Healing the Paralytic

Matthew 9:1-8
Mark 2:1-12
Luke 5:17-26

The Setting
~Matthew's account is brief, concerned only with King Jesus
~Jesus' hometown, at this point, is indeed Capernaum (Matthew 4:13)
~Mark focuses on the hometown crowd
~Luke focuses on the visitors (pharisees & teachers from all over)
~These pharisees/teachers were 'sitting' (honorable spots)
~Luke implies that Jesus was doing many miracles
~This may very well have been Peter's house

The Problem
~Matthew leaves out what we'd call the most interesting part!
~Mark alone mentions the 4 particular friends & their digging
~Luke portrays a very dramatic arrival

The 1st Miracle
~All 3 accounts report that their faith was seen
~All 3 accounts refer to it as 'their' faith (the friend and possibly the man)
~In Matt & Mark, Jesus calls him 'son,' but in Luke it's 'friend'

The Critique
~Matt & Mark point out that it was 'some' of the teachers that critiqued
~Matthew only mentions the blasphemy, only implies that forgiving was the blasphemy

The Rebuttal
~The seeming answer to the question is that it is harder to prove healed sickness than sin
~All 3 use the title 'Son of Man' (Dan 7) and mention his authority 'on earth'

The 2nd Miracle
~Mark mentions that the miracle was done in 'full view of them all'
~Luke mentions that the man went away praising God
~The mat became a portable testimony

The Conclusion
~Matthew points out that the remarkable thing was the authority given to men

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Points to Ponder

1. Jesus’ ministry was attractive

2. Jesus was impressed by their effort
~He didn't view them as a disruption, but as an opportunity

3. Faith should often be visible
~ala James 2

4. Jesus focused on the sin, not the sickness

5. The Pharisees were right to be shocked
~ see Isaiah 43:25, Micah 7:18
~ That's why Jesus provided evidence for his claim

6. Visible miracles were done to prove authority
~ Fits and explains the view that less miracles occur today