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In this miracle many truths are presented to us; e.g.,

1. A strong faith will overcome difficulties.

2. The readiness of Christ to welcome the needy, and to reward faith.

3. The enmity and opposition of the human heart.

4. The superiority of spiritual to temporal blessings.

5. Testimony given to the Divinity of Christ by His

(1)  forgiving sin;

(2)  searching the heart;

(3)  healing the body. But the central truth of the passage appears to be, the gospel of forgiveness preached to the poor.

I. THE NEED IT MEETS. The figure presented to us: a paralysed man — helpless, incurable — a mere wreck. Three things combined in him.

1. Disease.

2. Poverty.

3. Poverty of spirit. He had a sense of sin — connected his misery with his sin — was softened, penitent.

II. THE HOPE IT AWAKENS. Indefinite — but the hope of good. Had heard of Jesus. Drawn by the Father. The attraction exercised by Christ. All obstacles overcome. Jesus must be reached.

III. THE BLESSING IT BESTOWS.

1. Forgiveness. A word lightly used; little valued by many. But ask the friend, the child, the sinner who feels himself wrongdoer, and longs for reconciliation.

2. Manner of bestowment.

(1)  Immediate.

(2)  Free.

(3)  Complete.

(4)  Authoritative.

(5)  Effectual.

IV. THE OPPOSITION IT EXCITES. The spirit of opposition to grace always the same; the form differs. Here it was provoked by Christ's assumption; commonly by man's presumption.

V. THE VINDICATION IT RECEIVES. Christ proves His power to forgive, confutes His adversaries, saves the man. The gospel may appeal to results. CONCLUSION: Application to

(1)  The careless.

(2)  The anxious.

(3)  The healed.

(Emilius Bayley, B. D.)

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KJV: And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him.

WEB: Behold, men brought a paralyzed man on a cot, and they sought to bring him in to lay before Jesus.