The word has gotten around town that Jesus is back home in Capernaum and everyone shows up to His place. A couple of guys bring their paralyzed friend for healing but the place is so packed they can’t get in. They get on the roof and then make a huge hole to drop their paralyzed friend in. It had to be quite an entrance. Jesus then says something weird:
Son, your sins are forgiven. Mark 2:5
What’s that got to do with being paralyzed? His body is broken, what does that have to do with sin? More on this in a second.
The Pharisees question Jesus:
Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone? Mark 2:7
Jesus responds:
Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” Mark 2:9-11
We now know a couple things from this passage:
- Jesus declares Himself to be God
- As such, He can forgive sins
- Forgiveness of sin has a direct connection to physical, bodily healing.
What does forgiveness of sin have to do with bodily healing?
Isaiah prophesied:
Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:4-5
By Jesus’ wounds we are healed! Why? Jesus’ death on the cross paid for our sins as He was the sacrificial lamb:
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29
In the end, after the resurrection of the dead, there will be a New Heaven and a New Earth. Guess what will not be there? Sin, death, injury and pain:
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. Revelation 21:1-4