Two Miracles of Healing
TRANSLATION
(12) While he was in one of the towns, a man covered with leprosy approached them. And when he saw Jesus, he bowed down with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” (13) And he stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing. Be cleansed,” and immediately the leprosy left him. (14) Then he ordered him, “Tell no one, but go, show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing as Moses commanded for a testimony to them.” (15) Yet, the news about him spread even more so that great crowds gathered to hear him and be healed of their diseases. (16) But Jesus often withdrew to desolate places and prayed.
(17) On one of those days when he was teaching, some Pharisees and teachers of the law who had come from villages in Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem were sitting there. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal the sick. (18) Some men carried a paralytic to Jesus on a mat wanting to bring him inside to place him before him. (19) And not finding a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up to the roof and lowered the paralytic on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd right in front of Jesus. (20) And, seeing their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” (21) And the teachers of the law and the Pharisees began reasoning among themselves, “Who is this blasphemer? Who can forgive sins except God alone?” (22) But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why are you questioning (my words) in your hearts? (23) Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk?’ (24) But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” (he said to the paralytic) “get up, pick up your mat, and go home.” (25) And immediately he got up in front of everyone, picked up the mat on which he had been lying, and left for home, glorifying God. (26) Astonishment seized everyone, and they glorified God. Filled with awe they said, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”
OBSERVATIONS
Luke in this segment recorded for us two miracles of healing. In the first, we find two significant repetitions, “leprosy” twice (vss. 12 & 13) and the connection of “will” and “clean” (also in vss. 12 & 13). Luke made special mention of the fact that Jesus compassionately reached out his hand and touched the leper, something no one ever dared to do since this disease was highly contagious and considered to be a source of ritual contamination.
The account of the second miracle also contained several important repetitions, “paralytic” (vss. 18, 19, & 24), “sins…forgiven” (vss. 20, 23, & 24), and “glorifying God” (vss. 25 & 26). Here Luke recounted for us the amazing faith that motived the paralytic’s friends to lower him through the roof so that he could get closer to Jesus. Even more amazing than their actions was Jesus’ interaction with the paralyzed man. He first declared his sins to be forgiven, attending to his most pressing need, and then he healed him physically to demonstrate that he had the authority to deal with all his infirmities.
OUTLINE
I. Jesus cleansed the leper and sent him to the priest to confirm his healing. (12-16)
II. Jesus cured the paralytic first by forgiving his sins and then by healing his body. (17-26)
IDEA STATEMENT
Jesus demonstrated his divine authority not only by healing the sick but also by forgiving their sins.
APPLICATION
The relationship between sin and disease has always been a controversial issue for those suffering from physical afflictions. We long for answers to explain why some people contract cancer, suffer from heart attacks, and die from a variety of illnesses. Sometimes we can link unhealthy, sinful lifestyles such as smoking, sexual promiscuity, or obesity with terminal illnesses. However, all too frequently, those who have lived clean, healthy lives die unexpectedly, some from such illnesses.
Jesus in his healing ministry at times forgave sins before healing and, at other times, never mentioned the need for forgiveness. In our passage, sin was never mentioned when he cleansed the leper. However, when healing the paralytic, he was careful first to forgive the man’s sins before demonstrating his power to forgive sins by healing him physically. While the relationship between sin and sickness may remain unclear and controversial, the truth is that all of us need to be reconciled to God due to our innate willfulness and alienation from him. Only when Christ transforms our hearts of stone into hearts of flesh will we experience the new birth that leads to an eternal relationship with God.