BIBLE STUDY #77
SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
February 19, 2012

READING 1
ISAIAH 43:18-19, 21-22, 24B-25

Thus says the LORD:
Remember not the events of the past,
the things of long ago consider not;
see, I am doing something new!
Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
In the desert I make a way,
in the wasteland, rivers.
The people I formed for myself,
that they might announce my praise.
Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob,
for you grew weary of me, O Israel.
You burdened me with your sins,
and wearied me with your crimes.
It is I, I, who wipe out,
for my own sake, your offenses;
your sins I remember no more.

The Word of the Lord

READING 2
2 CORINTHIANS 1:18-22

Brothers and sisters:
As God is faithful,
our word to you is not "yes" and "no."
For the Son of God, Jesus Christ,
who was proclaimed to you by us, Silvanus and Timothy and me,
was not "yes" and "no, " but "yes" has been in him.
For however many are the promises of God, their Yes is in him;
therefore, the Amen from us also goes through him to God for glory.
But the one who gives us security with you in Christ
and who anointed us is God;
he has also put his seal upon us
and given the Spirit in our hearts as a first installment.

The Word of the Lord

GOSPEL MARK 2:1-12

When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days,
it became known that he was at home.
Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them,
not even around the door,
and he preached the word to them.
They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men.
Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd,
they opened up the roof above him.
After they had broken through,
they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic,
"Child, your sins are forgiven."
Now some of the scribes were sitting there asking themselves,
"Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming.
Who but God alone can forgive sins?"
Jesus immediately knew in his mind
what they were thinking to themselves,
so he said, "Why are you thinking such things in your hearts?
Which is easier, to say to the paralytic,
'Your sins are forgiven,'
or to say, 'Rise, pick up your mat and walk?'
But that you may know
that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth"
-he said to the paralytic,
"I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home."
He rose, picked up his mat at once,
and went away in the sight of everyone.
They were all astounded
and glorified God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this."

The Gospel of the Lord

Reflection

The house Jesus enters is the house of Simon and Andrew (see 1:31, where Jesus cures Simon’s mother-in-law). This house is the center for teaching and healing in this part of the Gospel.

Jesus was preaching the gospel, the good news: “This is the time of fulfillment The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel (1:15).” In Mark’s Gospel, “The Word” not only refers to the message, but to the messenger, such as in 8:29 when Peter says to Jesus, “You are the Messiah.” There are so many people that there is not enough room for everyone, which emphasizes Jesus’ magnetism and power.

A paralytic was brought in by 4 men. This is the only time in Mark’s Gospel that paralysis is mentioned, but it is mentioned twice on Matthew’s Gospel: 4:24 and 8:6. It was thought at the time that sin caused illnesses such as paralysis. Mark is saying that sin causes us spiritual paralysis. Just as this man was incapacitated physically by this paralysis, we are incapacitated spiritually by sin.

The term “paralytic” is not used in the Old Testament, but it is similar to a word that is used, namely lameness, which constitutes a form of impurity, which would exclude the lame from full participation in the community. In Isaiah, the lame will receive the blessings of the restoration, and in the New Testament, the lame are the beneficiaries of the blessings of the kingdom.

Since they were not able to get near Jesus, the 4 litter bearers “opened up the roof”, that is, they rolled back the mud and thatch. Matthew’s gospel omits the method of entry into the house, while Luke’s gospel speaks of tile roofs that would be more familiar to Greek speaking audiences. The paralytic’s mat was a common bed that was used by poor people that could be carried around by day or it could be used as a place to sit while begging.

When Jesus said that he “saw their faith”, he is referring to the 4 litter bearers, not the paralyzed man. In this context, faith refers to trust and hope in God, and also as a relationship of loyalty, that is, faith as fidelity to God. I’ve always thought that these 4 men must have loved and cared for this man tremendously to do what they did for him. It certainly is a great example of Christian love.

Normally, Jesus doesn’t perform any miracles when there is no faith. But notice here that it is not the faith of the paralytic, but the faith of the 4 litter bearers that is the impetus for Jesus to heal.

Jesus does something surprising. We would expect Jesus to heal this man’s paralysis, but in response to his 4 friend’s faith, he forgives the sins of the paralytic: this is a far more serious problem then paralysis. The scribes were shocked. They think he is blaspheming. The sacred texts say that only God can forgive sins (Exodus 34:6-7, 2 Samuel 12:3, Isaiah 43:25; and Psalm 51). Mark is saying that since Jesus forgives sins, and only God can forgives sins, then Jesus is God. Jesus himself is the agent of forgiveness. He is not asking God to forgive, but he offers forgiveness himself. This blasphemy charge may also have been leveled at Mark’s community.

We see another aspect of Jesus’ divinity when he reads the minds of the scribes. Since this is a “God” quality, Jesus must be God.

Jesus then says, “Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,'
or to say, 'Rise, pick up your mat and walk?'” The question is rhetorical, and goes to silence the scribes, since this is a new teaching with power (see 1:27).

This question also poses a dilemma to the scribes. It does seem easier to say ‘your sins are forgiven’ than to heal because the healing is immediately verifiable. But they don’t want to say forgiving is easier, because that is an ‘insult’ to God, akin to the blasphemy charge leveled at Jesus. To pick healing is too recognize Jesus as miracle worker; the restoration of the lame is a sign of divine activity (see Isaiah 35:6, Micah 4:6,7, and Zephaniah 3:19). The scribes don’t like either option and they are silenced. But it is really a moot point because Jesus can both forgive and heal.

If sin causes illness, which was commonly assumed, and Jesus heals the body, therefore the sin is forgiven; healing is a sign of forgiveness; therefore Jesus says, “that you may know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth
-he said to the paralytic, I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home."

While we don’t believe that sin causes illness, we do believe that sin can be more devastating than illness. Sin is what blocks the avenues of God’s grace, until all avenues are clogged and grace is totally blocked. Unforgiven sin is what can keep us from eternal life. Forgiveness is like being healed; how many people have been forgiven and have felt like they were healed? Many, I think.

Instead of going home like Jesus told him to do, he “went away in the sight of everyone,” meaning he went to where all could see him; in other words, he was proclaiming Jesus power over sin and illness. This is not uncommon, such as the leper that was healed and who “began to publicize the whole event” (1:45).

The people were “astounded,” and who wouldn’t be to see something like that? They glorified God, knowing and seeing that God was in their midst. As Lent approaches, we are reminded of God’s love for us and his desire to heal us and bring us home. Like the paralytic, we too need to be healed and need to proclaim God’s love and goodness to all.

The first reading is from Isaiah, and it is at a time when people are in exile in Babylon. Isaiah tries to inspire the people, telling them that God has not forgotten them. He has forgiven them, and something new shall happen. Eventually they will be released from bondage and the path home will be made straight and true. They are suffering now because of their sins and their turning away from God, but God will forgive their sins and bring them home.

The second reading from 2 Corinthians, Paul is defending himself to the people of Corinth because he was supposed to stay with them but his plans changed, and they were understandably upset. Even tough his plans changed, he is still reliable because he us following God’s plan for him in his life. He is always faithful and true to what God wants of him. He says he is like God, and says yes when he means yes, and no when he means no.



Fr. Phil