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Translation
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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
John Chrysostom
He shews the pardon of sins by the healing of the body. Hence it follows, He says unto the sick of the palsy, I say unto thee, Rise. But He manifests the healing of the body by the carrying of the bed, that so that which took place might be accounted no shadow. Hence it follows, Take up thy bed. As if He said, "I was willing through thy suffering to cure those who think that they are in health, while their souls are sick, but since they are unwilling, go and correct thy household."
Theophylact of Ohrid
Observe that on earth He forgives sins. For while we are on earth we can blot out our sins. But after that we are taken away from the earth, we shall not be able to confess, for the gate is shut.
Western Saints
Augustine of Hippo
That the infirm soul may no more rest in carnal joys, as in a bed, but rather itself restrain the carnal affections, and tend toward its own home, i. e. the resting-place of the secrets of its heart.
Bede
He says to the paralytic: I say to you, rise; take up your bed, and go into your house. Spiritually to rise from the bed is to draw the soul away from carnal desires, where it lay sick. To take up the bed is to deprive the flesh itself, thus corrected by the reins of continence, of earthly delights by the hope of heavenly rewards. For the same bed that is washed every night by David, that is, chastised with a worthy flood of penitence for the stains of each sin. But taking up the bed and going to the house is to return to paradise. …
Bonaventure
He interposes the conclusion in what he adds: But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins. For this is what he intends to conclude finally; and it is true according to the testimony of John 1: "Behold the Lamb of God; behold him who takes away the sins of the world"; and Revelation 1: "He loved us and washed us from our sins in his blood." The assumption he subjoins when he adds: He said to the paralytic: I say to you: Rise, take up your bed etc. …
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