Paralyzed – not able to move part or all of the body
Tile – piece of clay or stone used to cover roofs, walls, and floors
To dare – to have enough courage or bravery to do something scary or difficult
To insult – to hurt others by treating them as not as good as you
Amazed – surprised, filled with wonder
Marvelous – great, wonderful, fantastic
Shore – land around a lake, sea, or ocean
Lake Galilee – very large and important lake in Israel
Outcast – one not accepted by society or allowed to be a member
Respectable – worthy of respect; correct in character or behavior
To repent – to recognize you are not a good person, ask for God’s forgiveness, and begin to change your life
Comprehension Questions
What town was Jesus teaching in?
Who did the four men bring to Jesus?
How did they get their friend in to Jesus?
What did Jesus say when he saw the man?
What did the religious leaders think when they heard Jesus say this?
What was the second thing Jesus said to the paralyzed man?
Why did Jesus say this?
What did the man do after Jesus spoke to him?
How did the people feel when they saw this happen?
Where did Jesus go after this?
Who did he see as he walked along?
What did Jesus say to him? What did the man do?
Who did Jesus then have a meal with? Who was with him?
What did the religious leaders say about this?
Who did Jesus say that he came to call? Who needs a doctor?
Discussion Questions
What kind of friends were the men who carried the paralyzed man to Jesus? Describe them.
What do you think the people in the house thought when they heard this noise coming from the roof? How do you think the owner of the house felt?
Who had faith that Jesus could help?
What was the first thing Jesus said to the man? Why do you think Jesus said this? What did this have to do with the man’s physical condition?
Why were the religious leaders upset? What was Jesus saying about himself by speaking to the man this way?
Why did Jesus then heal the paralyzed man?
Which of the two things that Jesus said to the man was easier?
What kind of man was Levi? Was he a respectable man?
Why do you think Jesus told Levi to follow him?
What did the religious leaders think about Jesus when they saw who he ate with?
What was the meaning of Jesus’ answer? Didn’t Jesus care about respectable people?
Thoughts for Later
What kind of friend are we? Do we have a friend who really needs our help like the paralyzed man?
How are we like the paralyzed man? Is there anything in our lives that is paralyzing us and destroying our lives? Fear? Worry? Anger? Unforgiveness? Self-pity? Hating others? Hating ourselves? Pride?
Can Jesus help us with these things so that we can be whole? What would he say to us?
If we were living in Israel at the time of this story, would we be eating with Jesus in Levi’s home or standing outside with the religious leaders?
