Healing

Introduction

When kids get together it is not uncommon for dares and double dog dares to take place. I’m not sure what double dog dare means but it pushes a kid’s buttons like few other things. The conversation starts something like this: one kid says “I can jump off of that garage,” another responds “Go ahead. I bet you can’t,” and the first kid replies “I could but I can’t get on top of it.” The second kid points out the ladder next to the garage, and when the first kid worries the ladder won’t hold him, the second kid challenges: “What’s wrong with you? You scared?” Finally, with the words “I double dog dare you,” the deed is secured.

Saying you can do something is one thing. Demonstrating that you can do it is quite another. Talk is cheap, we say. It’s easy to talk about something but harder to actually do it. As we will see in our study together, action which follows talk demonstrates that a claim is more than mere words. The claim is verified by action.

Scrutiny

Jesus is teaching, surrounded by those who want to hear him and by those who are checking him out. Luke tells us that Pharisees and teachers of the law from Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem are listening to Jesus teach. The Pharisees were very concerned about the law of God. They studied the law even in its minutiae. So concerned were they that the law might be broken that they surrounded the law with more regulations and traditions to protect it. Everyone and everything was checked out by the Pharisees. Jesus’ teaching and working of miracles has captured their attention. They have come to see if Jesus is teaching truth, and if he is they will endorse him; if he isn’t, they will persuade the people to ignore him.

While teaching, a group of men bring a paralyzed man to Jesus. They expect that Jesus can heal the man, and they are further convinced that once Jesus sees the man, Jesus will heal him. But a problem arises. The place where Jesus was teaching was too crowded to bring the paralyzed man to Jesus. So they do what is necessary to get Jesus’ attention. A set of external stairs lead up to the roof of the house. Up to the roof they go and cut a hole large enough to let the man down into the room where Jesus is teaching.

Jesus is impressed with the faith that he sees. But he does an interesting thing. Instead of immediately healing the man, he forgives sins first. What Jesus means specifically with the use of the word “sins” is difficult to discern. The text does not tell us if there is something specifically sinful about the man. But the pronouncement isn’t completely for the man but for the Pharisees who surround him. Within their minds Jesus has blasphemed against God. God’s integrity has been violated by Jesus’ pronouncement, for only God can forgive sins.

Jesus, knowing their hearts, engages these protectors of the law. Jesus knew he was going to heal the man. He also knew that he had the authority to forgive sins. As he says in verse 23, it is easier to speak words of forgiveness, but so that all will know that his words are not idle, he heals the man. And the section ends with praise for the God who heals and forgives.

Claims

A couple of things intrigue me with this text. First, while the text says nothing and it is my imagination at work, I can imagine some of the debris that falls as the men work to make an opening large enough to lower the paralyzed man. Nothing in the text indicates that Jesus stopped teaching or that people were confused. But in my mind I see falling debris consisting of clay, dirt, broken pieces of wood—in all, an interesting scene. My guess is that Jesus’ expression carried a mixture of amazement and amusement as these men worked to bring this man to Jesus.

Second, the Pharisees were there to evaluate Jesus. This is what they did. They protected God’s law, and evaluating Jesus was to protect God. Jesus teaches, but it is his statement about forgiveness which leaves the Pharisees questioning. Only God can forgive sin. They understood the implication. If Jesus declares forgiveness, then he is claiming that which only belongs to God. This is the statement that causes the most concern. But Jesus is not just talking to hear himself speak. He demonstrates through healing that words offered can be supported by actions.

Notice verse 24. For the first time of 25 in Luke, the phrase “Son of man” is used. By the time of Jesus, this phrase had a special meaning. Understood in light of Daniel 7:13-14, in which the Son of Man is given power by the Ancient of Days to be sovereign over everything and to be worshipped by all who inhabit the earth, this phrase pointed to the Messiah. By using this phrase, Jesus not only acknowledges that he is God but he is the Messiah which has been promised since the days of Daniel. While there is no recorded response from the Pharisees, Luke’s intent is to continue to exalt Jesus as the true Son of God.

One final thing to notice: verse 25 shows that with his healing, the man leaves Jesus’ presence not only walking but praising God. Verse 26 shows that the people too praise God for the healing. Praise is the response of a heart convinced about Jesus.

The Pharisees had to make a decision about the validity of Jesus’ claims. So do we. We accept his claim that he can heal; maybe even have been healed; so what is our response? Praise—exalting the one that can forgive and heal. Only you know your heart. Only you know if there is joy in your heart.

If you are forgiven by the power of Jesus, then praise him. If you have been healed physically or emotionally, then praise him. If there is no praise, then what happened? Did God fail you? Are you still considering the claims?

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