The term "palsied" refers to a condition characterized by paralysis or a debilitating weakness, often accompanied by tremors. In biblical times, this condition was understood as a severe physical ailment that left individuals incapacitated and reliant on others for assistance. The term is most notably associated with the accounts of Jesus' healing miracles in the New Testament, where individuals afflicted with paralysis were restored to health through divine intervention.

Biblical References:

1. Matthew 9:2-7 : One of the most prominent accounts involving a palsied individual is found in the Gospel of Matthew. Here, Jesus encounters a paralytic man brought to Him on a mat. The passage reads: "Just then, some men brought to Him a paralytic lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, 'Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven.' At this, some of the scribes said to themselves, 'This man is blaspheming!' But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said, 'Why do you harbor evil in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...' Then He said to the paralytic, 'Get up, pick up your mat, and go home.' And the man got up and went home." This miracle not only demonstrates Jesus' power to heal physical ailments but also His authority to forgive sins, linking physical healing with spiritual restoration.

2. Mark 2:3-12 : A parallel account is found in the Gospel of Mark, where four men lower a paralytic through the roof to reach Jesus. The narrative emphasizes the faith of those who brought the man to Jesus, highlighting the communal aspect of faith and healing. Jesus' response underscores His divine authority: "But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...' He said to the paralytic, 'I tell you, get up, pick up your mat, and go home.'"

3. Luke 5:18-26 : The Gospel of Luke also recounts this event, providing additional details about the crowd's amazement and glorification of God following the miracle. The passage illustrates the transformative power of Jesus' ministry and the recognition of His divine authority by those who witnessed the healing.

Theological Significance:

The healing of the palsied individuals in the Gospels serves as a powerful testament to Jesus' compassion and divine authority. These miracles are not merely acts of physical restoration but are deeply symbolic of the spiritual healing and forgiveness that Jesus offers. The accounts emphasize the importance of faith, both personal and communal, in experiencing the transformative power of Christ.

From a theological perspective, the healing of the palsied underscores the belief in Jesus as the Messiah, who fulfills Old Testament prophecies of a Savior who would bring healing and restoration. The miracles also serve as a foretaste of the ultimate redemption and restoration that believers anticipate in the eschatological fulfillment of God's kingdom.

Cultural and Historical Context:

In the cultural and historical context of the New Testament, paralysis was a condition that rendered individuals socially and economically marginalized. The healing of the palsied, therefore, also represents a restoration to community and societal participation. Jesus' willingness to heal those afflicted by such conditions reflects His mission to reach out to the marginalized and to break down societal barriers.

The accounts of healing the palsied are integral to understanding the nature of Jesus' ministry and the early Christian message of hope, healing, and redemption. These narratives continue to inspire faith and underscore the belief in the transformative power of Christ's love and authority.1. (a.) Affected with palsy; paralyzed.

2. (imp. & p. p.) of Palsy.

Faith Rewarded.
... It seems to me that the truth the Lord would teach us here is this: The honor He
put upon the faith of these four men who brought the palsied man to him for ...
/.../moody/to the work to the work/chapter iv faith rewarded.htm

But, if it Does not Weary You, Let the Point Out as Briefly as ...
... For He had done so many good works among them, He had given sight to the blind,
feet to the lame, the power of walking to the palsied, life also to the dead ...
/.../20 but if it does.htm

The Sick of the Palsy
... bearing a litter might well despair. But with palsied paralysis at stake,
they would not be repulsed. They gained the roof by an ...
/.../chadwick/the gospel of st mark/chapter 2 1-12 the sick of.htm

John ix. 1, 2
... when He healed the paralytic, He said, "Behold, thou art made whole, sin no more." (
cv14.) They therefore, having understood that he was palsied on account of ...
/.../homilies on the gospel of st john and hebrews/homily lvi john ix 1.htm

Our Bodies, However Mutilated Before or after Death, Shall Recover ...
... Then the blind, and the lame, and the palsied, and whoever else may have passed
away with any conspicuous mark, will return again with the same. ...
/.../on the resurrection of the flesh/chapter lvii our bodies however mutilated.htm

Christ Heals a Paralytic at Capernaum, and the Pharisees Accuse ...
... without. A man palsied in all his limbs, tormented by pain of body and anguish
of heart, had caused himself to be carried thither. ...
/.../section 168 christ heals a.htm

The Fulfilment
... Feeble arms clasped the Christian about the knees and he looked down on the tangled
white locks of the palsied man, who had searched for him until he had found ...
/.../miller/the city of delight/chapter xxiii the fulfilment.htm

Jesus Heals a Paralytic at Capernaum.
... Matthew 13:58; xvi.1-4.] 18 And behold, men bring { ^a they brought ^b they come,
bringing} unto him a man sick of the palsy, { ^c that was palsied:} ^a lying ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/xxxv jesus heals a paralytic.htm

The Tangled Web
... The apparition lifted a palsied hand on which the skin was yet fair and young and
pointed after the Maccabee, losing himself in the groaning mass in the city. ...
/.../miller/the city of delight/chapter xvii the tangled web.htm

First Forgiveness, Then Healing
... Saviour. For this palsied man, who was let down by ropes through the ceiling,
was the most remarkable person in that congregation. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 41 1895/first forgiveness then healing.htm

Palsied (7 Occurrences)
...Palsied (7 Occurrences). ... (ASV). Luke 5:18 And a party of men came carrying a palsied
man on a bed, and they endeavoured to bring him in and lay him before Jesus. ...
/p/palsied.htm - 8k

Palm-trees (23 Occurrences)
Palm-trees. Palm-tree, Palm-trees. Palsied . Multi-Version Concordance ... (See
JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT). Palm-tree, Palm-trees. Palsied . Reference Bible.
/p/palm-trees.htm - 13k

Knees (47 Occurrences)
... Thou hast made firm the feeble (kara`, "bending," "bowing") knees," and Hebrews
12:12, "Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down, and the palsied (the King ...
/k/knees.htm - 23k

Lod (4 Occurrences)
... In the New Testament it appears as Lydda. Here the apostle Peter visited
the saints and healed the palsied Arenas (Acts 9:32). Hence ...
/l/lod.htm - 11k

Lydda (3 Occurrences)
... In the New Testament it appears as Lydda. Here the apostle Peter visited
the saints and healed the palsied Arenas (Acts 9:32). Hence ...
/l/lydda.htm - 11k

Feeble (147 Occurrences)
... Thou hast made firm the feeble (kara`, "bending," "bowing") knees," and Hebrews
12:12, "Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down, and the palsied (the King ...
/f/feeble.htm - 38k

Forth (1639 Occurrences)
... all Syria: and they brought unto him all that were sick, holden with divers diseases
and torments, possessed with demons, and epileptic, and palsied; and he ...
/f/forth.htm - 36k

Endeavoured (6 Occurrences)
... (WEY). Luke 5:18 And a party of men came carrying a palsied man on a bed, and they
endeavoured to bring him in and lay him before Jesus. (WEY). ...
/e/endeavoured.htm - 8k

Palsies (1 Occurrence)

/p/palsies.htm - 6k

Palsied: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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