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 Judea, and Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.
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.
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.
20. And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.
21. And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?
22. But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts?
23. Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?
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.
25. And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.
26. And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to-day.
(Memorize verses 22-24.)
Golden Text: “The Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins.” Luke 5:24.
NOTE.—The section included in this lesson is Luke 4: 33 to 6: 11, with parallels, which will also include the parallel texts, Matt. 4: 18-22; 8: 2-4, 14-17; 9: 1-17; 12: 1-14; Mark 1: 16-20, 40-45; 2: 1-22; 3: 1-6. The design in presenting here this rather extended section is to bring prominently before the student a series of miracles, to accounts of which a considerable portion of the Gospels is given. Thirty-six are described in the Gospels, half of them repeated in more than one Gospel; so that there are sixty-seven reports of distinct miracles, besides the large number noticed but not recorded14in detail. The place is Capernaum, on the Sea of Galilee.
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.
(1) What distinguished auditors did Jesus have on one occasion? Verse 17. (2) What is said of the power of the Lord? Same verse. (3) Who was brought to him? Verse 18. Note 1. (4) How was the way obstructed? Verse 19. (5) In what manner was an entrance finally effected? Same verse. Note 2. (6) What was shown by the persistence of the men? Verse 20. (7) What did Jesus say? Same verse. Note 3. (8) What effect did this remark have upon the scribes and Pharisees? Verse 21. (9) What answer did Jesus make? Verses 22, 23. (10) How did he prove his power and authority? Verse 24. Note 4. (11) What effect did his words have? Verse 25. (12) How were these things received by the multitude? Verse 26.
NOTES.
1. THE word “palsy” is a contraction of “paralysis.” “McClintock and Strong’s Cyclopædia” says the term was used by the ancient physicians in a much wider sense than by modern men of science. It included not only what we call paralysis, which is rarely very painful, but also catalepsy and tetanus, i. e., lockjaw and cramps, the latter of which is said to be a fearful malady in oriental countries, and by no means infrequent. The bed was probably a thin mattress, similar to those used at the present day in eastern countries, held by the four corners.
2. THE houses of Palestine were usually of one story, and the better class surrounded a court. The roof was accessible by a staircase from the outside, the flat top being covered with tiles, matting, boards, or stone slabs that could readily be removed. It was probably in such a house that Jesus was teaching on this occasion.
3. ALL disease and sickness is the result of sin. Before sin came into the world, there was perfection of mind and body, perfection in the physical world at large. With the advent of sin came imperfections everywhere, and the curse has increased. The condition of this man physically may well illustrate one condition of the soul afflicted by sin. As the paralysis deadens or takes away the sense of feeling, so the victims of sin are insensible to the goodness of God and the appeals of reason. They are “past feeling,” and require a moral resurrection, a revivifying. This is the condition of mankind. But the Gospel brings healing and life. So Christ looked upon the paralytic as one sick in soul and body, and in answer to his faith bestowed upon him the best gift first,—the forgiveness of sin. As faith was aroused in this man by the works that Jesus did, and of which he had heard, so it should be with us. We have the same promises to-day, the same Saviour, and records of more wonderful deeds than were known to the poor paralytic. Why not have the same faith?
4. “In our Lord’s argument it must be carefully noted that he does not ask which is easier, to forgive sins or to raise a sick man; for it could not be affirmed that that of forgiving is easier than this of healing, but which is easier, to claim this power or that, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee, or to say, Arise and walk? . . . It would be easier for a man equally ignorant of the French and Chinese languages to claim to know the last than the first. Not that the language itself is easier, but that in the one case multitudes could disprove his claim; in the other, hardly a scholar or two in the land.”—Trench. Saying, “Thy sins be forgiven thee,” could not be put to the proof. But the saying, “Arise and walk,” could be tested on the spot. Both were divine acts. He that could do one divine act proved that he had authority and power to do the other.”—Peloubet. One act was no harder for Christ than the other. Both were acts of creation, and he was Creator. The miracles of Jesus were the signs of his divine authority, the proofs that his message of love was from God, and the proofs of his power to save. If he can miraculously heal the body, he has power to save the soul. If he can destroy the visible works of the devil, he has power over the invisible. A belief in the miracles makes the Gospels for the believer a divine revelation; otherwise they are a mere history, and marred at that by what the human mind considers impossible accounts. But a belief in them and in the power which they represent,—a faith that works,—means eternal salvation from sin and all its effects. The privilege is extended to all.
