“Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 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, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” Then the man got up and went home.” [Matthew 9:4-7]
"Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven"
Four men came to Him, carrying a paralytic on a crude bed or mat. Because of the crowd, they had to tear up the roof and lower the man into Jesus presence. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you."
When some of the scribes heard Jesus declare the man's sins forgiven, they accused Him of blasphemy within themselves. After all, only God can forgive sins, and they were certainly not about to receive Him as God!
The Lord Jesus read their thoughts, rebuked them for the evil in their hearts of unbelief, and then asked them whether it was easier to say. "Your sins are forgiven you." or to say, "Arise and walk."
Actually it's as easy to say one or the other, but which is easier to do? Both are humanly impossible, but the results of the first command are not visible whereas the effects of the second are immediately discernible.
In order to show the scribes that He had authority on earth to forgive sins, Jesus condescended to give them a miracle they could see. Turning to the paralytic, He said, "Arise take up your bed and go to your house."
When the multitudes saw him walking home with his pallet, they registered two emotions-- fear and wonder. They were afraid in the presence of an obviously supernatural visitation. They glorified God for giving such power to men.
But they completely missed the significance of the miracle. The visible healing of the paralytic was designed to confirm that the man's sins had been forgiven, an invisible miracle. From this they should have realized that what they had witnessed was not a demonstration of God giving authority to men but of God's presence among them in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. But they didn't understand.
As for the scribes, we know from later events that they only became more hardened in their unbelief and hatred.
Do you believe Jesus Christ as the God who came into this world to die for your sins?
When some of the scribes heard Jesus declare the man's sins forgiven, they accused Him of blasphemy within themselves. After all, only God can forgive sins, and they were certainly not about to receive Him as God!
The Lord Jesus read their thoughts, rebuked them for the evil in their hearts of unbelief, and then asked them whether it was easier to say. "Your sins are forgiven you." or to say, "Arise and walk."
Actually it's as easy to say one or the other, but which is easier to do? Both are humanly impossible, but the results of the first command are not visible whereas the effects of the second are immediately discernible.
In order to show the scribes that He had authority on earth to forgive sins, Jesus condescended to give them a miracle they could see. Turning to the paralytic, He said, "Arise take up your bed and go to your house."
When the multitudes saw him walking home with his pallet, they registered two emotions-- fear and wonder. They were afraid in the presence of an obviously supernatural visitation. They glorified God for giving such power to men.
But they completely missed the significance of the miracle. The visible healing of the paralytic was designed to confirm that the man's sins had been forgiven, an invisible miracle. From this they should have realized that what they had witnessed was not a demonstration of God giving authority to men but of God's presence among them in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. But they didn't understand.
As for the scribes, we know from later events that they only became more hardened in their unbelief and hatred.
Do you believe Jesus Christ as the God who came into this world to die for your sins?
Paralyzed man healed
“When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.” [Matthew 9:2]
Paralyzed man healed
