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After the healing of the leper the reports of Jesus abounded all the more.
Luke tells us that besides the multitudes who came to be healed of their infirmities,
He tells us that scribes and Pharisees came from Jerusalem,Galilee and Judea.
This is very significant to note in understanding the healing of the paralytic as
I will show that Jesus purpose in healing the paralytic was to teach the people who
saw themselves as the teachers of Israel about His authority. We must still not forget
that Jesus is preaching the good news of Israels salvation and the Kingdom of God.
Remember no healings had taken place in Israel since Elijah and even then it was only two.
Nothing like this had ever been witnessed in Israel and it it all had to do with the person
and work of Jesus. So I put it to you that Jesus in healing the paralytic is showing who he is
without actually saying here I am, I am the Christ the long awaited King of Israel. Rather
Jesus is saying let me show you by works of power who I am. Let me show you my authority.
Authority was a big thing for the Scribes and Pharisees. It was the thing they always
questioned Jesus with. They would always say to Jesus by what authority do you act.
So we see Jesus was in someones house and there were crowds of people trying to hear him.
We are told Jesus was teaching so we are to understand that the healing of the paralytic was
so Jesus could teach the people and the scribes and Pharisees something about himself and the Kingdom of God. We see that the people
were so convinced that Jesus had the power of God to heal, that seeing they couldn't get
through the crowd to Jesus,they took the paralysed man on his bed to the top of the house so
they could lower him down right in front of Jesus. They were clearly convinced that God was
with Jesus and that he would heal the paralysed man. It seems their faith wasn't just that
Jesus was a miracle worker able to heal.It would seem they had faith that Jesus was Gods Christ
even though it doesn't say this it becomes clear by Jesus response.
We read that when Jesus "saw their faith" he did what noone was expecting. He said man your
sins are forgiven you!!! This action of declaring forgiveness of sins was telling the people who He was.
Quite obviously it didn't take too much to perceive what was in the Scribes and Pharisees thoughts.
So they started to speak against Jesus by questioning His declaration of forgiveness of the mans sins.
They said who can forgive sins but God alone?
So here we see Jesus confronts the scribes and Pharisees. But he confronts them in a way to teach them something.
Remember the paralytic hadn't been healed yet. Everyone was waiting with bated breath as to what would happen next.
Jesus asks them in response to their question and accusation. Jesus says which is easier to do?
Is it to say your sins are forgiven or to say rise and walk? We see that they had no answer for Jesus.
But Jesus says to them that you may know the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins I say rise take up your bed and go home. We see that he has taught the teachers of Israel and the people who He is. He tells them that He is the Son of Man.
The Son of man was a messianic title derived from Daniel 7 where the Son of man appears before the Ancient of Days and dominion is given to him along with glory and Kingdom. So Jesus by calling himself Son of Man is answering their question by what authorty do you forgive sins? He then adds that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins I will demonstrate that my authority is accompanied by Gods power. "Get up and walk" he said to the paralytic and the paralysed man was healed and got up immediatly before the scribes,pharisees and the people and went home glorifying God!!!!So Jesus is saying well to show you that I can forgive sins I'll do something which only God can do,only God can heal a paralytic, so obviously put two and two together. He then proceeds to demonstrate His authority.
So the point of the healing was Jesus teaching that He was The Son of Man who has been given dominion and authority.
As such he could forgive sin apart from the temple ritual. By Jesus forgiving sin apart from the temple he was bypassing the temple and showing Himself to be above it. He was also showing that God was in Christ visiting Israel forgiving sin and making whole. Here Jesus is fulfilling Israels forgiveness covering her iniquities and transgressions. This is totally new that forgiveness of sins could be declared apart from the blood sacrifices in the temple. Of course Jesus ministry is moving toward the cross where he would bear Israels sins and iniquities as was written in Isaiah 53.The whole temple cultus is fulfilled in the person and sacrifice of Jesus.
So the miracle we have seen is a picture of a man in the kingdom of God who is completely healed and forgiven. Surely the Kingdom of God had come upon him.What was only expected to happen in the Kingdom of God had happened now in this evil age. So far we have witnessed Jesus power to deliver people from the devil, sickness and sin all the enemies of mankind. Surely Jesus is their deliver who God has sent them in their King Jesus Christ.
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