Mar 2:4, 9, 11-12, 6:55, Joh 5:8-12, Act 9:33 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 4. The press . The crowd, the multitude of people. Jesus was probably in the large open area, or hall, in the centre of the house. . The people pressed into that area, and blocked up the door, so that they could not have access to him. They uncovered the roof where he was . . Houses were flat. In cities they joined each other, and the roofs constituted an agreeable place for walking. It is not improbable that they ascended a neighbouring house, and came over the hall, where Jesus was. They removed the curtain or awning, drawn over the area, where Jesus was, so that they might let the man down before him. When they had broken it up . When they had removed the awning, and a part of the banisters, so that they could let the man down.

Mark 2:4

Verse 4. The press. The crowd, the multitude of people. Jesus was probably in the large open area, or hall, in the centre of the house. Mt 9:2. The people pressed into that area, and blocked up the door, so that they could not have access to him.

They uncovered the roof where he was. Mt 9:2. Houses were flat. In cities they joined each other, and the roofs constituted an agreeable place for walking. It is not improbable that they ascended a neighbouring house, and came over the hall, where Jesus was. They removed the curtain or awning, drawn over the area, where Jesus was, so that they might let the man down before him.

When they had broken it up. When they had removed the awning, and a part of the banisters, so that they could let the man down.

Mark 2:9

Mark 2:11-12

Verse 12. We never saw it on this fashion. Literally, "we never saw it so." We never saw anything like this.

(k) "We never" Jn 7:31, 9:32

Mark 6:55

Verse 55.

(h) "And ran" Mt 4:24, Mk 2:1-3

John 5:8-12

Verse 8. Rise, take up, &c. Jesus not only restored him to health, but he gave evidence to those around him that this was a real miracle, and that he was really healed. For almost forty years he had been afflicted. He was not even able to walk. Jesus commanded him not only to walk, but to take up his bed also, and carry that as proof that he was truly made whole. In regard to this we may observe,

1st. That it was a remarkable command. The poor man had been long infirm, and it does not appear that he expected to be healed except by being put into the waters. Yet Jesus, when he gives a commandment, can give strength to obey it.

2nd. It is our business to obey the commands of Jesus, however feeble we feel ourselves to be. His grace will be sufficient for us, and his burden will be light.

3rd. The weak and helpless sinner should put forth his efforts in obedience to the command of Jesus. Never was a sinner more helpless than was this man. If God gave him strength to do his will, so he can all others; and the plea that we can do nothing could have been urged with far more propriety by this man than it can be by any impenitent sinner.

4th. This narrative should not be abused. It should not be supposed as intended to teach that a sinner should delay repentance, as if waiting for God. The narrative neither teaches nor implies any such thing. It is a simple record of a fact in regard to a man who had no power to heal himself, and who was under no obligation to heal himself. There is no reference in the narrative to the difficulties of a sinner-- no intimation that it was intended to refer to his condition; and to make this example an excuse for delay, or an argument for waiting, is to abuse and pervert the Bible. Seldom is more mischief done than by attempting to draw from the Bible what it was not intended to teach, and by an effort to make that convey spiritual instruction which God has not declared designed for that purpose.

Thy bed. Thy couch; or the mattress or clothes on which he lay.

(g) "Rise" Mt 9:6, Mk 2:11, Lk 5:24 Verse 9. The Sabbath. To carry burdens on the Sabbath was forbidden in the Old Testament, Jer 17:21, Neh 13:15, Ex 20:8-10. If it be asked, then, why Jesus commanded a man to do on the Sabbath what was understood to be a violation of the day, it may be answered,

1st. That the Son of man was Lord of the Sabbath, and had a right to declare what might be done, and even to dispense with a positive law of the Jews, Mt 12:8, Jn 5:17.

2nd. This was a poor man, and Jesus directed him to secure his property.

3rd. The Jews extended the obligation of the Sabbath beyond what was intended by the appointment. They observed it superstitiously, and Jesus took every opportunity to convince them of their error, and to restore the day to its proper observance, Mt 12:6-11, Lk 6:9; Lk 13:14, 14:5. This method he took to show them what the law of God really permitted on that day, and that works of necessity and mercy were lawful.

(h) "and on the same day" Jn 9:14 Verse 10. Not lawful. It was forbidden, they supposed, in the Old Testament. The Jews were very strenuous in the observation of the external duties of religion.

(i) "It is the sabbath day" Jer 17:21, Mt 12:2 Verse 11. He that made me whole. The man reasoned correctly. If Jesus had power to work so signal a miracle, he had a right to explain the law. If he had conferred so great a favour on him, he had a right to expect obedience; and we may learn that the mercy of God in pardoning our sins, or in bestowing any signal blessing, imposes the obligation to obey him. We should yield obedience to him according to what we know to be his will, whatever may be the opinions of men, or whatever interpretation they may put on the law of God. Our business is a simple, hearty, child-like obedience, let the men of the world say or think of us as they choose. Verse 12. What man is he, &c. In this verse there is a remarkable instance of the perverseness of men, of their want of candour, and of the manner in which they often look at a subject. Instead of looking at the miracle, and at the man's statement of the manner in which he was healed, they look only at what they thought to be a violation of the law. They assumed it as certain that nothing could make his conduct, in carrying his bed on the Sabbath-day, proper; and they meditated vengeance, not only on the man who was carrying his bed, but on him, also, who had told him to do it. Thus men often assume that a certain course or opinion is proper, and when anyone differs from them they look only at the difference, but not at the reasons for it. One great source of dispute among men is that they look only at the points in which they differ, but are unwilling to listen to the reasons why others do not believe as they do. It is always enough to condemn one in the eyes of a bigot that he differs from him, and he looks upon him who holds a different opinion, as the Jews did at this man, as certainly wrong; and such a bigot looks at the reasons why others differ from him just as the Jews did at the reason why this man bore his bed on the Sabbath--as not worth regarding or hearing, or as if they could not possibly be right.

Acts 9:33

Verse 33. Aeneas. This is a Greek name; and probably he was a Hellenist. Acts 6:1.

Sick of the palsy. Mt 9:6 Mk 2:9, Jn 5:11,12