The Story
Mark 2
When He (Jesus) had come back to Capernaum several days afterward, it was heard that He was at home.
And many were gathered, so that there was no longer room, not even near the door; He was speaking the word to them.
And they came, bringing to Him a paralytic, carried by four men.
And Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
“I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home”
And he rose and immediately picked up the pallet and went out in the sight of everyone, so that they were all amazed and were glorifying God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”
Being unable to get to Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him. When they had dug an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic was lying.
In this story we have a paralyzed man who is completely dependent on his friends to care for him. How he became paralyzed is not revealed but we are given a beautiful picture of the faithfulness of his friends. These men would have heard stories about Jesus and what He was doing, so with each person taking a corner of the pallet, they intentionally and determinedly carry the weight of the pallet and the paralyzed man until they reach their destination, Jesus.
The perseverance of these Pallet Carriers is put on full display as they make every attempt to get their lame friend to the feet of Jesus. They could have showed up, seen the crowd and said, “well, we tried, but we can’t get any closer and people were not willing to help us… sorry.” But they refused to let this obstacle of the crowd end their journey and they come up with a creative, albeit, a little destructive and unconventional, solution. They all climbed to the top of the roof, carefully lifting the pallet upon which the paralyzed man lay, removed a portion of the roof and lowered their friend into the room where Jesus stood. This was no easy task. It took courage and a willingness to do whatever it took to get their friend into the presence of Jesus.
These Pallet Carriers had faith. Jesus saw ‘their faith’, the faith of the Pallet Carriers. Jesus then spoke to the paralytic, first addressing something deeper than his physical condition: “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Jesus initially addresses the heart issue and releases forgiveness over the man, then He heals his physical condition, commanding him to rise, take up his pallet, and go home.
The man who had arrived completely dependent upon others was now able to carry his own pallet and depart transformed, a recipient of the miraculous.
Those who witnessed it were amazed, declaring, “We have never seen anything like this.”