Mark 2:1-12 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

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Bible Comments

The Healing of the Paralytic. Loisy (pp. 86- 88) regards the discussion of the right to forgive sins as artificially interwoven by Mk. into a simpler story of healing. He says it is not like Jesus to prove a spiritual claim by the argument of a miracle. Jesus refused to work signs. The power to forgive is also asserted by Jesus personally as a Messianic endowment. This conflicts with the attitude towards the Messianic secret (p. 670) preserved elsewhere in the gospel. But forgiveness is undoubtedly one of the blessings of the kingdom (cf. Mark 4:12). It is the offer of forgiveness which is challenged by the Pharisees when they ask why Jesus eats with sinners, and why His disciples do not fast. There is an inward connexion between the three incidents in Mark 2. The work of evangelization requires Jesus to forgive sins as well as to drive out demons and heal diseases. These are so many inseparable features of the gospel (cf. Luke 4:18 f. and Matthew 11:5 *, where the miracles must not be allegorized, as Sohmiedel suggests). Bodily healing and forgiveness go together. Because of their union the visible influence of Jesus over disease confirms His power to forgive, which cannot be tested by sight. It is as herald of the kingdom rather than as Messiah that Jesus claims this authority. Matthew 9:8 suggests either that the term Son of Man is not Messianic in Mark 2:10 or that the term is due to the evangelist. But Matthew 9:8 means, not that men as men have this power, but that a fresh gift of God has come to mankind in and through the announcement of the nearness of the kingdom. A new ministry of reconciliation is entrusted to men.

Mark 2:1. Follow mg.

Mark 2:4. Wellhausen suggests that they uncovered the roof is a misunderstanding of an Aram. phrase which means they brought him up on to the roof. This is probably correct, and in that case the picturesque detail about breaking up the roof may be an addition inspired by the false rendering of an Aram. original.

Mark 2:5. Teknon, an affectionate form of address. Cf. Luke 15:31, and Cæ sar's last words, Kai su, Teknon, not Et tu, Brute.

Mark 2:6. It should be noted, Jesus is accused of blasphemy, not of laxity as to conditions of forgiveness (see Montefiore, i. 78).

Mark 2:8. Mk. attributes supernatural knowledge to Jesus. John 2:25 does not lack a Synoptic root.

Mark 2:9; Mark 2:11 f. Arise, take up thy bed and walk. The threefold repetition reflects popular oral tradition. The proof of the complete cure by carrying one's bed is also a feature in popular tales of healing. Cf. Lucí an, Philopatris, xi., Midas picked up the bed on which he had been lying and went off to the country. The word for bed in Mk. is a vulgar one, and implies the small mattress of a poor man.

Related Commentaries of Mark 2:1

Mark 2:1-12

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

2 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.

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

4 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.

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

6 But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,

7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?

8 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?

9 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?

10 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,)

11 I say unto thee,Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.

12 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.