Luke

A sign of divine forgiveness, 5:17-26

The sign of the healing of the paralytic is a sign of forgiveness. Forgiveness comes to Israel with the one who has authority to forgive sins, but the churchmen of the day challenge Jesus' right to forgive sins. In the end, Jesus' divine power, operative in the healing of the paralytic and in the response of the crowd, guarantees his authority to forgive.

v17. Jesus is in a private home discussing theology with a gathering of "Pharisees" and "Teachers of the law" (those who give authoritative interpretation of the scriptures). The "power of the Lord" was present with Jesus, i.e. he was empowered through the indwelling Spirit of God to heal the sick. This power had came upon Jesus at his baptism, enabling him to fulfill the Father's will.

v18-19. Some friends of a paralytic, unable to get through the crowd, climb onto the roof of the house and lower their friend into the internal courtyard of the home through the pergola.

v20. The friends of the paralytic had exhibited the type of faith required for Israel's restoration, for the forgiveness of a people lost in their relationship with God. So, Jesus announces God's forgiveness.

v21. The religious authorities immediately discuss (reason falsely) Jesus' proclamation of divine forgiveness. In their understanding, sickness and sin are linked. The paralytic is obviously a sinner and if his sins were forgiven he would be up and walking. So, Jesus obviously does not have the authority to announce God's forgiveness and is therefore blaspheming God.

v22-23. Jesus, as usual, reads the body language of his audience. To sort out his opponents he asks a trick question. In the end, it's easy to proclaim forgiveness, but how is it verified? It's not very easy to heal a paralytic. But here's the rub, if you can heal a paralytic you probably also have the divine authority to pronounce the forgiveness of sins.

v24a. At this point the gospel tradition actually addresses the reader; "Things turned out the way they did in order that you (the reader) should be made to realize that the Son of Man, while he is on earth, has the authority granted to him to forgive sins", Heinz Cassirer.

v24b-25. Jesus now tells the paralytic to get up and go home. This the paralytic does with great enthusiasm. Here then is the evidence for Jesus' authority, although only those with eyes to see will see it. For most, Jesus' mysterious title, the Son of Man, is but a vague reference to mankind in general, cf., Ps.8:4. For Jesus the title refers to the glorified messianic king who is even now claiming his throne, cf., Dan.7:13.

v26. The response of the crowd is "awe" (amazement). They are shaken by this manifestation of divine presence and power, but unless their amazement moves to faith they are lost.

One of the more debilitating problems we face as humans is that of guilt. Guilt eats away at us, undermining our self confidence. Without self confidence, we lose independent existence and end up adrift in a sea of diversions, anything but happy. How then can we obtain freedom from guilt?

Our passage for study proclaims the center of the gospel. Jesus has authority to forgive sins. The paralytic's friends believed that Jesus could heal, even a paralytic. All they had to do was get their friend to Jesus. Jesus would do the rest. Trusting Jesus for forgiveness works in exactly the same way, and this because Jesus has the authority granted to him by God to forgive sins. A person who comes to Jesus, seeking his mercy, receives divine mercy. Forgiveness is a free gift for the asking.

When we accept God's forgiveness, it is then we can begin to accept ourselves. The guilt that once burdened us begins to lift and we are slowly set free. The authentic independent self is realized in freedom from guilt.

1. The paralytic's friends had "faith". To what end?

2. What is the link between forgiveness and healing?

3. Why were the churchmen disturbed by Jesus' words?

4. Discuss the idea that the authentic independent self rests on being free from guilt.