Lessons From the Paralytic: Luke 5:18-26
“18) And some men were carrying on a bed a man who was paralyzed; and they were trying to bring him in and to set him down in front of Him. 19) But not finding any way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiles with his stretcher, into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus. 20) Seeing their faith, He said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you.” 21) The scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this man who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?” 22) But Jesus, aware of their reasonings, answered and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts? 23) Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins have been forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 24) But, so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,”—He said to the paralytic—“I say to you, get up, and pick up your stretcher and go home.” 25) Immediately he got up before them, and picked up what he had been lying on, and went home glorifying God. 26) They were all struck with astonishment and began glorifying God; and they were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen remarkable things today.” Luke 5:18-26
This story was also shared by Matthew and Mark. (Matthew 9:2-8; Mark 2-3-12) When God repeats Himself three times, it must be important.
Two main points are highlighted in this story. First is the faith of the four friends and the paralytic. They went to extraordinary measures to get to Jesus.
The story does not differentiate between the determination of the four friends or the paralytic in getting to Jesus. The text merely says; “and seeing their faith.”
They were all convinced that Jesus could heal him. There was no wavering. There was no turning back. There was no obstacle standing in their way that they were not willing to overcome.
When the crowd prevented access, the found another way to get to Jesus. They hoisted the pallet up on the roof, opened a hole and lowered the man right in front of Jesus. We all need friends like that! Faith can be expressed by determination!
Think about it, the crowd blocked the paralytic from getting in, but now the paralytic and his pallet blocked Jesus from getting out! They weren’t leaving without a healing. The reputation of Jesus was now on the line!
The story doesn’t say it, but I suspect the four friends threw the ropes down with the pallet. They weren’t about to hoist him back up. Their mission was complete. They got the man to Jesus. If Jesus didn’t heal the paralytic, He would have to carry him out!
The second point in the story was that Jesus has authority to forgive sin. This is actually the main point to the story.
If you follow the story line of the four gospels, there is a progressive revelation to the authority of Jesus Christ. There are actually several applications to His authority, but the basic three are healing, deliverance and forgiveness of sins.
The Scribes and Pharisees got it right when they reasoned; “Who can forgive sins, but God alone?” (Vs 21) Jesus used the occasion to drive home a powerful witness of His authority and true identity. He was now stressing that He has authority to forgive sins!
This truth was punctuated when the paralytic rose up before them, took up his own pallet and walked out. The authority of Jesus to forgive sins, His authority to heal and His destruction of the works of the devil are all rooted in His atonement.
They are biblically tied to His suffering and death on the cross. By His stripes we are healed and by His crucifixion and resurrection we are forgiven and set free. He is the God Who heals, the God Who destroyed the works of the devil, and the God Who forgives.
In this story, Jesus was weaving His authority to heal and forgive sins together. Ironically, the main characters in this story had more faith in His authority to heal than His authority to forgive sins. This was a new revelation about Jesus during His public ministry up to this point.
The opposite is true today. Most western Christians and churches have more faith in His authority to forgive sins than His authority to heal or set free.
My mind and faith were both stretched when I realized that in this story Jesus was making them synonymous. Because of Who He is, He has absolute authority to forgive sins, heal and deliver captives from demonic activity!
For years, I focused only on bringing people to Jesus for forgiveness and freedom. I never mentioned healing. God used this text to convict me. I was a pastor, but didn’t qualify to be one of the four friends who brought the paralytic to Jesus.
I was the byproduct of the western theology of naturalism. It can be expressed by the phrase; “God does not do miracles today.” But that’s the wrong issue! The real issue is whether or not Jesus still has authority today and how far His authority extends?
The more time I spent in the Bible, the more I was confronted with the unquestionable authority of Jesus in the three area’s of salvation, deliverance and healing. It began to expose my pathetic and erroneous theology.
My faith in the healing authority of Jesus was small. I still have a long way to go, but things are beginning to change. I am starting to understand biblically that the gospel includes the three fronts of salvation, deliverance and healing. They cannot be separated in the four gospels or the book of Acts.
It is now becoming natural and normal for me to minister in all three area’s. I embrace the full authority of Jesus Christ. My job is to bring people to Jesus, His job is to save them, set them free and heal them. Once they are at the feet of Jesus, I now drop the ropes!
From that point forward they are ultimately His responsibility. I cannot save, deliver or heal anyone! Jesus has unlimited authority and power to do all three.
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global
Sent from my iPhone
“18) And some men were carrying on a bed a man who was paralyzed; and they were trying to bring him in and to set him down in front of Him. 19) But not finding any way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiles with his stretcher, into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus. 20) Seeing their faith, He said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you.” 21) The scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this man who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?” 22) But Jesus, aware of their reasonings, answered and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts? 23) Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins have been forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 24) But, so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,”—He said to the paralytic—“I say to you, get up, and pick up your stretcher and go home.” 25) Immediately he got up before them, and picked up what he had been lying on, and went home glorifying God. 26) They were all struck with astonishment and began glorifying God; and they were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen remarkable things today.” Luke 5:18-26
This story was also shared by Matthew and Mark. (Matthew 9:2-8; Mark 2-3-12) When God repeats Himself three times, it must be important.
Two main points are highlighted in this story. First is the faith of the four friends and the paralytic. They went to extraordinary measures to get to Jesus.
The story does not differentiate between the determination of the four friends or the paralytic in getting to Jesus. The text merely says; “and seeing their faith.”
They were all convinced that Jesus could heal him. There was no wavering. There was no turning back. There was no obstacle standing in their way that they were not willing to overcome.
When the crowd prevented access, the found another way to get to Jesus. They hoisted the pallet up on the roof, opened a hole and lowered the man right in front of Jesus. We all need friends like that! Faith can be expressed by determination!
Think about it, the crowd blocked the paralytic from getting in, but now the paralytic and his pallet blocked Jesus from getting out! They weren’t leaving without a healing. The reputation of Jesus was now on the line!
The story doesn’t say it, but I suspect the four friends threw the ropes down with the pallet. They weren’t about to hoist him back up. Their mission was complete. They got the man to Jesus. If Jesus didn’t heal the paralytic, He would have to carry him out!
The second point in the story was that Jesus has authority to forgive sin. This is actually the main point to the story.
If you follow the story line of the four gospels, there is a progressive revelation to the authority of Jesus Christ. There are actually several applications to His authority, but the basic three are healing, deliverance and forgiveness of sins.
The Scribes and Pharisees got it right when they reasoned; “Who can forgive sins, but God alone?” (Vs 21) Jesus used the occasion to drive home a powerful witness of His authority and true identity. He was now stressing that He has authority to forgive sins!
This truth was punctuated when the paralytic rose up before them, took up his own pallet and walked out. The authority of Jesus to forgive sins, His authority to heal and His destruction of the works of the devil are all rooted in His atonement.
They are biblically tied to His suffering and death on the cross. By His stripes we are healed and by His crucifixion and resurrection we are forgiven and set free. He is the God Who heals, the God Who destroyed the works of the devil, and the God Who forgives.
In this story, Jesus was weaving His authority to heal and forgive sins together. Ironically, the main characters in this story had more faith in His authority to heal than His authority to forgive sins. This was a new revelation about Jesus during His public ministry up to this point.
The opposite is true today. Most western Christians and churches have more faith in His authority to forgive sins than His authority to heal or set free.
My mind and faith were both stretched when I realized that in this story Jesus was making them synonymous. Because of Who He is, He has absolute authority to forgive sins, heal and deliver captives from demonic activity!
For years, I focused only on bringing people to Jesus for forgiveness and freedom. I never mentioned healing. God used this text to convict me. I was a pastor, but didn’t qualify to be one of the four friends who brought the paralytic to Jesus.
I was the byproduct of the western theology of naturalism. It can be expressed by the phrase; “God does not do miracles today.” But that’s the wrong issue! The real issue is whether or not Jesus still has authority today and how far His authority extends?
The more time I spent in the Bible, the more I was confronted with the unquestionable authority of Jesus in the three area’s of salvation, deliverance and healing. It began to expose my pathetic and erroneous theology.
My faith in the healing authority of Jesus was small. I still have a long way to go, but things are beginning to change. I am starting to understand biblically that the gospel includes the three fronts of salvation, deliverance and healing. They cannot be separated in the four gospels or the book of Acts.
It is now becoming natural and normal for me to minister in all three area’s. I embrace the full authority of Jesus Christ. My job is to bring people to Jesus, His job is to save them, set them free and heal them. Once they are at the feet of Jesus, I now drop the ropes!
From that point forward they are ultimately His responsibility. I cannot save, deliver or heal anyone! Jesus has unlimited authority and power to do all three.
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global
Sent from my iPhone
