Mark 2 is one of my favorite chapters in the New Testament. I love this chapter because Jesus does something quite radical that is rather easy to miss (interesting that we can miss something radical when we don’t have the eyes or context to see it).
We find in Mark 2 the story of the paralytic whose friends bring him to Jesus at his home for healing. Jesus’ ministry at this early point in the story has gone viral because of his demonstration of authority. People around him are bubbling with excitement because it is looking like Jesus may very well be the Messiah that they have all heard about. This Messiah was supposed to come and deliver the Jews from Roman oppression. He was also suppose to rebuilt a glorious temple much like Solomon’s temple that we read about in the Old Testament. The presence of the Messiah meant the dawning of a new day of deliverance for God’s people.
Jesus’ ministry had become so popular at this point that there is no room for the paralytic’s friends to get near Jesus because the crowd is so dense—they have to find another way. The paralytic’s friends are good friends as they don’t give up easy on getting this man they love close to Jesus for healing.
They decide to cut a hole in the roof and lower him down in front of Jesus. This is a success! They lower the paralytic down right in front of Jesus. Jesus then looks at the man and seeing their faith says, “Son, your sins are forgiven” (Mark 2:5). What an unusual statement to make. This man didn’t come for the forgiveness of sins. If wanted to be forgiven of his sins he would have had to gone to the temple—he would have gone to see the priest.
You see, what is so radical about this passage is that Jesus is doing away with the old system. When Jesus forgives his sin, he is saying that when you’re in his very presence, you’re in the temple, you’re in the presence of God. This is affirmed with the reaction of the scribes who question in their hearts saying, “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone? (Mark 2:7). This is precisely the point that Jesus is making! Jesus is saying to the crowds that being in his presence is to be in the presence of God himself.
This is groundbreaking news! For many many centuries, people believed that they could only get to God and be reconciled to God through an intermediary, through a priest (or saint). This was the way that the old system worked. To go to God’s presence and receive the forgiveness of sins you had to go to the temple and have the priest administer sacraments to make grace effective in the life of the worshipper so that the relationship between the worshiper and God would be restored.
This story tells us that this is no longer the case! Jesus tells us that he’s made access to the Father available to all. No intermediary necessary. When you’re with Jesus, you’re in the temple; you’re in the presence of God.
