tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378025299582121922.post3158405481367260938..comments2023-10-26T06:30:14.934-04:00Comments on New Testament Perspectives: Jesus, the Paralytic and Blasphemy: Mark's Implicit Divine ChristologyMatthew D. Montoninihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16771037323124064875noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6378025299582121922.post-36815647818705366142016-02-13T20:14:58.757-05:002016-02-13T20:14:58.757-05:00Well said, Matthew.
For readers who may not be s...Well said, Matthew. <br /><br />For readers who may not be so familiar with Mark's Gospel, it is noteworthy that Mark’s narrative of Jesus’ forgiveness of the paralytic’s sins follows immediately after Jesus’ cleansing of the leper. Stated in the alternative direction, Jesus’ cleansing of the leper prepares for and provides explanatory expectation of his forgiving the paralytic’s sins.<br /><br />Here is the pericope I have in mind, Mark 1:40-45.<br /><br />So, how does this pericope offer explanatory expectation concerning Jesus’ forgiving of the paralytic’s sins? <br /><br />The leper, according to the Law is unclean and renders unclean all who touch him (Leviticus 13:45-46). He is obligated to announce his uncleanness to all by crying out, “Unclean! Unclean!” Only the priest has the authority to declare the leper clean, if he receives healing (13:44).<br /><br />Mark’s leper does not sequester himself. When he sees Jesus he goes to him and begs, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”<br /> <br />Jesus acts better than a priest by stretching out his hand to touch the leper and say, “Be clean!” By his speech Jesus cleanses the leper.<br /><br />Surely the leper knows the Law’s regulations concerning leprosy. Yet, after Jesus cautions the cleansed leper to tell no one of this miracle and sends the man to show himself to the priest to receive legal pronouncement of cleansing and to offer the proper sacrifices as stipulated by Moses; the entire ritual is extensive (Leviticus 14). But instead of adhering to the legal conventions, the cleansed man bypasses the priest, whom he seems to realize Jesus renders redundant, he exuberantly announces his own cleansing to everyone willing to hear him. Mark attributes widespread influence to the cleansed man, so much so that Jesus becomes inundated with curious people, especially those who seek healing. This accounts for the large crowd that flocks around Jesus, filling the house and overflowing to the outside, which constrains the four men who carry their paralyzed friend to take him to the rooftop which they open up to let their friend down into the house where Jesus is.<br /><br />But, something more crucial links the two episodes. Jesus who is not a Levitical priest does more than the priest does. He actually cleanses the leper with a word. Jesus, who is not a Levitical priest, is not rendered unclean by the leper but more than this he renders the leper clean by his speech act. Thus, given leprosy’s symbolism for sin and its pervasiveness but also Jesus’ cleansing role that exceeds that of Israel’s priests, the attentive hearer or reader is not caught off guard when Jesus, instead of first healing the paralytic, declares, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Jesus is a priest greater than any Levitical priest because Jesus is divine.abcanedayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13671418539630398806noreply@blogger.com