The Healing of the Paralytic
Health Lifestyle Bible Study Program
Terry K. Tremwel, Central Presbyterian Church, Fort Smith, AR
(Mark 2:1-12 and Matthew 9:2-8)
A paralytic man was brought to Jesus on a mat. In Mark, the man’s four friends can’t push through the crowd, so they tear a hole in the roof where Jesus is staying and lower the paralytic to the floor, next to Jesus. Both versions say that Jesus was so moved by the faith of the four friends that he said, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” The teachers of the law were offended when Jesus said, “Your sins are forgiven.” So, Jesus sensed what the teachers of the law were thinking. Jesus said, “But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins….” “He said to the paralytic, ‘I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” The man did just that. Everyone was amazed.
- Why was Jesus so moved by the faith of friends that he forgave and healed the paralytic?
- Who can forgive sins and heal us?
- Why doesn’t Mark or Matthew mention the faith of the individual in this case?
- When can we expect that the faith of our friends can save us?
- When we receive God’s grace is that only a spiritual event?
- What were the signs that the paralytic had received God’s grace?
Further discussion: How can the faith of friends be manifested today? Were the friends of the paralytic also blessed when the paralytic was healed? Were they also forgiven? Were the paralytic and his friends saved by grace through faith? Could they have been saved if they had not come to Jesus? Could the paralytic have been saved if he had been left alone and if his friends had gone to Jesus without him? Would the friends have been saved if they had left their friend and gone to Jesus without the paralytic? Can your prayer and study group help each other to be saved? If we study and pray in a closet do we accomplish as much as when we meet together? If we encourage each other in a healthy lifestyle, isn’t that more like how Jesus would have us behave today? Isn’t this prayer and study group one method Jesus might use to forgive our sins through the faith of our friends?
Action: Let each person examine their diet and identify one way that they can reduce saturated fat consumption. Let each person determine one way that they can increase their level of healthy exercise to increase their heart rate three times per week. Let each person keep track of his or her own blood pressure and risk factors. If there is an elevated blood pressure, get medical help and the right medicines. Let each person take responsibility for their own diabetes checks and take the right medicines. As a group, share one of the above issues with the rest of the group. The group covenants to help each other to keep these healthy habits throughout each week. We will encourage each other to be healthy, because in this way we allow God to use our group to save us from early death and disease.
