotten Son (John 10:11). As much as we desire it, physical healing is very visible but temporary -- for this life only. Forgiveness, on the other hand, is invisible but everlasting -- for time and eternity. Jesus gave His best gift first. Then He also healed the man to prove His authority to forgive sins, the authority of God.
Mark 2:10-11: The purpose of this particular miracle is "that you may know." Jesus would perform a miraculous healing so that you would know He is the "LORD of glory" (1 Cor. 2:8, NKJV). The Greek word "eido" translated "know" means to gain specific knowledge by observation without any personal relationship or connection. Jesus did not require them to be His disciples to know He had the authority to forgive sins. Jesus gave them a direct demonstration that He has that power. This knowledge was the seed of truth Jesus planted in their minds hoping it would bear the fruit of faith.
Jesus has the "power" or authority on Earth to forgive sins. Because He is God Almighty in the flesh, He alone has the power to condemn or to forgive. The act of forgiveness indicated here is the releasing of the crippled man from the penalty of his sins. He did not deserve such grace but it was granted to him anyway. The offense of his sins was canceled completely. Such forgiveness is very hard for human beings to give, even harder to receive. One who is completely forgiven of terrible sins has a strong desire to repay the offended party. Jesus requires no such repayment. His forgiveness is granted freely to all who will believe in Him.
Mark 2:12: Jesus told the cripple to get up and go. He had been bound by whatever affliction caused his legs to fail. Instantly, Jesus restored their strength. The healing occurred "immediately," in full view of the crowd. There could be no doubt that Jesus had performed a miracle. The people obviously knew this man had been a complete cripple and now was whole. The reaction was just as immediate. "All were amazed and glorified God." Jesus was no magician. He truly intervened in the natural processes by healing the man's disease completely. The man who was crippled stood up and walked before their very eyes. Further, Jesus was not attempting to make a name for Himself nor draw attention to His greatness. The purpose was to demonstrate the reality of His divine nature. The people exclaimed, "We never saw anything like this." The natural man cannot help but glory in himself. When we do something truly wonderful we get hurt if no one notices us. Jesus took no delight in the applause of men but rejoiced in their faith. We should be so humble as He.
As we see in this example of the friends of this crippled man, faith produces faithfulness. The faith itself is not a power. The One in whom that faith is placed, if it is Jesus Christ, has the power to accomplish great things. It is a mystery why and how God works through weak, sin prone individuals. Indeed, He does work in and through individuals that are willing to place their faith in Him. "But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence" (1 Cor. 1:27-29, NKJV).
Convinced of Jesus' divine nature, power to heal, and unique capacity to forgive sins, we too will bring people to Christ. As we also learn in this account, believers need to work together to bring people to Christ. This is, in fact, our primary task until Jesus returns. An old poem states it so well:
Only one life, 'twill soon be past.
Only what's done for Christ will last.
Determine that you will join together with other believers in faith, working together to bring the gospel to your community. Let nothing hinder your plans and let no obstacle prevent you from bringing your lost friends to Jesus. He alone has the power to heal and forgive.

End Notes

Hendricks, Howard Dr. Professor, Dallas Theological Seminary. Source document unknown.

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