Luke 5 - How Do Healing and Forgiveness Relate to Each Other?


22 Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? 23 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 24 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”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.”

 Click Here to Read the Rest of Luke 5

When Jesus saw the faith of the men who brought the paralyzed man to him to be healed he said, "Friend your sins are forgiven".  The Pharisees were predictably offended, and maybe justifiably. After all, Jesus took the role of God in telling the men they were forgiven.  He is definitely pushing the envelope. But he also has a deeper purpose, which is to begin to reveal his identity and purpose in coming to earth.  

 We see through the gospel that everything Jesus does is purposelful.  He realizes every healing and miracle will bring an increase in his following. At some point this will come to a boiling point with the Pharisees and religious leaders.  Today he uses the healing of the paralytic to show the authority he has to both heal and forgive sins.  The people are amazed at the remarkable work, but the passage does not tell how the Pharisees reacted.  We can reasonably assume they walked away unhappy and began to plot his downfall.  After all in reality he was challenging their authority.  

 For Jesus used God's supernatural power in the power of the Holy Spirit to show what God's kingdom looked like.  He never wanted to bring glory unto himself but only to His Father.  That is why when he heals someone, he often tells them not to tell anyone, but go tell the priest and do what was prescribed by the Law.  He respected those in authority.  

 How might we apply this message today? God uses those who are willing to give him the credit. He uses his people to do supernatural things in Jesus' name and in the power of the Holy Spirit.  God may not use you to heal a paralytic man, though he could, but he can use you if you are open and available to Him working through you.  And when he does you will lead people to the only One who can forgive their sin and bring them to everlasting life.   What a privilege it is to point people to the everlasting God and give glory to Him. 

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