1AndG2532 againG3825 he enteredG1525 intoG1519 CapernaumG2584 afterG1223 some daysG2250; andG2532 it was heardG191 thatG3754 he wasG2076 inG1519 the houseG3624. 2AndG2532 immediatelyG2112 manyG4183 were gathered togetherG4863, so thatG5620 there wasG5562 noG3371 room to receiveG5562 them, no, not so muchG3366 as aboutG4314 the doorG2374: andG2532 he preachedG2980 the wordG3056 to themG846. 3AndG2532 they comeG2064 toG4314 himG846, bringingG5342 one sick with the palsyG3885, who was borneG142 byG5259 fourG5064. 4AndG2532 when they couldG1410 notG3361 come nearG4331 to himG846 by reason ofG1223 the crowdG3793, they uncoveredG648 the roofG4721 whereG3699 he wasG2258: andG2532 when they had broken it upG1846, they let downG5465 the bedG2895 onG1909 whichG3739 the sick with the palsyG3885 layG2621. 5WhenG1161 JesusG2424 sawG1492 theirG846 faithG4102, he saidG3004 to the sick with the palsyG3885, SonG5043, thyG4675 sinsG266 are forgivenG863 theeG4671. 6ButG1161 there wereG2258 certainG5100 of the scribesG1122 sittingG2521 thereG1563, andG2532 reasoningG1260 inG1722 theirG846 heartsG2588, 7WhyG5101 dothG2980 thisG3778 man thusG3779 speakG2980 blasphemiesG988? whoG5101 canG1410 forgiveG863 sinsG266 butG1508 GodG2316 onlyG1520? 8AndG2532 immediatelyG2112 when JesusG2424 perceivedG1921 in hisG846 spiritG4151 thatG3754 they soG3779 reasonedG1260 withinG1722 themselvesG1438, he saidG2036 to themG846, WhyG5101 reason yeG1260 these thingsG5023 inG1722 yourG5216 heartsG2588? 9WhichG5101 isG2076 easierG2123 to sayG2036 to the sick with the palsyG3885, Thy sinsG266 are forgivenG863 theeG4671; orG2228 to sayG2036, AriseG1453, andG2532 take upG142 thyG4675 bedG2895, andG2532 walkG4043? 10ButG1161 thatG2443 ye may knowG1492 thatG3754 the SonG5207 of manG444 hathG2192 authorityG1849 onG1909 earthG1093 to forgiveG863 sinsG266, (he saithG3004 to the sick with the palsyG3885,) 11I sayG3004 to theeG4671, AriseG1453, andG2532 take upG142 thyG4675 bedG2895, andG2532 goG5217 intoG1519 thyG4675 houseG3624. 12AndG2532 immediatelyG2112 he aroseG1453, took upG142 the bedG2895, andG2532 went forthG1831 beforeG1726 them allG3956; so thatG5620 they wereG1839 allG3956 amazedG1839, andG2532 glorifiedG1392 GodG2316, sayingG3004 G3754, WeG1492 neverG3763 sawG1492 it on this fashionG3779. 13AndG2532 he went forthG1831 againG3825 byG3844 the sea sideG2281; andG2532 allG3956 the multitudeG3793 resortedG2064 toG4314 himG846, andG2532 he taughtG1321 themG846. 14AndG2532 as he passed byG3855, he sawG1492 LeviG3018 the son of AlphaeusG256 sittingG2521 atG1909 the tax officeG5058, andG2532 saidG3004 to himG846, FollowG190 meG3427. AndG2532 he aroseG450 and followedG190 himG846. 15AndG2532 it came to passG1096, thatG1722, as JesusG846 was eatingG2621 inG1722 hisG846 houseG3614, manyG4183 tax collectorsG5057 andG2532 sinnersG268 satG4873 alsoG2532 together withG4873 JesusG2424 andG2532 hisG846 disciplesG3101: forG1063 there wereG2258 manyG4183, andG2532 they followedG190 himG846. 16AndG2532 when the scribesG1122 andG2532 PhariseesG5330 sawG1492 himG846 eatingG2068 withG3326 tax collectorsG5057 andG2532 sinnersG268, they saidG3004 to hisG846 disciplesG3101, HowG5101 is it thatG3754 he eatethG2068 andG2532 drinkethG4095 withG3326 tax collectorsG5057 andG2532 sinnersG268? 17WhenG2532 JesusG2424 heardG191 it, he saithG3004 to themG846, They that are wellG2480 haveG2192 noG3756 needG5532 of a physicianG2395, butG235 they that areG2192 sickG2560: I cameG2064 notG3756 to callG2564 the righteousG1342, butG235 sinnersG268 toG1519 repentanceG3341. 18AndG2532 the disciplesG3101 of JohnG2491 andG2532 of the PhariseesG5330 usedG2258 to fastG3522: andG2532 they comeG2064 andG2532 sayG3004 to himG846, Why doG1302 G3522 the disciplesG3101 of JohnG2491 andG2532 of the PhariseesG5330 fastG3522, butG1161 thyG4674 disciplesG3101 fastG3522 notG3756? 19AndG2532 JesusG2424 saidG2036 to themG3361 G846, CanG1410 the childrenG5207 of the bridechamberG3567 fastG3522, whileG1722 G3739 the bridegroomG3566 isG2076 withG3326 themG846? as long asG3745 G5550 they haveG2192 the bridegroomG3566 withG3326 themG1438, they cannotG3756 G1410 fastG3522. 20ButG1161 the daysG2250 will comeG2064, whenG3752 the bridegroomG3566 shall be takenG522 fromG575 themG846, andG2532 thenG5119 they shall fastG3522 inG1722 thoseG1565 daysG2250. 21No manG3762 alsoG2532 sewethG1976 a pieceG1915 of newG46 clothG4470 onG1909 an oldG3820 garmentG2440: elseG1490 the new pieceG2537 that filled it upG4138 taketh awayG142 fromG846 the oldG3820, andG2532 the tearG4978 is madeG1096 worseG5501. 22AndG2532 no manG3762 puttethG906 newG3501 wineG3631 intoG1519 oldG3820 bottlesG779: elseG1490 the newG3501 wineG3631 doth burstG4486 the bottlesG779, andG2532 the wineG3631 is spilledG1632, andG2532 the bottlesG779 will be marredG622: butG235 newG3501 wineG3631 must be putG992 intoG1519 newG2537 bottlesG779. 23AndG2532 it came to passG1096, that heG846 wentG3899 throughG1223 the grain fieldsG4702 onG1722 the sabbathG4521; andG2532 hisG846 disciplesG3101 beganG756, as they wentG3598 G4160, to pluckG5089 the heads of grainG4719. 24AndG2532 the PhariseesG5330 saidG3004 to himG846, BeholdG2396, whyG5101 do theyG4160 onG1722 the sabbathG4521 that whichG3739 isG1832 notG3756 lawfulG1832? 25AndG2532 heG846 saidG3004 to themG846, Have ye neverG3763 readG314 whatG5101 DavidG1138 didG4160, whenG3753 he hadG2192 needG5532, andG2532 was hungryG3983, heG846, andG2532 they that were withG3326 himG846? 26HowG4459 he wentG1525 intoG1519 the houseG3624 of GodG2316 in the daysG1909 of AbiatharG8 the high priestG749, andG2532 ateG5315 the showbreadG740 G4286, whichG3739 it isG1832 notG3756 lawfulG1832 to eatG5315 but forG1508 the priestsG2409, andG2532 gaveG1325 alsoG2532 to them who wereG5607 withG4862 himG846? 27AndG2532 he saidG3004 to themG846, The sabbathG4521 was madeG1096 forG1223 manG444, and notG3756 manG444 forG1223 the sabbathG4521: 28ThereforeG5620 the SonG5207 of manG444 isG2076 LordG2962 alsoG2532 of the sabbathG4521.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 HEALING OF A PARALYTIC. ( =
Matt 9:1-
Matt 9:8;
Luke 5:17-
Luke 5:26). (
Mark 2:1-
Mark 2:12)
And again he entered into Capernaum--"His own city" (
Matt 9:1).
and it was noised that he was in the house--no doubt of Simon Peter (
Mark 1:29).
2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door--This is one of Mark's graphic touches. No doubt in this case, as the scene occurred at his informant's own door, these details are the vivid recollections of that honored disciple.
and he preached the word unto them--that is, indoors; but in the hearing, doubtless, of the multitude that pressed around. Had He gone forth, as He naturally would, the paralytic's faith would have had no such opportunity to display itself. Luke (
Luke 5:17) furnishes an additional and very important incident in the scene--as follows: "And it came to pass on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town," or village, "of Galilee, and Judea, and Jerusalem." This was the highest testimony yet borne to our Lord's growing influence, and the necessity increasingly felt by the ecclesiastics throughout the country of coming to some definite judgment regarding Him. "And the power of the Lord was [present] to heal them"--or, "was [efficacious] to heal them," that is, the sick that were brought before Him. So that the miracle that is now to be described was among the most glorious and worthy to be recorded of many then performed; and what made it so was doubtless the faith which was manifested in connection with it, and the proclamation of the forgiveness of the patient's sins that immediately preceded it.
3 And they come unto him--that is, towards the house where He was.
bringing one sick of the palsy--"lying on a bed" (
Matt 9:2).
which was borne of four--a graphic particular of Mark only.
4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press--or, as in Luke (
Luke 5:19), "when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude," they "went upon the housetop"--the flat or terrace-roof, universal in Eastern houses.
they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed--or portable couch
wherein the sick of the palsy lay--Luke (
Luke 5:19) says, they "let him down through the tilling with his couch into the midst before Jesus." Their whole object was to bring the patient into the presence of Jesus; and this not being possible in the ordinary way, because of the multitude that surrounded Him, they took the very unusual method here described of accomplishing their object, and succeeded. Several explanations have been given of the way in which this was done; but unless we knew the precise plan of the house, and the part of it from which Jesus taught--which may have been a quadrangle or open court, within the buildings of which Peter's house was one, or a gallery covered by a veranda--it is impossible to determine precisely how the thing was done. One thing, however, is clear, that we have both the accounts from an eye-witness.
5 When Jesus saw their faith--It is remarkable that all the three narratives call it "their faith" which Jesus saw. That the patient himself had faith, we know from the proclamation of his forgiveness, which Jesus made before all; and we should have been apt to conclude that his four friends bore him to Jesus merely out of benevolent compliance with the urgent entreaties of the poor sufferer. But here we learn, not only that his bearers had the same faith with himself, but that Jesus marked it as a faith which was not to be defeated--a faith victorious over all difficulties. This was the faith for which He was ever on the watch, and which He never saw without marking, and, in those who needed anything from Him, richly rewarding.
he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son--"be of good cheer" (
Matt 9:2).
thy sins be forgiven thee--By the word "be," our translators perhaps meant "are," as in Luke (
Luke 5:20). For it is not a command to his sins to depart, but an authoritative proclamation of the man's pardoned state as a believer. And yet, as the Pharisees understood our Lord to be dispensing pardon by this saying, and Jesus not only acknowledges that they were right, but founds His whole argument upon the correctness of it, we must regard the saying as a royal proclamation of the man's forgiveness by Him to whom it belonged to dispense it; nor could such a style of address be justified on any lower supposition. (See on
Luke 7:41, &c.).
6 But there were certain of the scribes--"and the Pharisees" (
Luke 5:21)
sitting there--those Jewish ecclesiastics who, as Luke told us (
Luke 5:17), "were come out of every village of Galilee, and Judea, and Jerusalem," to make their observations upon this wonderful Person, in anything but a teachable spirit, though as yet their venomous and murderous feeling had not showed itself.
and reasoning in their hearts.
7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?--In this second question they expressed a great truth. (See
Isa 43:25;
Mic 7:18;
Exod 34:6-
Exod 34:7, &c.). Nor was their first question altogether unnatural, though in our Lord's sole case it was unfounded. That a man, to all appearances like one of themselves, should claim authority and power to forgive sins, they could not, on the first blush of it, but regard as in the last degree startling; nor were they entitled even to weigh such a claim, as worthy of a hearing, save on supposition of resistless evidence afforded by Him in support of the claim. Accordingly, our Lord deals with them as men entitled to such evidence, and supplies it; at the same time chiding them for rashness, in drawing harsh conclusions regarding Himself.
8 Why reason ye these things in your hearts--or, as in Matthew, (
Matt 9:4) "Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?"
9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee--or "are forgiven thee";
or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed and walk?--"Is it easier to command away disease than to bid away sin? If, then, I do the one which you can see, know thus that I have done the other, which you cannot see."
10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins--that forgiving power dwells in the Person of this Man, and is exercised by Him while on this earth and going out and in with you.
(he saith to the sick of the palsy),
11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house--This taking up the portable couch, and walking home with it, was designed to prove the completeness of the cure.
12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed--"Sweet saying!" says BENGEL: "The bed had borne the man: now the man bore the bed."
and went forth before them all--proclaiming by that act to the multitude, whose wondering eyes would follow him as he pressed through them, that He who could work such a glorious miracle of healing, must indeed "have power on earth to forgive sins."
We never saw it on this fashion--"never saw it thus," or, as we say, "never saw the like." In Luke (
Luke 5:26) it is, "We have seen strange [unexpected] things to-day"--referring both to the miracles wrought and the forgiveness of sins pronounced by Human Lips. In Matthew (
Matt 9:8) it is, "They marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men." At forgiving power they wondered not, but that a man, to all appearance like one of themselves, should possess it!