Forgiveness as Healing – Matthew 9:1-8

Brandt Jean offered forgiveness and a hug to Amber Guyger, the police officer who shot Brandt’s brother in his own apartment, mistakenly believing it was her apartment and he was an intruder. Many have talked about the power of forgiveness, and to be sure, it has great power for the victim and the offender. But that is only the half of it. God’s forgiveness is most powerful of all, and God’s forgiveness was mediated through Brandt Jean that day in court to Amber Gugyer. He was the pronouncer of God’s forgiveness in her life.

He was imitating his Master.

And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city. And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” And he rose and went home. When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men. (Matthew 9:1-8 ESV)

Jesus alternately makes people angry and afraid.  And in each case it is because people’s minds are ensnared by lies.

The Pharisees cannot believe that Yahweh would authorize someone to forgive sins.  Instead of noting that Jesus has authority from God to perform miracles and making the equation themselves that he could therefore have God’s authority to pronounce forgiveness, they immediately condemn him as blaspheming, that is, claiming attributes only God has.  It is true, only God can forgive sin.  But that doesn’t prohibit Him from authorizing an agent to pronounce His forgiveness.  But to accept this the Pharisees would have to view Jesus in a different light and they are resistant to giving up their own authority with the people.

The crowds, on the other hand, are afraid.  They do acknowledge Jesus’ power and authority and they don’t know what to do about it either, but they anticipate the presence of God means judgment on them for their sinfulness.  Jesus has seen into the paralytic’s heart (and the Pharisees’ hearts as well) and said he needed forgiveness.  What does he see in my heart? The lie they suffer under is that they must merit God’s love in order to be right with Him.  But Jesus has really just modeled the opposite.  Jesus responds to faith, not works.  Works only serve to demonstrate faith, the real cause of God’s forgiveness for our sins.  When, like the paralytic and his friends, we boldly trust in Jesus’ love for us and believe he will heal us, spiritual healing (and sometimes physical healing) comes.

Interestingly, Jesus makes spiritual healing more important than physical healing.  Would he have let the paralytic remain paralyzed if not for the challenge of the Pharisees?   Probably not. But Jesus’ main focus was on the paralyzed man’s deeper need: forgiveness. The man and his friends saw his physical healing as his uppermost need, but Jesus saw it as forgiveness and reconciliation to God. And Jesus’ forgiveness wasn’t necessarily acknowledging that the paralytic’s paralysis was due to sin. The man was alienated from God and that is what Jesus was addressing. His coming to Jesus was his acknowledgement of his need for reconciliation with God. He saw Jesus as God’s representative.

Matthew is showing us these triads of miracles, and this third miracle in the second triad, to teach us something. He is showing us the character of Jesus, the importance of faith, and the priority of spiritual healing. Miracles point us to truth. Are we paying attention?