On
one of those days, he was teaching; and there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every village of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. The power of the Lord was with him to heal them. Behold, men brought a paralyzed man on a cot, and they sought to bring him in to lay before Jesus. Not finding a way to bring him in because of the multitude, they went up to the housetop, and let him down through the tiles with his cot into the middle before Jesus. Seeing their faith, he said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” The scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this that speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?” But Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, answered them, “Why are you reasoning so in your hearts? Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you;’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk?’ But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” (he said to the paralyzed man), “I tell you, arise, and take up your cot, and go to your house.”
Luke 5:17-24
Luke 5 [13.] He stretched out his hand, and touched him, saying, “I want to. Be made clean.”
Immediately the leprosy left him. He commanded him to tell no one, “But go your way, and show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing according to what Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.” But the report concerning him spread much more, and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities. But he withdrew himself into the desert, and prayed.
Luke 5 [17.] On one of those days, he was teaching; and there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every village of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. The power of the Lord was with him to heal them. Behold, men brought a paralyzed man on a cot, and they sought to bring him in to lay before Jesus. Not finding a way to bring him in because of the multitude, they went up to the housetop, and let him down through the tiles with his cot into the middle before Jesus. Seeing their faith, he said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”
Luke 5 [21.] The scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this that speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?”
Luke 5 [22.] But Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, answered them, “Why are you reasoning so in your hearts? Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you;’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk?’ But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” (he said to the paralyzed man), “I tell you, arise, and take up your cot, and go to your house.”
Luke 5 [25.] Immediately he rose up before them, and took up that which he was laying on, and departed to his house, glorifying God. Amazement took hold on all, and they glorified God. They were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen strange things today.”
Meaning:
News of Jesus had spread after he cleansed a leper (Luke 5:12-15), and now the religious leaders came to see him for themselves. This is the first open conflict between Jesus and the Pharisees in Luke’s Gospel, and it centres on the greatest question of all: who can forgive sins? Mark and Matthew record the same event (Mark 2:1-5; Mark 2:6-7; Mark 2:8-12; Matthew 9:1-8).
- “Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by”
This is the first time Luke mentions the Pharisees. The Pharisees were a devout lay movement zealous for the law; the teachers of the law, or scribes, were its expert interpreters. They came from every village of Galilee and Judea, and even from Jerusalem, the religious capital. “The power of the Lord was with him to heal.” Luke reminds us that Jesus ministered in the power of the Spirit (Luke 4:14; Luke 4:18).
- “They went up to the housetop, and let him down through the tiles”
The crowd blocked the door, but the friends of the paralysed man would not give up. Houses had flat roofs reached by an outside stair. They climbed up, removed the tiles and lowered the man on his cot right in front of Jesus. It was bold and costly, and it showed how much they believed Jesus could help.
- “Man, your sins are forgiven you”
Jesus saw the faith of the friends as well as the man. Surprisingly, Jesus first addressed the man’s deepest need, his sin. Jesus was not saying that this man’s paralysis was caused by a particular sin, but that every person’s first need is to be reconciled to God. The psalmist joins the two blessings: God “who forgives all your sins; who heals all your diseases” (Psalm 103:3).
- “Who can forgive sins, but God alone?”
The scribes were right about one thing: only God can forgive sins against himself. God says, “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake” (Isaiah 43:25). If Jesus were only a man, his words would indeed be blasphemy, an offence punished by death under the law. Later others at a table asked, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” (Luke 7:49), after Jesus forgave a sinful woman (Luke 7:48).
- “Which is easier to say”
Jesus knew their unspoken thoughts. Forgiveness cannot be seen; a healing can be tested. So Jesus did the visible thing to prove the invisible one.
- “The Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”
This is Jesus’ favourite title for himself. It recalls Daniel’s vision of “one like a son of man” who came with the clouds of the sky and received an everlasting dominion (Daniel 7:13-14). Then Jesus spoke to the man: “arise, and take up your cot, and go to your house.” The man rose at once, glorifying God (Luke 5:25-26).
The Significance of Luke 5:17-24
- Bring your friends to Jesus
The four friends would not let a crowd stop them. Our prayers, care and practical help can carry others to the One who forgives and heals.
- Our deepest need is forgiveness
Jesus put forgiveness first. However urgent our other needs, our greatest need is peace with God, and Jesus offers it.
- Jesus has God’s authority
Only God can forgive sins, and Jesus forgave sins and proved it by healing.
Cross-References:
Isaiah 43:25: “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake;” Only God forgives sins.
Psalm 103:3: “who forgives all your sins; who heals all your diseases;” Forgiveness and healing together.
Daniel 7:13-14: “there came with the clouds of the sky one like a son of man,” The background of Jesus’ title.
Mark 2:8-12: Mark’s account of Jesus’ answer to the scribes and the healing of the paralysed man.
Conclusion: In Luke 5:17-24, while Pharisees and teachers of the law watch, the friends of a paralysed man lower him through the roof in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus tells him his sins are forgiven. When the scribes accuse him of blasphemy, Jesus shows that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins by commanding the man to rise and go home. The passage reveals Jesus’ divine authority and his concern for our deepest need.
PIB Scriptures are derived from the World English Bible