Luke 5:17-26
English Standard Version
17 On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal.18 And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, 19 but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus. 20 And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 22 When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 24 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.” 25 And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. 26 And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”
Jesus had returned home to Capernaum (Mark 2:1) but the news of His arrival had spread quickly. Jesus was teaching inside the home but the crowds had grown so numerous that they begin to surround the home and fill the streets. Within the crowd were the Pharisees and teachers of the law who by now had caught wind of the rumors and wanted to see for themselves. Scripture says that the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal. The paralyzed man had friends willing to carry him and cared enough to lower him through the roof. They had heard that Jesus could do miracles and wanted to see their friend healed. Three things catch my attention in this passage.
1. A miracle
2. The faith of the friends is what caused Jesus to forgive the man of his sins and to heal the paralytic.
3. Jesus claims He is God
By now in Jesus's ministry, He has proven to not only have authority over creation but has the power of the supernatural or beyond the natural realm to bend and create outside of the laws that our universe normally operates by. This type of power can only have one explanation.
The Teachers of the law overheard Jesus say, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”
The scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
It was considered blasphemy because they understood Jesus was putting Himself on the same level as God. To further cement this truth.
Jesus said, “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.”
The healings were to prove Jesus had the authority, that Jesus was God incarnate, that Jesus was the Messiah, the fulfillment of 100s of prophecies, and to provide the confidence and assurance that defines our faith.
Only God alone can forgive sins. Only by the power of God can miracles occur. A supernatural event requires a force outside of the natural realm. It requires something powerful.
Just imagine how much energy it takes to defy the law of gravity to keep a plane in the air. Now consider the power it must take to bend or change the natural order for even just a second or to create a whole universe.
A miracle versus signs and wonders are like Mt Everest to an Ant hill. Supernatural miracles are of God while the supernatural in the demonic realm can produce signs and wonders to deceive. They will try to mimic but when God shows up, their efforts look like a $1.00 entree magic show in comparison.
A miracle requires choice as God decides to enter into the realm of the natural.
A miracle proves God is a theistic being who is not held to the natural material realm. He doesn't require to borrow energy or to use the element table to create. He is not limited to space as miracles can occur in other places by Jesus just speaking it.
Time does not restrain Him for a storm can instantly be stilled or the legs of a paralytic instantly are strengthened and healed.
Hold on to the truth of this passage. Let it provide you the confidence and assurance to have faith like the friends of the paralytic. Let it testify to who Jesus is as our Lord and Savior.
English Standard Version
17 On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal.18 And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, 19 but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus. 20 And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 22 When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 24 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.” 25 And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. 26 And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”
Jesus had returned home to Capernaum (Mark 2:1) but the news of His arrival had spread quickly. Jesus was teaching inside the home but the crowds had grown so numerous that they begin to surround the home and fill the streets. Within the crowd were the Pharisees and teachers of the law who by now had caught wind of the rumors and wanted to see for themselves. Scripture says that the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal. The paralyzed man had friends willing to carry him and cared enough to lower him through the roof. They had heard that Jesus could do miracles and wanted to see their friend healed. Three things catch my attention in this passage.
1. A miracle
2. The faith of the friends is what caused Jesus to forgive the man of his sins and to heal the paralytic.
3. Jesus claims He is God
By now in Jesus's ministry, He has proven to not only have authority over creation but has the power of the supernatural or beyond the natural realm to bend and create outside of the laws that our universe normally operates by. This type of power can only have one explanation.
The Teachers of the law overheard Jesus say, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”
The scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
It was considered blasphemy because they understood Jesus was putting Himself on the same level as God. To further cement this truth.
Jesus said, “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.”
The healings were to prove Jesus had the authority, that Jesus was God incarnate, that Jesus was the Messiah, the fulfillment of 100s of prophecies, and to provide the confidence and assurance that defines our faith.
Only God alone can forgive sins. Only by the power of God can miracles occur. A supernatural event requires a force outside of the natural realm. It requires something powerful.
Just imagine how much energy it takes to defy the law of gravity to keep a plane in the air. Now consider the power it must take to bend or change the natural order for even just a second or to create a whole universe.
A miracle versus signs and wonders are like Mt Everest to an Ant hill. Supernatural miracles are of God while the supernatural in the demonic realm can produce signs and wonders to deceive. They will try to mimic but when God shows up, their efforts look like a $1.00 entree magic show in comparison.
A miracle requires choice as God decides to enter into the realm of the natural.
A miracle proves God is a theistic being who is not held to the natural material realm. He doesn't require to borrow energy or to use the element table to create. He is not limited to space as miracles can occur in other places by Jesus just speaking it.
Time does not restrain Him for a storm can instantly be stilled or the legs of a paralytic instantly are strengthened and healed.
Hold on to the truth of this passage. Let it provide you the confidence and assurance to have faith like the friends of the paralytic. Let it testify to who Jesus is as our Lord and Savior.