The Life of Christ

Lk. 5:21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this man who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?”

These religious minds were forced to acknowledge that Jesus could heal, but to forgive sin was an entirely different matter.

• Only God could do that, and what outward evidence could be offered to prove forgiveness had indeed been granted?

• From Jesus ’ point of view, the healing miracle authenticated the forgiveness.

Lk. 5:22-23 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, ‘Rise and walk’” ?

In other words, whether it be healing or forgiving, only God can do either of these; one is no more difficult than the other.

• According to Jewish theology even the Messiah would not be qualified to forgive sins, as their belief did not view the Messiah as also being “God.”

• Jesus ’ offer of forgiveness redefined the Messiah as also being divine — a thought never before considered!

• This helps drive home the full impact of Peter’s statement: “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God” (Mt. 16:16)!

Lk. 5:24-26 “But in order 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, rise, and take up your stretcher and go home.” And at once he rose up before them and took up what he had been lying on and went home glorifying God. 26 And they were all seized with astonishment and began glorifying God; and they were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen remarkable things today.”

For the first time in their lives, the thought passed through their minds that they may have been in the presence of their promised Messiah.

• This is as ecstatic as the religious intelligentsia would allow themselves to become: “We have seen remarkable things today."

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Lk. 5:27 And after that He went out, and noticed a tax-gatherer named Levi, sitting in the tax office, and He said to him, “Follow Me.”

Matthew, the apostle, and author of the Gospel by the same name, also went by the name Levi, possibly a Roman name.

It was similar to how Saul became Paul.

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Matthew was a tax collector or publican.

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