Jesus Said, "Whether Is Easier -- Thy Sins Be Forgiven Or Rise Up And Walk?" - Part 1536

Wherever Jesus went spreading the gospel, there were always those immediately willing to leave everything, rise up and follow Him. Why? Because these marveled at the doctrine Jesus taught. Still, there were times when Jesus would withdraw Himself from the great multitudes, retreating into the wilderness. Therein, Jesus often prayed.

But as we learn, on one certain day, as Jesus was teaching, there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And, behold, a man which was taken with a palsy had been brought by men, seeking means to bring the man in and lay him before Jesus. And when they could not find by what way they might bring the man close to Jesus, they went up on the housetop and let the man down (couch and all) through the tiling.

I am sure it must have been quite the scene. This man who was sick being let down on a couch through the roof so that Jesus could heal him. Still, when Jesus saw their faith, He said unto him, "Man, thy sins are forgiven thee." (Luke 5:20) This should have been good news to one and all. But as we learn, not everyone was happy about the man's restoration. Indeed, the scribes and Pharisees began to reason in their hearts through questions, saying, "Who is this which speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

Remember, the scribes and Pharisees wanted nothing to do with Jesus all along. This is evidenced by the number of times these tried to trick Jesus in His words. But Jesus, having already perceived the thoughts that were in their hearts asked them, "What reason ye do in your hearts? Whether is easier, to say, "Thy sins be forgiven thee" or to say, "Rise up and walk." But that ye may know 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"

And immediately, the man rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. And they were all amazed and they [also] glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, "We have seen strange things to day." (Luke 5:18-26)

"We never saw it on this fashion." (Mark 2:12)

Of course, there is much more that happened here in this place. The scribes Pharisees sought even more to have Jesus killed. The multitudes marveled and glorified God, which had given such power unto men. (Matthew 9:8)

But the man who was sick? This man understood who Jesus was and that He would restore his sickness to health. But note, it was not only the faith of the sick man that won the day here but similarly the faith of those with him who were willing to go the distance for their friend. For in actuality, who goes so far as to drop a man on a couch down through the roof, so that he could see Jesus?

Were these previously among the multitudes who came unto Jesus, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, who cast them down at Jesus' feet and He healed them, but had not had an opportunity to get close. "Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see; that in receiving healing, glorified the God of Israel." (Matthew 15:30-31)

Or, instead, did they know the scriptures from afore, when the prophet Isaiah wrote of the coming promised Messiah? That there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots, and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. (Isaiah 11:1-2)

[This same Jesse who begat David the king. (Matthew 1:5; Acts 13:23)]

Did they know what Isaiah wrote when he wrote -- "Be strong, fear not; behold, your God will come [with] vengeance, [even] God [with] recompense; He will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame [man] leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing, for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert." (Isaiah 35:4-6)

Or that "in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness. The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel ... but when he sees his children, the work of Mine hands in the midst of him, they shall sanctify My Name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel." (Isaiah 29: 18-23)

Or, instead, did they just hear that this Jesus whom great multitudes followed everywhere would be in their midst that day, and rise to the occasion? Regardless of how the man came to meet Jesus, there is one point that stands out. Herein, both the man that was sick, and those caregivers around him were not going to settle for Jesus just passing by. In their hearts, they decided seek Jesus with everything they had.

If only we today would not settle either for the things that are, and seek the change that can only come from Jesus -- when we love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. No longer would His people perish for lack of knowledge, as the prophet Hosea said. And no longer would we seek our own glory. Because like those men in the scriptural example, we would know that Jesus is the resurrection and the life. We would know that he that believes in Jesus, though her were dead, yet shall he live, and whosoever lives and believes in Jesus shall never die. (John 11:25-26)

As Jesus said earlier, "If any man thirst, let hi come unto Me, and drink. He that believes on Me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." (John 7:37-38)

And this is exactly what the man sick with palsy (and his caregivers) did. Stand in the offering plate.