The FaithOfJesus2 Daily Devotional

Focus:

---

( FaithOfJesus thread begun by rRandyP )

Today's Verse:

kjv@Luke:5:17-26

kjv@Luke:5:17 @ And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.

kjv@Luke:5:18 @ And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him.

kjv@Luke:5:19 @ And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.

kjv@Luke:5:20 @ And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.

kjv@Luke:5:21 @ And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?

kjv@Luke:5:22 @ But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts?

kjv@Luke:5:23 @ Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?

kjv@Luke:5:24 @ But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.

kjv@Luke:5:25 @ And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.

kjv@Luke:5:26 @ And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day.

---

Today's notes:

Context:

• Before - Luke:5:12-16 The Man With Leprosy
  
• After - Luke:5:27-32 The Calling of Levi
  

Study Resources:

dict:easton Pharisees

dict:easton sin+

dict:easton Forgiveness of sin

Notes:

It is often thought that sin caused the man's palsy. By forgiving the sin Jesus removes the palsy. This is not the only way to explain it however. Sin caused the curse and ever since the curse has produced and been manifested in all manners of infirmity. The man as all men born has sinned and yet not all men have palsy. The sin of this man that is being forgiven may well be the sin of what the man has thought and done since the time that the curse was manifested in his own body. Perhaps it is his blame of God for his condition, perhaps the steps he has taken attempting to remedy it, perhaps it is his cursing of God and others that have tried to help and settle him. It is well within Jesus power as present incarnation of God and full representation to forgive this angered personal reaction especially if it is the Father telling Jesus to proclaim this forgiveness alongside the act of healing him. One might ask why has not forgiveness been mentioned in the multitude of other healings?

Jesus has yet to die for sin and thus remove the curse, forgiveness here may well be in a general or issue specific sense and is offered unconditionally in this case not contingent upon the man believing on Jesus for salvation. It is almost to say "just so you know, I forgive that you have cursed at me for what you have gone through, now believe in me for all men's salvation". If he and the Lord both know of the specifics being talked about which then is easier, to accept that God forgives him for his attitude about his condition (an attitude he would likely continue with even after being healed if not) and is willing to help, or to heal the man and let him guess at whether he is forgiven or not/deserving of in consideration of all that he though and said against God at the time of being in that condition? What business is it of anybody else if these two individuals know of and agree upon what is being spoken and offered here?

Job in his condition was close to being tempted, but somehow remained righteous. His so called friends insisted that his sin was at cause, but were proven wrong. His wife even commanded him to curse God and die in her extreme dismay over what had happened. It is quite easy for the majority of people to shut down/close off and blame even curse themselves and God and anything other in these long pronounced situations. It is righteous for the few remaining to hold it all in the rightful perspective, that the best outcome is always to trust wholly in God's grace and mercy.

Whose to say, perhaps that the greater blasphemy is in insisting that a man's palsy remains essentially because of God's lack of forgiveness? It is a thin line between what we think we are saying and what we really did not mean to say. Then to add, if the root of palsy is unforgiven sin then why do forgiven saints get palsy?

Key Messages:

Declaring Certainty

---

Further Resources:

Comment Board:Luke:5:17-26
index:FAITHOFJESUSDEVOTION - Devotional Index
strkjv@Luke:5:17-26 rwp@Luke:5:17-26 mhcc@Luke:5:17-26
FaithOfJesus2 - Devotion Index

---