Luke 5:12-13 While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean. Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. I am willing, he said. Be clean! And immediately the leprosy left him.
Several conditions were called leprosy, back then, but this man’s case was advanced—he was covered with it. Anyone with such a defiling disease must wear torn clothes, let their hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of their face and cry out, Unclean! Unclean! . . . They must live alone; they must live outside the camp (Leviticus 13:45-46), wrote Moses.
This man seemed destined to a lonely and miserable life, but then he learned of Jesus Christ. Perhaps he heard him preach from a distance and learned about his miracles. He likely sought him out and, by God’s grace, was able to find him. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him.
The man’s desperation left no room for dignity. He bowed down, as before a king, and pleaded for his life. [I]f you are willing, you can make me clean, he said. There wasn’t much else to say. Perhaps there was a moment when he wasn’t sure what Jesus would do. Maybe Jesus would turn him away because of his sin. Or maybe Jesus would send him to the Jordan to wash (2 Kings 5:10). But then Jesus did the unthinkable. He reached out his hand and touched the man.
Fear of catching the disease kept anyone else from touching him. It may’ve been years since he felt the loving touch of his wife, children or anyone else. Jesus could’ve healed him with a word (Matthew 8:8) but, instead, he reached out his hand and touched the man. Everyone else considered him untouchable, but not Jesus Christ. I am willing, he said. Be clean!
This is what Jesus says to the foulest sinner who comes to him in faith. The disease of sin is worse, by far, than any case of leprosy. Apart from Jesus Christ the only prognosis is death, followed by eternal judgment (Hebrews 9:27). No matter what we’ve done, however, or how many times we’ve done it, Jesus will take away our sin if we’re willing to ask. I am willing, he said. Be clean!
*****
Luke 5:17 One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there.
They weren’t there to support Jesus, but to scrutinize and oppose him. Most preachers would be intimidated by this, but Jesus was the most confident person who ever lived. He often clashed with religious leaders, and was never put to shame. But they were often put to shame.
Luke 5:18 Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus.
These men heard that Jesus could heal, so they brought their paralyzed friend to the place where Jesus was teaching. The crowd was so dense, however, that they couldn’t get through. So they went up on the flat roof porch and started tearing it off. The people inside heard the noise, and suddenly saw the light of day. Then they saw a man on a cot being lowered by ropes until he was right in front of Jesus. This was not a boring meeting.
The homeowner isn’t mentioned, but he was remarkably gracious, even while his house was being destroyed. Most people would say, Get off my roof! But he was willing to let his roof be destroyed for the sake of the gospel. He must’ve been an honorable man, and it’ll be a joy to talk to him in heaven about this event.
Luke 5:20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, Friend, your sins are forgiven.
This is a little unusual. Jesus responded to their faith, not just the paralytic’s faith. They may’ve had more faith than their friend, since they were the ones who brought him to Jesus. Those who are strong in faith should be a friend to those who are weak.
A godly man’s faith began to spiral down when he lost his wife of many years. Months later, he told his friends that he no longer believed in God. They said, That’s okay, we’re going to believe for you. Every week they gathered for prayer and encouragement until the dark night of this man’s soul began to pass. He was able to believe again, with a little help from his friends.
We should also notice that Jesus ignored the man’s paralysis, and addressed his greater need, which was forgiveness. It wasn’t the response the paralytic was hoping for, but God knows that being forgiven is more important than being healed.
A friend of mine was a model of fitness before an accident left him a quadriplegic. I only knew him after the accident but, at his house, I saw a poster of a water skier putting up an enormous wall of water. It was the kind of poster you’d buy at a store, but it was my friend before his accident. He said, I thank God every day for my accident because that’s what he used to bring me to Christ.
It’s also interesting that Jesus was unnecessarily controversial. He could’ve simply healed the man, as he did so many others, but he made the extraordinary claim of forgiving the man’s sin. If Jesus wanted to upset the religious leaders, he couldn’t have done it any better.
Luke 5:21 Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy?
Blasphemy was a serious charge since, according to the Old Testament, anyone who blasphemes the name of the Lord is to be put to death (Leviticus 24:16). It was the charge of blasphemy, in fact, for which Jesus was put to death. [T]he high priest tore his clothes and said, He has spoken blasphemy! . . . What do you think? He is worthy of death, they answered (Matthew 26:65-66). And they were right. If Jesus wasn’t God in human flesh, then much of what he said was blasphemy, and he was worthy of death for impersonating God.
Who can forgive sins but God alone? (Luke 5:21b), they asked. This, of course, was Jesus’ point. Only God can forgive sins; Jesus forgave sins; therefore Jesus is God. Great claims require great proof, however, so Jesus would also provide the proof.
Luke 5:23 Which is easier: to say, Your sins are forgiven, or to say, Get up and walk?
Anyone can say Your sins are forgiven because it can’t be disproven. But to say Get up and walk required a miracle. If Jesus could heal the paralytic, he could also claim to forgive sins. So he said to the paralyzed man, I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home. Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God (Luke 5:24-25).
This was an undeniable miracle, in front of many witnesses, which established Jesus’ authority to forgive sins. Imagine the man’s delight as strength and feeling spread throughout his body, making him completely whole. His body was practically dead, but now it was fully alive. This reminds us of what Jesus will do for us when he returns. [He] will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body (Philippians 3:21), wrote Paul.
One dear lady wrote the following. I still can hardly believe it. I, with shriveled, bent fingers, atrophied muscles, gnarled knees, and no feeling from the shoulders down, will one day have a new body, light, bright, and clothed in righteousness – powerful and dazzling.
Can you imagine the hope this gives someone spinal-cord injured like me? Or someone who is cerebral palsied, brain-injured, or who has multiple sclerosis? Imagine the hope this gives someone who is manic-depressive. No other religion, no other philosophy promises new bodies, hearts, and minds. Only in the Gospel of Christ do hurting people find such incredible hope (Joni Eareckson Tada).
Whoever believes in Jesus Christ is completely forgiven for all their sins (Colossians 2:13, Hebrews 10:14), and will be a given a glorious new body that will never wear out. That’s why they call it good news (Acts 5:42).
Reflection and Review
How is sin like leprosy?
How can we strengthen each other’s faith?
Why is being forgiven more important than being healed?
Several conditions were called leprosy, back then, but this man’s case was advanced—he was covered with it. Anyone with such a defiling disease must wear torn clothes, let their hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of their face and cry out, Unclean! Unclean! . . . They must live alone; they must live outside the camp (Leviticus 13:45-46), wrote Moses.
This man seemed destined to a lonely and miserable life, but then he learned of Jesus Christ. Perhaps he heard him preach from a distance and learned about his miracles. He likely sought him out and, by God’s grace, was able to find him. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him.
The man’s desperation left no room for dignity. He bowed down, as before a king, and pleaded for his life. [I]f you are willing, you can make me clean, he said. There wasn’t much else to say. Perhaps there was a moment when he wasn’t sure what Jesus would do. Maybe Jesus would turn him away because of his sin. Or maybe Jesus would send him to the Jordan to wash (2 Kings 5:10). But then Jesus did the unthinkable. He reached out his hand and touched the man.
Fear of catching the disease kept anyone else from touching him. It may’ve been years since he felt the loving touch of his wife, children or anyone else. Jesus could’ve healed him with a word (Matthew 8:8) but, instead, he reached out his hand and touched the man. Everyone else considered him untouchable, but not Jesus Christ. I am willing, he said. Be clean!
This is what Jesus says to the foulest sinner who comes to him in faith. The disease of sin is worse, by far, than any case of leprosy. Apart from Jesus Christ the only prognosis is death, followed by eternal judgment (Hebrews 9:27). No matter what we’ve done, however, or how many times we’ve done it, Jesus will take away our sin if we’re willing to ask. I am willing, he said. Be clean!
*****
Luke 5:17 One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there.
They weren’t there to support Jesus, but to scrutinize and oppose him. Most preachers would be intimidated by this, but Jesus was the most confident person who ever lived. He often clashed with religious leaders, and was never put to shame. But they were often put to shame.
Luke 5:18 Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus.
These men heard that Jesus could heal, so they brought their paralyzed friend to the place where Jesus was teaching. The crowd was so dense, however, that they couldn’t get through. So they went up on the flat roof porch and started tearing it off. The people inside heard the noise, and suddenly saw the light of day. Then they saw a man on a cot being lowered by ropes until he was right in front of Jesus. This was not a boring meeting.
The homeowner isn’t mentioned, but he was remarkably gracious, even while his house was being destroyed. Most people would say, Get off my roof! But he was willing to let his roof be destroyed for the sake of the gospel. He must’ve been an honorable man, and it’ll be a joy to talk to him in heaven about this event.
Luke 5:20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, Friend, your sins are forgiven.
This is a little unusual. Jesus responded to their faith, not just the paralytic’s faith. They may’ve had more faith than their friend, since they were the ones who brought him to Jesus. Those who are strong in faith should be a friend to those who are weak.
A godly man’s faith began to spiral down when he lost his wife of many years. Months later, he told his friends that he no longer believed in God. They said, That’s okay, we’re going to believe for you. Every week they gathered for prayer and encouragement until the dark night of this man’s soul began to pass. He was able to believe again, with a little help from his friends.
We should also notice that Jesus ignored the man’s paralysis, and addressed his greater need, which was forgiveness. It wasn’t the response the paralytic was hoping for, but God knows that being forgiven is more important than being healed.
A friend of mine was a model of fitness before an accident left him a quadriplegic. I only knew him after the accident but, at his house, I saw a poster of a water skier putting up an enormous wall of water. It was the kind of poster you’d buy at a store, but it was my friend before his accident. He said, I thank God every day for my accident because that’s what he used to bring me to Christ.
It’s also interesting that Jesus was unnecessarily controversial. He could’ve simply healed the man, as he did so many others, but he made the extraordinary claim of forgiving the man’s sin. If Jesus wanted to upset the religious leaders, he couldn’t have done it any better.
Luke 5:21 Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy?
Blasphemy was a serious charge since, according to the Old Testament, anyone who blasphemes the name of the Lord is to be put to death (Leviticus 24:16). It was the charge of blasphemy, in fact, for which Jesus was put to death. [T]he high priest tore his clothes and said, He has spoken blasphemy! . . . What do you think? He is worthy of death, they answered (Matthew 26:65-66). And they were right. If Jesus wasn’t God in human flesh, then much of what he said was blasphemy, and he was worthy of death for impersonating God.
Who can forgive sins but God alone? (Luke 5:21b), they asked. This, of course, was Jesus’ point. Only God can forgive sins; Jesus forgave sins; therefore Jesus is God. Great claims require great proof, however, so Jesus would also provide the proof.
Luke 5:23 Which is easier: to say, Your sins are forgiven, or to say, Get up and walk?
Anyone can say Your sins are forgiven because it can’t be disproven. But to say Get up and walk required a miracle. If Jesus could heal the paralytic, he could also claim to forgive sins. So he said to the paralyzed man, I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home. Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God (Luke 5:24-25).
This was an undeniable miracle, in front of many witnesses, which established Jesus’ authority to forgive sins. Imagine the man’s delight as strength and feeling spread throughout his body, making him completely whole. His body was practically dead, but now it was fully alive. This reminds us of what Jesus will do for us when he returns. [He] will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body (Philippians 3:21), wrote Paul.
One dear lady wrote the following. I still can hardly believe it. I, with shriveled, bent fingers, atrophied muscles, gnarled knees, and no feeling from the shoulders down, will one day have a new body, light, bright, and clothed in righteousness – powerful and dazzling.
Can you imagine the hope this gives someone spinal-cord injured like me? Or someone who is cerebral palsied, brain-injured, or who has multiple sclerosis? Imagine the hope this gives someone who is manic-depressive. No other religion, no other philosophy promises new bodies, hearts, and minds. Only in the Gospel of Christ do hurting people find such incredible hope (Joni Eareckson Tada).
Whoever believes in Jesus Christ is completely forgiven for all their sins (Colossians 2:13, Hebrews 10:14), and will be a given a glorious new body that will never wear out. That’s why they call it good news (Acts 5:42).
Reflection and Review
How is sin like leprosy?
How can we strengthen each other’s faith?
Why is being forgiven more important than being healed?