In this chapter, we come face to face with Jesus, the Great Physician, Who heals both our bodies and our souls.
The account of the paralytic who was lowered through the roof to be healed by Jesus shows us a picture of desperate faith. The man's friends were willing to go to great extremes because they knew that this Teacher would heal him. This was faith in action.
All suffering originates from sin against the Lord. But Jesus didn't just come to heal us from the symptoms of our sin. He came to heal us from the real problem. Hence He pronounced the paralytic man's sins forgiven!
But the scribes were displeased at this! They declared that no one could forgive sins except God Himself – and theologically, they were correct. Since all sin is ultimately committed against God, only He can forgive sins, technically speaking.
Neither forgiveness of sins nor physical healing can be done by a human alone. The difference is that one is verifiable and visible on earth, whereas the other is written in heaven.
Be amazed at Jesus! This is not a mere story; this is true history! Are you amazed by your Savior?
The rest of this portion of Scripture details how Jesus called Levi – a hated, traitorous tax collector – to follow Him. Remarkably, the Holy Spirit worked in his heart and caused him to make the irreversible decision to leave his career and become Christ's disciple.
The scribes and Pharisees were upset when they saw Jesus eating with such sinful people! But again, the Great Physician was getting to the root of their sin problem. No cardiac surgeon on earth can take away a heart of stone and give a heart of flesh. Jesus is the only One Who can heal both body and soul! |
