1 And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic—11 “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
(ESV)
STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?
- What is the writer saying?
- How do I apply this to my life?
Back in Capernaum, Jesus is at home and there are many gathered listening to Him preach so much so that there was no more room in the house, not even at the door. Four men bring their paralytic friend to Jesus and because they can’t get to Him through the door, they go up and lower him to Jesus through the roof. Jesus sees their faith and says to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Think about their potential disappointment at this. They are so desperate to get this man healing that they go through the roof of the house and all Jesus says is, “your sins are forgiven.” I don’t think they lowered their friend through the roof to have his sins forgiven. But Jesus clearly knows his deepest need is for a healed soul.
This man serves as an object lesson for the scribes who question Jesus’ authority. Who can forgive someone’s sins except God alone? They think Jesus is blaspheming but they miss the point—He is God. The challenge with telling someone their sins are forgiven is that there is no way to know if it’s just words or whether their sins are in fact forgiven. That’s why Jesus is healing people. His words have real power because whether He says “your sins are forgiven” or “rise up and walk” it happens. Jesus heals the man of his outward condition to prove that He has the authority and power to heal him of his inward condition.
What is your greatest concern for those around you? Is it for their physical needs or their spiritual need? When you pray, are you most concerned about your spiritual need to be transformed to be more like Christ?