Advent 2025: Sat 13 Dec
Mark 2.1-5 Vandals
1 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2 They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralysed man, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralysed man, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’
Capernaum is located on the north end of Lake Galilee. It seems to have become a base, at least for the moment, as Mark describes it as “home”. I can’t imagine the hubbub that surrounded any sighting of Jesus in those early days. The many hundreds that had already received miraculous healing and cleansing would have been sharing their stories in their own villages all around the region. Word would have travelled fast along travelling routes and people who had up to now been consigned to a life of disability, sickness, incurable conditions, possession and hopelessness were being given new hope by this rabbi from Nazareth.
Jesus had also travelled around many villages preaching and teaching, bringing new light to bear on Scriptures that had been considered unintelligible, and revealing the truth about the Kingdom of God in ways that other teachers could not match. Teaching and preaching were backed up by healing and cleansing. Jesus’ words were proved in action. That’s why people came to listen.
So how much did those men believe that Jesus could heal their disabled friend? And how prepared were they to place him at Jesus’ feet? With boldness enough to break into a roof and lower him down into the crowded room, that’s how much! The disabled man so far has done nothing. It’s his friends’ faith that Jesus notices.
But Jesus does not heal the man – he pronounces his sins forgiven. Standing in the debris of straw and wattle and whatever makes a roof Jesus utters this most provocative statement. We are used to forgiveness – perhaps we might expect it as in so many services of worship there’s a point early on where forgiveness is offered, and we might just expect it as a matter of course if we’re not careful. Forgiveness comes because of the One who gave his life for our sins. In God the Son we claim his blood shed for us. It’s amazing.
Why do you think Jesus talked about forgiveness first?
A song of preparation that hints at the parable of the bridegroom in the night and Jesus’ reminder that there is a harvest of souls to gather.
Paul