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The Healing of the Paralytic: Difference between revisions
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* The '''Pharisees as a picture of human resistance to grace'''. | * The '''Pharisees as a picture of human resistance to grace'''. | ||
* The '''healing as a sign of resurrection and new life in Christ'''. | * The '''healing as a sign of resurrection and new life in Christ'''. | ||
* His '''immobility''' represents Christ’s submission to the cross. | |||
* His '''lowering and rising''' are a '''miniature picture of Christ’s descent and resurrection'''. | |||
* The reaction of the '''scribes foreshadows Christ’s own trial'''. | |||
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In the '''sensus plenior''', the paralytic in '''Mark 2:1-12''' and '''Luke 5:17-26''' represents Christ in several key ways: | |||
=== '''1. The Paralytic as Christ Bearing Sin''' === | |||
* The paralytic is '''incapable of movement''', just as Christ '''became weak in the flesh''' (2 Cor. 13:4) and bore the weight of sin on behalf of humanity (Isa. 53:4). | |||
* Sin is often depicted as something that '''binds and cripples''' (John 8:34). Christ, though sinless, '''took on our sins''', making Himself as one unable to move under the burden of the world's transgression (2 Cor. 5:21). | |||
=== '''2. Lowered from Above = Christ Descending from Heaven''' === | |||
* The paralytic is '''lowered through the roof''', a picture of '''Christ descending from heaven''' to take on human flesh (Phil. 2:6-8). | |||
* Just as his friends '''break through''' to bring him down, Christ was '''sent by the Father''', piercing through the barrier of sin to reach humanity. | |||
=== '''3. Jesus Declaring Forgiveness = Christ on the Cross''' === | |||
* Before healing, Jesus '''declares the man’s sins forgiven'''—a foreshadowing of '''His own work on the cross'''. | |||
* The scribes object: "Who can forgive sins but God alone?" (Mark 2:7), just as they later '''accuse Christ of blasphemy''' leading to His crucifixion. | |||
* The forgiveness happens '''before the visible healing''', just as Christ’s atonement occurs '''before His resurrection''' (Rom. 4:25). | |||
=== '''4. The Paralytic Rising = Christ’s Resurrection''' === | |||
* After being healed, the paralytic '''rises, takes up his mat, and walks'''—a picture of '''Christ’s resurrection''' (Mark 2:12, Luke 5:25). | |||
* The same word '''"rise" (ἐγείρω, egeiró)''' is used for both the paralytic’s healing and '''Jesus’ resurrection''' (Mark 16:6). | |||
* Taking up his mat represents conquering death and walking is '''Christ taking up His life again''' (John 10:17-18). | |||
=== '''5. Glorifying God = The Ascension''' === | |||
* The people '''glorify God''' after seeing the miracle, just as Christ’s resurrection and ascension '''bring glory to the Father''' (John 17:1). | |||
=== '''Old Testament Connections''' === | |||
* '''Isaiah 35:6''': “Then shall the lame man leap like a deer” — a prophecy of the '''Messianic age''' when healing would come. | |||
* '''Psalm 103:2-3''': “Bless the Lord… who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases.” | |||
* '''Daniel 7:13-14''': The "Son of Man" comes with authority—mirrored in Jesus' '''authority to forgive sins'''. | |||
