Then some people came, bringing to him a paralysed man, carried by four of them. And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’ (Mark 2: 3-5)

Illness was often - sometimes still is - perceived as punishment.

It is not yet clear if this forgiveness has a practical outcome. There is no euthus here. Upon hearing of forgiveness the man does not immediately begin jumping up and down.

Jesus attended first to the spiritual issue. Your sin - wandering - is forgiven - sent away, given away, gone.

Their faith contributed to forgiveness.

The plural is interesting. Not just the paralytic's faith but also the faith of his friends seems connected with forgiveness.

Jesus acknowledged that the friends had already begun the work of forgiveness. The friends were persuaded that the man was able to be - deserved to be - healed.

The friends had prepared the way for restoring spiritual and physical wholeness.