a, the, thinking question 2
Why is the question which, that, questions. I use my ‘whys’ rarely. After my spoken ‘why’, I lean forward and actively listen. I inquire here, with my ‘why’ only to go deeply. Deeply into the person or situation; into an image or a memory, a event. And always, all ways, deeply into myself. And, into the word…
Mark 2:1 ‘A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2 They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them.’…
‘..when Jesus again entered Capernaum ..’
Again. Jesus again enters his hometown. Questions will come, again and again when Jesus enters.
‘Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”’….
‘When Jesus saw their faith…’
Not just the paralysed man, but the faith of his friends, those in the background, the unseen friends who carry, climb to a roof top and lower. Jesus feels, is moved by, their faith.
6 ‘Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”’….
‘Why does this fellow talk like that?’
I hold back my ‘whys’ a great deal of the time because they imply judgement: I have, I have seen all the facts. Why, did you do that? Why are you speaking like that? Defend your words, your actions. My ‘why’ usually is not a probe for deeper understanding, but a sentence, not a question, of judgement. Like these teachers of the law.
8 ‘Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts,….’
Jesus knew ‘what’ they were thinking in their hearts. What their dialogue was being exchange between hearts and minds. He knew. A fact.
….and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? 9 Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? 10 But I want you to know
“Why are you thinking these things?”
Jesus knows their thinking’s, and ours. Mine. Jesus wants, though, to change, develop and grow their thinking by asking his ‘why’ and then saying, ‘But I want you to know ‘ Jesus shows love here with his ‘but’, his spoken words.
…. ‘that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, 11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”
Jesus asks ‘why’ here to challenge and change the paralysed thinkings of the law’s teachers. He does not just desire to heal one man’s immobile legs and body, but all of our sins and minds.
Jesus asks why to heal. Jesus’ why’s heals all.
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