Forgiveness Offered
Luke 5:17-26, 29-32
From the start, Jesus met human needs. Throughout Luke chapters 4 and 5, he healed many people, preached and called disciples.
It is little wonder that Pharisees and teachers of the law from all across Galilee, Judea and Jerusalem gathered to hear Jesus teach. These religious leaders saw more than Jesus’ healing power, however. They were plunged into a series of controversies over the proclamation of Jesus’ true power.
Biblical scholars classify this episode in Jesus’ ministry as a “pronouncement story.” This is a miracle story that declares a significant truth concerning who Jesus is and what he is about.
As Jesus taught among the religious leaders, four men carried the bed upon which a man who was paralyzed lay. He wanted to be healed by Jesus, but the men could not get through the crowd and into the house where Jesus taught.
Exhibiting tremendous faith and courageous determination, they climbed the stairs to the rooftop, broke through the roof and lowered the man into the room. Jesus was moved by the faith of the man and his friends (v. 20).
However, Jesus did not simply heal the man. He captured the audience’s attention by forgiving the man’s sins. The collective gasp can almost be heard as the thoughts of the leaders unite in one silent accusation: “Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (v. 21).
Then Jesus made the pronouncement: “Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?” (v. 23). Jesus saw the two as one and the same: “But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” he said to the man who was paralyzed, “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home” (v. 24). The man walked, and the crowd was amazed.
The controversy continued as Jesus left the house, approached the tax collector Levi sitting at the tax booth and called him to follow.
Levi held a dinner in Jesus’ honor and invited his tax collector friends. As the religious leaders expressed disdain of Jesus’ association with such sinners, Jesus defined his ministry: The healthy need no physician; Jesus came to call sinners to repentance (v. 31).
Jesus has the power to heal and forgive sin. He is neither satisfied with forgiveness that leaves people in need nor with healing that leaves people separated from God. His followers are called to meet human needs and share the forgiveness of sin through Jesus.
Scudder– Lessons in the BSL series for the fall quarter are being written by Steve Scudder, director of missions for Savannah River Association since 2006.