Luke 5:21-26 21And the scribes and the Pharisees began to discuss, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who is able to forgive sins except God alone?” 22When Jesus perceived their discussions, answering he said to them, “What do you discuss in your hearts? 23What is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 24But so 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, get up, pick up your bed and go to your house.” 25And immediately rising up before them, picking up what he was laying on, he went away to his house glorifying God. 26And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen remarkable things today.”
Somehow the Pharisees and scribes had wiggled their way into the crowd and into the house and saw what was happening and what Jesus said, and they did not like it. They heard the words with authority and watched the miracles of power but could not accept Jesus as the divine Son of God. They interpreted Jesus’ statement as blaspheme. Only God can forgive sins because sin is a violation of God’s laws. Thus, God is the one wronged and the one who must provided forgiveness. To forgive (apheinai) basically means to let go, and when used in the context of the violation of a law, which is what sin is, then it means to pardon or release from guilt. What the man’s sins were is not stated and is not important because everyone has sinned (Romans 3:23). The man knew what he had done. Forgiveness is what the man really needed. Physical healing would be wonderful, but spiritual healing would bring eternal life.
Jesus knew what they were thinking. The word discuss (dialogizethe) is used several times in the passage and implies internal dialogue in their minds or hearts. Whether they said anything out loud among each other is secondary because Jesus knew the state of their hearts. They also needed forgiveness but would not come to Jesus in faith to receive it. Even though they were the religious leaders from all over the country, their sins were just as serious and bad as the paralyzed man. Everyone stands before God in need of forgiveness.
So, Jesus offers them the opportunity with a question to process what they were seeing and make a small step of faith. Could they see the connection between the power to forgive and the power to heal? Both are impossible from a human perspective. If only God can do both, then what would that imply about Jesus? The key idea is found in the purpose clause of verse 24: so that you may know the Son of Man has authority. This is the first time Jesus calls himself the Son of Man in Luke’s Gospel. It is a special designation that recalls Daniel 7:13-14 and reflects Jesus’ incarnation as the Son of God. The Son of God has authority in heaven and has authority on earth as the Son of Man. He had power and authority to heal (4:14, 32, 36) and now demonstrates his authority to forgive sins.
Proof of Jesus’ authority is given when he tells the paralytic to get and go home. There is no pause. The man’s faith had grown exponentially as he watched and heard Jesus. The only proper response he could give was to glorify and praise God. This is the only response anyone should give when he or she experiences God’s spiritual or physical healing. Luke notes that everyone was amazed. Did this include the Jewish leaders or just the bystanders? Had the religious leaders come to a new awareness about Jesus, or had they hardened their hearts more? The following accounts suggest that instead of believing in Jesus, they grumbled about him and questioned him more. Instead of seeing a man now healed and forgiven, they only saw Jesus as a threat to them and their religious interpretations.
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