3Then they came, bringing to Him a paralyzed man, who was being carried by four men. 4When they were unable to get to Him because of the crowd, they The roof of a typical home was composed of clay tiles which were laid on a mat of branches and grass supported by wooden beams. The parallel passage in Luke explains that “they went up on the roof and lowered him through the tiles” Luke (5:19).removed the roof above Jesus; and when they had dug out an opening, they let down the mat on which the paralyzed man was lying. 5When Jesus saw their [active] faith [springing from confidence in Him], He said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Mark 2:3-5 AMP
All of us carry burdens that weigh us down, and sometimes can cause us to lose faith that we will ever be delivered from them. Sometimes we carry or are attached to people that can become or feel like a burden when we place the role of saving and caring for them solely on us. This story in Mark is unique because it would appear that this is early in Jesus’ ministry, but news of his healing power had already spread amongst the people. He is in his hometown, and the people have filled the house where he was teaching to hear the word, and most likely to be healed, or witness a miracle. The focus changes to these four mystery men who are carrying a paralyzed man on a mat with the intent of bringing him before Jesus so that he can be healed. This is important and interesting because it doesn’t identify the four men who are carrying the paralyzed man. Are they his brothers, relatives, friends, men from the local synagogue, or just four men who observed a man in need, and believed that Jesus could heal him? I point this out because the identity of the four men isn’t important, but one could imply that there was most likely some sort of relationship or familiarity between he and they reflected in their extreme measures to get him to Jesus. Also interesting is that it never mentions the paralyzed man asking or desiring to be healed. Even when he is laying at the feet of Jesus, it doesn’t mention him asking Jesus for a healing, or Jesus asking him if he wanted or believed that he could be healed. I asked will you carry me because I want to know that if I can’t pray/do for myself, or if I’m in a season where i’m unwilling to, do you love me enough to carry and place me before Jesus even if I don’t ask you to? These men saw a man in need, and either heard of, or saw Jesus performing miracles, and believed that he could heal this man. Recognizing that he might not get another opportunity to be healed by Jesus, they stop at nothing to get him to the one who could heal him. I believe that the four men realized that Jesus could provide a relief for them as well, because if he could heal the paralyzed man, then it would be a burden lifted from them. If this man was a relative or friend, then he was a burden during this time because it meant that they would have to provide for him, transport him to and from the city gates, synagogue, town square, or wherever he may have begged for money from people, and any other welfare he required. In Jesus they saw and found the answer to their prayers, the one who could lift the heavy burdens from their shoulders, and heal the person that they realized couldn’t help themselves, and they couldn’t heal/deliver either. Thinking of the text, we should find this as a guide to how we are to press towards Jesus regardless of who or what may be in our way. We should advocate, pray for, and uplift others with the same intensity and faith that we would use for ourselves, or desire that others would do for us. When they decided to climb on the roof, I believe they were saying that I’ve done all that I can do, and then they removed tiles from the roof where they laid him before Jesus. The most important part of this story is that Jesus responded to the faith of the four men, and healed the paralyzed man without needing to ask him. I believe that this story is symbolic of the role of the intercessor. We become the four men when we intercede for those near and far from us in prayer. Will you carry me is not physical, but spiritual. Will you take my concerns, needs, shortcomings, and/or sins to God in prayer with and/or for me? Do you realize that sometimes it’s not about trying to solve peoples issues for them, but realizing where your abilities/role ends, and releasing it to Jesus to fix?
Reflection Time
Are you carrying anyone or anything? At what point do you lay it at the feet of Jesus and let him fix it? Do you have prayer and/or accountability partners that you trust with your needs, and/or concerns? How far are you willing to go to see a relative, friend, or associate saved/healed? If you are the one being carried, are you ready and believe that you can be healed/delivered?
