Mark Chapter 2 · Verse 9
Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?
Original Language Analysis
τί
Whether
G5101
τί
Whether
Strong's:
G5101
Word #:
1 of 20
an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what (in direct or indirect questions)
τῷ
G3588
τῷ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
5 of 20
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
παραλυτικῷ
to the sick of the palsy
G3885
παραλυτικῷ
to the sick of the palsy
Strong's:
G3885
Word #:
6 of 20
as if dissolved, i.e., "paralytic"
Ἀφέωνταί
be forgiven
G863
Ἀφέωνταί
be forgiven
Strong's:
G863
Word #:
7 of 20
to send forth, in various applications (as follow)
αἱ
G3588
αἱ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
9 of 20
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
Ἔγειραι
Arise
G1453
Ἔγειραι
Arise
Strong's:
G1453
Word #:
13 of 20
to waken (transitively or intransitively), i.e., rouse (literally, from sleep, from sitting or lying, from disease, from death; or figuratively, from
καὶ
and
G2532
καὶ
and
Strong's:
G2532
Word #:
14 of 20
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
ἆρον
take up
G142
ἆρον
take up
Strong's:
G142
Word #:
15 of 20
to lift up; by implication, to take up or away; figuratively, to raise (the voice), keep in suspense (the mind), specially, to sail away (i.e., weigh
τὸν
G3588
τὸν
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
17 of 20
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
Historical Context
Jewish theology maintained that God alone forgives sins (Isaiah 43:25; 44:22). Priests administered ritual forgiveness for ceremonial uncleanness, but moral guilt required God's direct intervention. The scribes correctly understood Jesus' claim to forgive as a divine prerogative—their error was refusing to recognize His deity. In first-century thought, illness and disability were often attributed to sin (John 9:2 reflects this assumption, though Jesus corrects it). Jesus doesn't endorse this simplistic causation but uses it rhetorically.
Questions for Reflection
- Do you treat physical needs as more urgent than spiritual needs, and how does Jesus' priority on forgiveness challenge this perspective?
- What evidence in your life demonstrates that Jesus' forgiveness is as real as physical healing, even though it's invisible?
- How does understanding forgiveness as the greater miracle affect your evangelistic priorities?
Analysis & Commentary
Jesus poses a rhetorical question contrasting two statements: 'Thy sins be forgiven thee' versus 'Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk.' From a human perspective, pronouncing forgiveness seems 'easier' (εὐκοπώτερον, eukopōteron) because it's unverifiable—no visible evidence confirms whether sins are actually forgiven. Physical healing is 'harder' because failure is immediately obvious. Jesus' logic is profound: if He can perform the empirically verifiable miracle (healing), this authenticates His authority to perform the invisible miracle (forgiveness). The question exposes the scribes' inconsistency—they doubt His authority to forgive but will soon witness undeniable proof of His power. Reformed theology emphasizes that both forgiveness and healing require divine power; spiritual healing is actually harder than physical healing because sin's guilt before God's justice demands infinite satisfaction.