Paralytic Sins Forgiven for their Faith

[RobertPGH1981]

Hello All,

Simple question, how do we make sense of this passage when it says that the man's sins were forgiven for their faith and not based solely on his own.

Mar 2:4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay.
Mar 2:5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."

 

[timfost]

Getting the paralytic to Jesus was a group effort-- a labor of faith on the part of all of them. Our faith does not only affect us, but those around us.

 

[RobertPGH1981]

It seems that way but are their other verses we can reference? Can you elaborate on how collective faith can bring about the forgiveness of sins?


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[Jack K]

I think we can safely assume the man on the mat was in on the whole endeavor. He had faith too. It wasn't just the other guys.

But perhaps the more important point is that we should be careful not to build a doctrine of forgiveness on a single example found in an account that's not primarily about what we do to be forgiven. We learn from this account that Jesus has the power to forgive sins and that he responds to faith, and we get a memorable example of what true faith looks like, but the account doesn't really tell us about individual faith vs. collective faith. It doesn't intend to dwell on that. So don't conclude too much, nor worry if it sounds a tad odd compared to passages that explain things more thoroughly and directly.

 

[RobertPGH1981]

We learn from this account that Jesus has the power to forgive sins and that he responds to faith, and we get a memorable example of what true faith looks like, but the account doesn't really tell us about individual faith vs. collective faith.

I agree that the passage is primarily about his ability to forgive sins. However, when we interpret scripture it is evident that God places the words inspired by the holy spirit giving meaning to all words. One commentator quoted below believes that their faith is what brought about the eventual physical healing. It does seem like physical healing was the intent of the group, but the text explicitly states that their faith resulted in his forgiveness. Most commentators seem to ignore the most obvious reading of the text. This could be a textual type issue that would be more obvious by knowing the greek and/or the culture of the day.

One commentator says the following,

3–5. Their faith. The four who came in faith were anxious to obtain physical healing for their friend; it was granted. The paralysed man himself, to judge from Jesus’ dealing with him, was not so much conscious of his physical need as he was of his spiritual burden; so Jesus granted to him forgiveness as well as healing. Only the scribes, arrogantly self-satisfied, and therefore conscious of no need, received nothing. Verse 17 is the later comment by Jesus, not without wry humour, on this seeming anomaly.

Cole, R. A. (1989). Mark: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 2, pp. 120–121). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

 

[Joshua]

I agree that the passage is primarily about his ability to forgive sins. However, when we interpret scripture it is evident that God places the words inspired by the holy spirit giving meaning to all words. One commentator quoted below believes that their faith is what brought about the eventual physical healing. It does seem like physical healing was the intent of the group, but the text explicitly states that their faith resulted in his forgiveness. Most commentators seem to ignore the most obvious reading of the text. This could be a textual type issue that would be more obvious by knowing the greek and/or the culture of the day.

Their comprehends his [the paralytic's] faith in the grammar (at least, the English translation). It is not indicating that the faith of his friends resulted in the paralytic's reception of forgiveness, but that the kind of faith that the paralytic and his friends possessed, namely: saving faith, is the kind of faith that results in the forgiveness of sins. Jesus knowing the paralytic's faith and subsequently forgiving Him is not mutually exclusive from Jesus seeing all of their faith(s). It is not an active ignoring happening from most commentators, but a healthy analogy of Scripture, context, and logic that ought to drive the interpretation. I believe the implication of the passage is that these men's faith was not so narrow as to apply only to the fact that Jesus could physically heal their friend, but, rather, that Jesus was Messiah, and -in light of that great truth- He can do all things. So Christ affirms this, in a greater-to-lesser kind of way. Not only am I able to heal physical sickness, but greater than that, I can heal incurable wounds of spiritual death.

 

[RobertPGH1981]

Their comprehends his [the paralytic's] faith in the grammar (at least, the English translation).

I thought this at first but why not say HIS FAITH (singular to the paralytic) instead of THEIR FAITH (plural of the four men and the paralytic).

 

[RobertPGH1981]

Here was a helpful statement from a John Calvin commentary. I am not sure why I got so hung up on the THEIR but his explanation seemed to resonate with me and diffused my confusion.

"With regard to the present passage, though Christ is said to have been moved by the faith of others, yet the paralytic could not have obtained the forgiveness of his sins, if he had had no faith of his own. Unworthy persons were often restored by Christ to health of body, as God daily maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, (Matthew 5:45) but there is no other way in which he is reconciled to us than by faith. There is a synecdoche, therefore, in the word their, when it is said that Jesus saw their faith: for Christ not only looked at those who brought the paralytic, but looked also at his faith.

Thy sins are forgiven thee. Christ appears here to promise to the paralytic something different from what he had requested: but, as he intends to bestow health of body, he begins with removing the cause of the disease, and at the same time reminds the paralytic of the origin of his disease, and of the manner in which he ought to arrange his prayers. As men usually do not consider that the afflictions which they endure are God's chastisements, they desire nothing more than some alleviation in the flesh, and, in the meantime, feel no concern about their sins: just as if a sick man were to disregard his disease, and to seek only relief from present pain. [509] But the only way of obtaining deliverance from all evils is to have God reconciled to us."

https://biblehub.com/commentaries/calvin/mark/2.htm