Mark 2
Jesus cured so many sick persons in one city, that when He came there again, crowds came to the house where He was staying.
There were four men who came carrying a sick man on a couch, but they could not get to the door because of the crowd. The sickness of the man was palsy, in which the limbs of the person are often paralized, but the four men were so sure that Jesus could cure this man, and they were so eager to get him to Him, that they found a way to do.
They took the sick man up unto the roof of the house, and opened a place large enough to let the man on his bed down into the room where Jesus was. In warm lands houses are not always made as secure as where it is cold, and it may not have been very difficult to remove the part of the roof. Yet it shows how much the men wanted their sick friend cured, and how certain they were that Jesus would cure him.
The men were not disappointed: Jesus spoke to the man and said,
“Arise, take up thy bed and go thy way into thine house.”
He also told him what was even more needed, that his sins were forgiven. The man was cured, he stood up, took his bed, and walked out of the house, where all the people saw him.
They had known how sick the man had been, and were amazed to see him walking, and said, “We never saw it on this fashion.” They meant they had never seen so wonderful a cure before.
No doubt Jesus could have cured the man without his being let down, through the roof, yet He was pleased to see how fully the men believed in Him.
We wonder as we read this story, if we each know someone who needs to be “brought” to Jesus, who only can forgive sins. Perhaps we could find a way for someone to read or hear His words, if we would be as earnest as the men with the sick friend.
It was in the same city where tit, man with the palsy was cured, that Levi lived, and after that time he also went with Jesus, his other name was Matthew, and he was the disciple who later wrote the Gospel we call “Matthew” (see Matt. 9:99And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him. (Matthew 9:9)).
Jesus went from the house to the sea shore, which was close; very many people followed Him, and He taught them out of doors. No doubt there were boys and girls among those who came to listen to Him, and His words which are told we can all understand.
These are some of the words He said,
“They that are whole have no need of a physician, but they that are sick.”
Then He told them He came for those who were sinners, those who KNEW they needed a Saviour.
ML 01/16/1944