Why did Jesus first forgive the man's sins and then heal him of his paralysis?

Answer 1

One could say, simply, that Jesus was 'kind and compassionate' but that is just a small part of the reason.

Jesus did not heal everyone. He chose his people carefully to have the greatest effect in showing just who he is. John, in fact, never calls Jesus' healings 'miracles' in his gospel, but uses the word 'signs' instead - signs ppointing to just who Jesus is - God in human form.

In those days, illness was mistakenly linked to sin. Even today we sometimes say 'what have I done to deserve this!' when we are ill. And so Jesus first task was to forgive - not because he regardedillness and sin linked together but for a much more profound reason. To the Jew, only God could forgive - and then only if the person made a sacrifice at the Temple. For Jesus to offer forgiveness in that way was either blasphemy in its worst form, or a statement of truth saying that Jesus is God incarnate.

So, to prove his divinity Jesus then goes on to tell the disbelieving crowd "which is easier to say, 'your sins are forgiven' or 'pick up your mattress and go home'". He then proceeds to tell the paralytic man that his sins are forgiven, and uses his own authority (not God's) to forgive. He then goes on to command the man to get up and walk, which he does, as proof that his statement of forgiveness isn't blasphemy, but is a statement of fact and that he IS divine.

So, he forgave and healed the man for two reasons: first because of kindness and compassion, but primarily to show to the people his status as God incarnate.

Another Answer:

Jesus merely gave the man the "greater" gift, first.

Another thought:

The account is at: Mark 2:5-12 and shows that Adamic sin (sin we ALL inherited from our original ancestor, Adam)does infact CAUSE sickness. Not that we do something specifically that makes us ill, but we INHERIT sin automatically, just from being Adam's descendants(Psalm 51:5). We DO get sick and die because of sin, as the King James Bible says: "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned"(Romans 5:12) At Romans 7:21-25, the Apostle Paul made this point when he said: ". . .but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me..."(NIV)

That's why Jesus said 'Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and pick up your cot and walk'? (Mark 2:9)because it was the same thing. We get ill, make mistakes, and die BECAUSE of sin in our very make-up. When Jesus forgave sins, the person was temporarily healed. When Jesus is king of God's Kingdom, ruling over the whole earth, "no resident will say I am sick.. The people who dwell there will be forgiven their iniquity..."(Psalms 37: 10,11,29)(Proverbs 2:21+22)(Matthew 5:5)