FAITH, FORGIVENESS AND HEALING.
Matthew 9:1-8.
The place referred to as “His own city” (Matthew 9:1) appears to be Capernaum (cf. Mark 2:1). This is all the more tragic because of the ‘woe’ which Jesus would later pronounce against that city (Matthew 11:23-24). It would be a tragedy to have had Jesus dwelling in our midst, and to have failed to recognise Him as the Lord that He is!
Matthew gives a briefer account of the healing of the paralysed man, but we know that the “faith” that Jesus observed (Matthew 9:2) was on the part of four men who dug through the roof of the house where Jesus was, and lowered the paralysed man, on his bed, down to Jesus’ feet (cf. Mark 2:3-4). The personal faith of the patient also became evident as events unfolded.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralysed man, "Son, be of good cheer, your sins are forgiven you" (Matthew 9:2). This was possibly not what they expected, but this paralysed man had a much greater need than that he should be healed of his physical ailment. Like all of us, he was a sinner in need of forgiveness - and Jesus chose to address that first.
Jesus is not necessarily here suggesting that the man’s specific illness arose from his own specific sins, although that is a possibility. Whilst there are illnesses which can be traced to a specific sin on the part of the sufferer, such as the various illnesses which arise out of an immoral lifestyle, Jesus elsewhere cautions us against judging people in this way (John 9:2-3; Luke 13:1-5).
It is a habit of man to seek after God only in an emergency: when we desire something from Him. Whatever our worries or ailments, they are as nothing compared to our real need. All humankind stands guilty before God, and forgiveness can only be found in our Lord Jesus Christ, through the blood of His sacrifice.
Naturally enough, the religious leaders questioned Jesus’ authority to forgive sins. They thought to themselves, "this Man blasphemes!" (Matthew 9:3). Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts?” (Matthew 9:4).
God knows the thoughts and intents of the heart (Hebrews 4:12-13). Poor blind leaders of the blind: did they not know that Jesus is God? It may be a rhetorical question, but which is easier for Jesus to say: “Your sins are forgiven you” or “Arise and walk” (Matthew 9:5)?
When Jesus met people, He did not merely deal with them at the level of their physical needs: He dealt with them as whole people needing holistic healing. The satisfying of the physical needs often served to highlight the deeper spiritual need - which is why the apostle John, incidentally, spoke of miracles as ‘signs’ - and Jesus here emphasises that the healing is being used to display His authority to forgive sins (Matthew 9:6a).
So Jesus changed the instruction to something which, surely, would be less offensive to the religious leaders: “Arise, pick up your bed, and go to your house” (Matthew 9:6b). The hitherto paralysed man got up and walked out in full view of them all (Matthew 9:7). The multitude “marvelled and glorified God, who had given such power to men” (Matthew 9:8).
As we take our leave of this text, let us remember the faith which brought a poor paralysed man, a sufferer like many others, to the feet of Jesus. Let us remember the free gift of forgiveness which he received. Let us encourage one another in the faith, praying for one another that we might find the fullness of life in Him.
