The Man with a Palsy

Rev. J. Van Haaren (1933-1983)

Our text speaks of a poor unfortunate man. He is completely lame. He cannot walk on his feet, and he cannot use his hands. His was a hopeless case, and he had been abandoned by all the physicians. It is possible that this paralysis was a fruit of a former sinful lifestyle even though that is not expressly stated in Scripture. Whatever the case, it was so that his sins bothered him more than his disease. Soon he must die and meet God. It was the experience of this man:

Heavy is my tribulation,
Sore my punishment has been;
Broken by Thy indignation,
I am troubled by my sin.
With my burden of transgression
Heavy laden, overborne,
Humbled low I make confession,
For my folly now I mourn.

— Psalter 102:2&3

Do you also know something of this complaint? That would be a blessing, for, by nature, we do not realize that we are subject to all kinds of miseries, yea, even to eternal perdition. That is why we can live on so unconcernedly, but when the Lord opens our eyes for our condition, then, the rest is behind us.

How happy the lame man must have been when Jesus was in Capernaum where he lived. Then, a small ray of hope shone in his soul, for was not Jesus the One who healed the lepers, who gave hearing to the deaf and sight to the blind? Yea, He preached the gospel to those who were poor. Yet, this man had never felt himself as miserable as at the present time, for how could he ever come to the Lord Jesus?

They, who through the workings of the Holy Spirit have experienced the impossibility of being saved, understand something of that. How happy they are when Christ is preached as the One who has come to seek and to save that which was lost, but how must they come to Him? You cannot comfort them by saying to them, “You should simply go to Jesus!” That is exactly their difficulty, for they have no feet to go, no hands to grasp, and no arms to embrace. If they are ever to come to Jesus, they must be brought there, just like the lame man. The Lord arranged for four friends who were moved by his need and who were ready to bring him to Jesus.

We would say, now everything is taken care of, but on the way to Jesus, they met with some serious obstacles. When they came to the house where Jesus was, they saw that the entrance was blocked by a large mass of people. That is something, to be close to Jesus and yet not to be able to come near Him. That is also experienced by God’s concerned people. The closer to Jesus, the more difficulties, but if it is really God’s work, they will break through all those difficulties. May you understand something of that?

“And when He saw their faith’.’The four men had faith, and that made them persevere. They did not say, “Let us go back because we cannot get through anyway. We will try it again another time.” Oh, no! If they cannot get in through the door, then they will go through the roof. They climbed the outside stairway up to the roof, made an opening in the tiles, and let down the lame man through the hole in the roof exactly at the feet of the Lord Jesus. For faith there are no impossibilities; with faith there is no returning. The friends showed that faith, but it was also in the heart of the man with the palsy. That is why he allowed them to carry him up to the roof, and that is why he allowed them to let him down through the roof. He could have broken his neck, but he would rather be at Jesus’ feet with a broken neck than return to his home.

Well, just look at this miserable one lying there. He says nothing, he asks nothing, he has nothing more to say. Actually, he does not consider himself worthy that the Lord would have anything to do with him. It would be righteous if the Lord would leave him in the misery into which he has cast himself. However, even if he must leave the Lord free in what He does, he cannot let go of Him. This man does not offer a prayer; that is not necessary, for he is a prayer!

Ever are my longing eyes
Toward the Lord, whose watchful care....

God’s tried and troubled people understand what it means to let God be God, without letting go of God. Shall the Lord then cast away such troubled ones who look for His help with supplicating eyes? Oh, no, He has compassion upon them, for the Lord says, “Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.”

Was not that a disappointment for this lame man? Had he not come to be cured of his illness? Ah, we already realized that this man’s sins were more of a burden to him than his illness. That is why it became such a wonder to him that the Lord would take away the cause of his hunger and burden. If the Lord had not done anything more, if he had not been healed, it would have been good. A sweet peace descended into his heart when the heavy load of sin was taken away; that, indeed, happened, for the Lord spoke as One who has power.

God’s tried and troubled people understand what it means to let God be God, without letting go of God. Shall the Lord then cast away such troubled ones who look for His help with supplicating eyes? Oh, no, Helias compassion upon them, for the Lord says, “Man, thy sins are forgiven thee’.’

Now, perhaps, you will think that everyone was happy with the benefits extended to this man. They would all have fallen down at the feet of the Lord in adoring worship. That is not the case, however. As a matter of fact, would you have done that? The scribes and the Pharisees were angry with Christ. Your sins are forgiven you? Can that just be done in such a way, without a priest, without blood, and without an altar? They say to themselves, “Who can forgive sins, but God alone?” Certainly, that is true, but Christ is God, and as such He is able to forgive sins. The scribes and the Pharisees, however, do not want to accept this. If their sins and guilt had been a burden to them and had caused them to realize that their own righteousness was insufficient for the great eternity, they would have perked up their ears and have begged Him for mercy. Their guilt, however, does not bother them; they are not poor but rich and increased in goods. They are satisfied with their piety and do not need grace; that is why they are angry with Christ.

Such scribes can still be found. They have a head full of knowledge, but they miss the experience of the heart. Oh, how hard such people can be in their judgments. No, they cannot just accept someone else’s conversion. It does not go so easily, they say. First this, and then that must happen, and then it will still be the question if it is genuinely true. Does it then really go so easily? Oh, yes, certainly! Only one thing is needful; that is to confess your transgressions (Psalm 32:5). When David was brought to that place and after serious reflection confessed his evil deeds, God graciously forgave them. How easy it is, then, to be saved!

We all have to become a sinner before God, but even though it then goes easily, that is not to say that grace is cheap. What a costly price did Christ have to pay to merit it! In order to grant grace unto sinners, He had to lay down His life. To look at it from God’s side, it does not go so easily. Without the shedding of blood, there can be no forgiveness of sins. That is why Christ was led as a Lamb to the slaughter. Yea, He is the Lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world. That is why He could say, “Thy sins are forgiven thee.”

That He can and may do this Christ will now give the proof. In the first place, He gives a glance of His godly omniscience. He lets the scribes and Pharisees realize that He knows their thoughts and says exactly what they were considering in their own heart. Should they not have been moved by that? Yes, but they harden their heart and refuse to be converted. Ah, it cannot be stated in words how hardened a man can be. It is truly a wonder when such a hard heart breaks.

Christ does not, however, give a glance only into His omniscience. The All-knowing One also reveals His almighty power by saying unto the sick of the palsy, “But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, I say unto thee, Arise and take up thy couch, and go into thine own house.” Then the Almighty One again reveals His omniscience: “What reason ye in your hearts? Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?”

The scribes and the Pharisees thought to themselves that forgiveness was easier, for they could not ascertain the truth of it. Certainly to heal this paralyzed man an almighty power is needed, but to take away the burden of sin an almighty power is needed, also. No one can bear the burden of the wrath of God except He alone who in one Person is both true God and true righteous Man. And behold, that is Christ! He is the Son of Man, the Immanuel, God with us. It is “The Lord [who] remembers we are dust, and all our frailty knows,” but whose love also is unchanging, “from age to age the same,” and He will ever bless those who keep His covenant (see Psalter 278). Then forgiveness is a greater benefit, for that benefit endures to all eternity. How happy that unfortunate man was when the Lord healed him in body and in soul.

It is a little foretaste of what awaits God’s Church. Christ does not save from sin only but also from the consequences of sin. One day all those who have been bought by His blood will be where no one will say anymore, “I am sick.” The lame man who was healed went home glorifying God, “And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.” That is always the fruit of Gods work. Then the Church joins with the psalmist and sings:

The Lord is greatly to be praised,
His greatness is beyond our thought;
From age to age the sons of men
Shall tell the wonders God has wrought.

— Psalter 397:2

Could it be that such God-glorifying songs would be heard more frequently. Ask that you might learn to pray under the discovering administration of the Holy Spirit so that you would learn to know your danger and that you would not have any rest until you would also hear out of His mouth, “Thy sins are forgiven thee.”

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