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Nineteenth Sunday After Trinity, October 6, 2024

These scribes and other religious leaders will have long memories. They will recall this incident and many others when they have Jesus on trial before them. The charge will be blasphemy. The blasphemy is forgiving sins. “No one,” they will say “can forgive sins except God” (Mk. 2:7 & Lk. 5:21). Here in his own city, Jesus is charged with blasphemy seemingly in anticipation of his future trial. Jesus is charged with blasphemy because he said to the paralytic, “Your sins are forgiven.” (vs 2).  The crowds, though, they had a different reaction than the scribes. Even in their fear, the crowd realized the glory of their God who had given the authority to forgive sins to men… mere men… mere women. The authority to forgive sins which, according to the religious leaders, belonged to God alone was dispensed among men.

You may recall the conversation had by the serpent and Adam’s wife Eve. In that conversation, the serpent enticed Eve with a promise that, after eating of the fruit from the forbidden tree, she and her husband Adam would be like gods. Well, they did eat and the two of them gained the knowledge of good and evil. With that knowledge came the realization that lives of constant judgment would have no peace and no harmony. “Their eyes were opened, and they knew they were naked” (Ge.3:7). Something like forgiveness would be necessary to break the constant spiral of judgment and counter-judgment.

The forgiveness of sins, though, is a costly affair. We are told in the book of Hebrews that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness (He. 9:22). The first shedding of blood took place right there in the Garden. God made garments of skin and clothed Adam and his wife Eve (Ge. 3:20). Animals were killed and the sinners were wrapped in their bloody hides. The forgiveness of sins is a costly affair. It cost Jesus his life. He shed blood: his bloody brow, bleeding back, pierced and dripping hands and feet, and spear thrust into his side. His blood shed, your sin forgiven. But, what’s more, is that he comes to his people hiding there in fear behind locked doors like Adam and Eve cowered behind the bush. Jesus comes, dispenses the Holy Spirit, and conveys the authority to forgive sins (Jn. 20:23).

Table Talk: Why is forgiveness necessary?

Pray: Heavenly Father, forgive my sins as I forgive others their sins. Amen

Matthew 9:1-8

1 And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city. 2 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. 3 And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, This man is blaspheming. 4 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5 For which is easier, to say, Your sins are forgiven, or to say, Rise and walk? 6 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. 7 And he rose and went home. 8 When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.