Daily Word Of God
Luke 5:17a, 18-22a, 23-25
Jesus was teaching one day, and Pharisees and teachers of the Law, who had come from every village in Galilee, from Judaea and from Jerusalem, were sitting there. Then some men appeared, bringing on a bed a paralysed man whom they were trying to bring in and lay down in front of him. But as they could find no way of getting the man through the crowd, they went up onto the top of the house and lowered him and his stretcher down through the tiles into the middle of the gathering, in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith he said, ‘My friend, your sins are forgiven you.’
The scribes and the Pharisees began to think this over. ‘Who is this man, talking blasphemy? Who but God alone can forgive sins?’ But Jesus, aware of their thoughts, made them this reply, ‘Which of these is easier: to say, “Your sins are forgiven you,” or to say, “Get up and walk”? But to prove to you that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’ – he said to the paralysed man – ‘I order you: get up, and pick up your stretcher and go home.’ And immediately before their very eyes he got up, picked up what he had been lying on and went home praising God.
Today's Pointers on God's Word
As you read the passage what words, phases or meanings caught your attention?
- For the Scribes and Pharisees, all illnesses are caused by sinfulness. Thus, Jesus first forgave the person’s sins to prove that He has the power to do so. Then He healed the paralytic. With such healing the Scribes and Pharisees were dumbfounded and could no longer denounce Jesus.
- However, in this miracle, it was the faith of the friends of the paralytic that moved Jesus to heal him.
- How often have we received healing and our needs answered because we had deep faith in the Lord’s providence? This is the surest way to live well if we focus on loving the Lord and deepening our faith in Him. Ponder on this truth today.