THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW
The healing of a paralytic: Mt 9,1-8
Separating the healing of the leper (8,1-4) from the healing of the paralytic, Matthew shows his agenda is different to Mark's. In Mark, the healing of the leper (Mk 1,40-45) is its own at the end of the first chapter while the healing of the paralytic opens a series of controversies between Jesus and the Jewish authorities (leading up to Mk 3,6). Here in Matthew, this healing is placed as the third of the second trio of stories about Jesus' power as we discovered in the overview.
This is seen in verse 1 where Matthew has simplified the elaborate introductions of Mark and Luke. Only Matthew has Jesus taking the boat. The home town is Capernaum (4,13).
Jesus in verse 2 responds to their faith. Matthew omits Mark's detail about the companions letting the paralytic down through the roof which leaves Jesus' response about their faith unexplainded. That faith is the reason for his further response. Yet what he offers the paralytic is not bodily healing as might be expected but healing from sins instead. This could be a divine passive, God is forgiving sins. Or maybe this is being left open as the story develops up to verse 6.
Only Matthew adds the comment "take courage", see also 9,22. Courage may be an appropriate attitude for the paralytic, though translations use expressions like "take heart".
The scribes in verse 3 are the experts in the law. They think Jesus is blaspheming because for them only God can forgive sins.
Verse 4 then indicates that Jesus can read minds and also adds "evil" to "in your hearts" (Mk 2,8). Here Matthew echoes Mark with the beginning of controversy.
Verse 6 though pulls together both healings needed - sin and body. Both healings are integral to Jesus' ministry. Yet the healing of a sick person can be verified. That sins are forgiven in verse 5 will be less obvious. The paralytic is healed simply by the command of Jesus.
In verse 6, it is Jesus as Son of Man who has authority to forgive sins. This goes further than the divine passive of verse 2.Jesus says "Rise" in verses 5 & 6 and then in verse 7, the paralytic arises, the Greek word is that for the resurrection. The allusion is there so "he rose" as in NABRE is better than "he stood up" as in the NRSV or "got up" as RNJB. The translations are reluctant to make the link with the resurrection yet three references clearly makes the echo. Thus by his healing, Jesus gives new life and in verse 7 the parlytic goes home.
Matthew unlike Mark stresses in verse 8 that God has given such authority to humans. While in this instance it refers to Jesus, it also hints at the future powers of the Church to bind and loose (16,19 for Peter and 18,18 for the whole Church).
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