Questions Answered

Luke 5:20-21 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” 21 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
 
THE Pharisees, who saw themselves as God’s law protectors, immediately rejected Jesus’ claim to forgive sins: “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy?” To merely grant forgiveness to somebody was even a momentous change in God’s law. Forgiveness required the Jews to go through a ceremonial process of repentance and sacrifice to be forgiven. The Pharisees were correct. Only God can forgive: Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”
    Yes, the Pharisees question was a very good question to protect the law and to affirm God’s authority. It is likely Jesus was even hoping they would ask this to show they were faithful stewards of God’s law.
    To help the Pharisees know he is surely the God who forgives, Jesus responded to their questions with his own question: Luke 5:22 “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?” Reading their minds that condemned him, Jesus announced the LORD’s power was in that room: Psalms 94:11 The LORD knows the thoughts of man; he knows that they are futile. Then Jesus expanded the LORD’s favor over the man from the spiritual to the physical: Luke 5:24 “But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”  
    “Son of Man” is Jesus’ direct reference to himself as one from heaven. According to Daniel 7:13, Son of Man is the one given all authority from the Ancient of Days – the LORD God. The man’s restored physical body affirmed Jesus’ sovereign power to heal the man’s soul. The healing also affirmed Jesus’ forgiveness.
    Physical healing, miraculous and wonderful, is but a small picture of God’s healing forgiveness. Jesus wanted the Jews to believe in the central purpose of  his incarnation, “Your sins are forgiven.”
    Luke closes this manifestation of God’s kingdom come to earth with the crowd’s response. Luke 5:25 Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. 26 Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”
    Are your eyes open to see the remarkable things the LORD is doing?
 
Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, for your remarkable, eternal healing of my soul. Amen.