Lecture 1 — Healing of a paralytic

^9:1^ And entering into a boat, he passed over the water and came into his own city. [n. 742]

^9:2^ And behold they brought to him one paralyzed, lying in a bed. And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralyzed man: be of good heart, son, your sins are forgiven you. [n. 744]

^9:3^ And behold some of the scribes said within themselves: he blasphemes. [n. 747]

^9:4^ And Jesus seeing their thoughts, said: why do you think evil in your hearts? [n. 748]

^9:5^ Which is easier, to say, your sins are forgiven you: or to say, arise, and walk? [n. 749]

^9:6^ But that you may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins, then said he to the paralyzed man, arise, take up your bed, and go into your house. [n. 750]

^9:7^ And he arose, and went into his house. [n. 754]

^9:8^ And seeing it, the multitude feared, and glorified God who gave such power to men. [n. 754]

741. Above he set forth miracles against bodily dangers; here he sets forth miracles against spiritual dangers. And accordingly, he does two things:

first, he shows how he helps those who come to him;

second, how he seeks out those whom he will save, at **and Jesus went about all the cities, and towns **(Matt 9:35).

Concerning the first,

first he sets forth a remedy against sin;

second, against death, at **as he was speaking these things to them **(Matt 9:18).

Concerning the first,

first, he sets forth a remedy against sin by forgiving it;

second, by drawing sinners to himself, at **and it came to pass as he was reclining at table in the house **(Matt 9:10). And

first, he sets forth certain preambles to the favor;

second, he sets forth the favor itself, at but that you may know. And

first, the place is set down;

second, the devotion of those presenting the paralytic, at and behold they brought to him one paralyzed.

742. It says then, and entering into a boat, he passed over the water. And this part is connected with what went before, because they had asked him to leave them, and so he went up into a boat. Hence he gives one to understand that if some say, depart from us, we do not desire the knowledge of your ways (Job 21:14), he immediately withdraws; hence, and entering into a boat. This boat signifies the cross, or the Church. And came into his own city, namely into the city of the gentiles, who had been given to him. Hence, ask of me, and I will give you the gentiles for your inheritance (Ps 2:8).

743. But there is a question, because Mark and Luke say that this was done in Capernaum (Mark 2:31; Luke 5:18), but here it says that it happened in Nazareth, which was his own city.

One should say that one city was Christ’s by reason of his birth, and this was Bethlehem; and another one by reason of his education, and this was Nazareth; and another one by reason of familiar association and the working of miracles, and Capernaum was his city in this way. Therefore, well is it said, into his own city. Hence it is said, as great things as we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in your own country (Luke 4:23).

Augustine resolves it in another way, for Capernaum was the most famous of the cities of Galilee; hence it was as it were a capital city. And just as if someone were from some village next to Paris he would say that he was from Paris on account of the place’s fame, so the Lord, since he was from the region of Capernaum, was said to be from there.

Or in another way, because the evangelists leave something out, hence something can be added, namely that he passed through Nazareth and came into Capernaum, and then they presented the paralytic to him.

744. And behold they brought to him one paralyzed. Here the devotion of the ones presenting the paralytic is touched upon. Hence Mark touches upon the fact that, since they could not get through, they let him down through the roof tiles.

This paralytic signifies a sinner lying in sin; hence just as the paralytic cannot move himself, so neither can that sinner. But those who carry him are those who carry him to God by admonition.

745. And Jesus, seeing their faith. He sets forth a favor, where we can see three things:

first, what moved Jesus;

second, what is required;

third, the dispute against the favor.

Sometimes the Lord cures someone on account of his faith, sometimes on account of his prayers, and the prayers of others. Seeing then their faith, he said; hence it is said, whatever you ask when you pray, believe that you will receive; and they will come unto you (Mark 11:24).

746. Be of good heart, son. What then is required? Faith; those who trust in the Lord will be as Mount Zion: he will not be moved forever who dwells in Jerusalem (Ps 124:1–2). And Acts 15:9, purifying their hearts by faith.

Your sins are forgiven you. Here it touches upon the favor. But what is it that this man asked for? Health of body, and the Lord gives health of soul. The reason is that sin is a cause of disease, as in, on account of their sins, their infirmities were multiplied (Ps 15:4). Hence God acts as the good doctor, who cures the cause.

747. Then he sets forth the dispute against the favor, at and Jesus seeing their thoughts.

It says then, and behold some of the scribes said within themselves: he blasphemes. And why were they astonished? Because they saw a man, and they did not see God; but only God can forgive sins. And so they called him a blasphemer, in accord with, who says to the king: you are an apostate: who calls rulers ungodly? (Job 34:18).

748. And Jesus seeing their thoughts, said: why do you think evil in your hearts? Here he silences them in three ways: by his knowledge, his word, and his deed. Knowledge, because just as it pertains only to God to forgive sins, so it pertains only to God to know the secrets of the heart; the searcher of hearts and reins is God (Ps 7:10). And Jesus seeing, because he alone knows the thoughts of man. And first, he reproaches their wickedness, why do you think evil in your hearts? Because they called him a blasphemer; take away the evil of your devices from my eyes (Isa 1:16).

749. Which is easier. Here he sets forth the refutation.

But the Lord seems to argue badly, because he argues from the lesser by affirming; for it seems easier to heal the body than to heal the soul.

But Jerome explains it this way: it is easier to speak than to do; as regards deeds, to be sure, it is harder to heal the soul than the body, but as regards power, the power to do both is the same. But if Christ’s statement is referred to the thing said, we see that liars lie easily where they cannot be found out. For in those things which are evident to all, they can be found out, but not in those things which are hidden. Hence in these matters, they boldly speak where they cannot be found out. Therefore it is easier to speak if you cannot know.

750. But that you may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins. He shows it by a deed. And first, the end of the work is set down; second, the mode; third, the efficacy.

Hence he says: and for the sake of this, that you may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins, then said he to the paralyzed man arise, take up your bed, and go into your house. By this he shows that he is God. Above, for he will save his people from their sins (Matt 1:21).

He says, that the Son of man, and he says on earth, and thus he strikes down two errors, namely that of Nestorius and that of Photinus. Nestorius said that the Son of man and the Son of God were two supposita, nor could what is said of one be said of the other; hence one could not say: this boy created the stars. So he says, of man, because it belongs to God to forgive sins.

Likewise against Photinus, who said that Christ took beginning from the Virgin Mary, and acquired the divinity by merit. And he depended on that passage below, **all power is given to me in heaven and in earth **(Matt 28:18); so he says, on earth. Hence it is said, afterwards he was seen upon earth, and conversed with men (Bar 3:38).

751. Has power.

It seems that this does not show it, because even the apostles themselves had power. But one should say that they had power by way of administration, not by way of authority.

752. Now, when he says, but that you may know, it can be read in two ways: either as the words of the Evangelist, and in this way it has to do with the story; or as the words of Christ, saying that you may know. And in this way the sentence is imperfect, because they were doubting. Therefore, that you may know that I have the power of forgiving sins, then said he to the paralyzed man, arise. Hence he healed by his word, which is proper to God, he spoke and they were made (Ps 32:9).

753. The sick man had three things: he was lying down, he was carried by others, and he could not walk. Therefore, because he was lying, he said, arise; because he was carried, he commanded him to carry: take up your bed; because he could not walk, he also said, go into your house, for the works of God are perfect (Deut 32:4).

Similarly, to a sinner lying in sin is said, arise from sin by contrition; take up your bed by satisfaction; I will bear the wrath of the Lord, because I have sinned against him (Mic 7:9). And go into your house, into the house of eternity, or into a proper conscience. When I go into my house, I will repose myself with her (Wis 8:16).

754. There follows the execution: and he arose, and went into his house. And seeing it the multitude, not the scribes, because they scornfully refused, feared; O Lord, I have heard your hearing, and was afraid (Hab 3:2). But with what fear? Because they glorified God, since they led everything back to God; not to us, O Lord, not to us; but to your name give glory (Ps 113:9). Who gave such power to men. Hence these men did not hold Jesus in contempt, as the scribes did. But because it says, to men, Hilary explains it this way: that gave such power to men that they should become sons of God, he gave them power to be made the sons of God (John 1:12).