The Way Through the House Top?

Luke 5:19: “And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the house top, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.”

Does it always bother you a little bit when we hear the story of the men who let their friend down through the roof of the house so he could be healed by Jesus? Well, it does bother me a little bit. Just seems to be rather unfair or dangerous, or expensive, but, of course, worth it.

However, it has set me to thinking: the house-tops seems to have been used quite a lot. For example even in the Proverbs 21:9:

“It is better to dwell in the corner of the house top than with a brawling woman in a wide house.” And just in case anyone missed this wise counsel, it is repeated in Proverbs 25:24. Was this poor hen-pecked husband actually considering living on the housetop? He would surely have been desperate!

New Testament House Tops

Then there are the passages in the New Testament when Jesus was warning His followers to be ready to leave Jerusalem in order to escape the siege that was to come upon it:

Matthew 24:17: “Let him which is on the house top not come down to take any thing out of his house.” This is also recorded by Mark, 13:15 and Luke 17:31.

Then we have the account of Peter on the house top, Luke 10:9: “On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the house top to pray about the sixth hour.”

Then, in verses 20 and 21, we see that Peter “went down” to greet his guests. It says nothing about him breaking through the ceiling.

From these passages and from the pictures representing the houses of that era in Palestine, it appears that the house tops were commonly flat and used as we now use a patio. There would, no doubt, have been a passageway, stairs or at least some kind of steps or a ladder from inside the house up to the roof, where there would have been a covered opening and a doorway to the outside of the rooftop. In Luke 5:19 it must have been large enough for the invalid man and his couch to move through.

It would have been a pleasant, private place, away from the daily chores and family activities. It would have been cooler and quieter in the evenings and at night. And, in the case of the man with the brawling wife, it wouldn’t really have been all that bad!