"Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”" (Luke 5:18-20, NIV)
The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984
I have continued to consider this same passage for a few days now. In all honesty, numerous things have risen up to disrupt my study time and to keep me from my posting up my journal to this blog. All things considered, I knew it was coming but even with that knowledge I walked right into the trap. So I have no excuse.
Nevertheless, I am here today and now ready to talk about the last verse in this three-verse passage. And like the realization that my quiet time is the most important part of my time, I believe that V20 is the most important verse in this passage.
With respect to this passage in Luke, I have written of the power of The Holy Spirit and of the celebrity of Jesus. I have written of the importance of getting our friends into the presence of Jesus. I have written of the tenacity of four friends in overcoming the obstacles that would preclude them from coming into the presence of the Son of God. And here we are, four men have lowered their friend into a crowded room right in front of Jesus.
I can imagine how they held their breath waiting to see what was going to happen next. They had a ringside seat for a match between Jesus and that which afflicted their friend. They had great expectations for a healing of their friend and for relief from having to 'tote him around.' All it would take to make their joy complete would be a word or a touch from Jesus and to see their friend rise to his feet and walk away. What would happen next?
In that moment, the Son of God assessed the situation and quickly moved to resolve the immediate problem. He looked that the four men and with the understanding of the what they had done; how their actions reflected their complete faith in His ability to bring about healing, Jesus did the most important thing. He forgave his sins.
V20 reads simply 'When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven."'
Despite the man's paralysis, Jesus knew that the most critical affliction was the sin in the man's own heart. As such, the forgiveness of sin is a divine priority. Temporal afflictions are simply a distraction no matter how much we cling to the contrary notion that the healing of the body is more important that the healing of the soul. Jesus was not to be distracted from his prime direction of reconciling mankind to God, Jesus had his priorities straight.
Recognizing the man's need for forgiveness, Jesus addressed the issue immediately. I think it is interesting that in that moment, the paralytic man was added to a list of names that included Noah, Abraham, Moses, Elijah, David and so on.; all the great men of God who were identified as the 'faithful'. And now, the paralytic was added to their ranks. By the faith that these men showed, not by the words they spoke but by the deeds they committed, sin was literally 'sent away' from this man on a mat.
The affliction from which we all suffer is sin and like this paralytic, we need forgiveness of our sin and the healing of our soul far more than we need healing of our various aches, pains and sicknesses.
This passage helps to teach us the virtues of caring for others, overcoming adversity and of the healing balm of forgiveness. It sets as the highest calling the ministry of reconciliation to which we have each been called.
Shalom,
Carl
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1 comment:
Sorry that I don't have much time to add any pertinent comments to your very poignant entry today, Carl. I will say, in a personal way that I'm glad you recognize the need to stay vigilant of your time and to prioritize it for God's glory (as we're exhorted by God's word through Paul in Eph. 5: 15-16).
As to the man on the mat and his buddies, the mat carriers, one important pronoun which opens to me every time I read this passage has to do with Jesus recognizing THEIR faith ... not just the faith of the paralytic. This man's sins were not only forgiven because of his faith but because of THEIR faith.
Oh, the power of Christian fellowship in the lives of all of us who are part of the family of God and who come together in His Body to glorify HIS Name. ...
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