Lesson 2305

(Lesson 2305)(04-03-18) Matthew 9:1-8
    “And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city. And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. And he arose, and departed to his house. But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.”

    Concealed in the first part of today’s quote is a lesson that many miss as they study the New Testament. Note that the writer said; “Jesus seeing THEIR FAITH said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.” That statement very clearly tells us that it was NOT the faith of the palsied man that got his sin forgiven, but rather, it was because of the faith of those who brought him to Jesus that he was cleansed.
    This lesson is very, very important because it teaches us that we, as the children of God, through the power of Jesus Christ and because of our faith in Him, can, through prayer, perform miracles of healing. In other words, Jesus need not be present to perform the miracles we might need in our everyday lives. This fact is confirmed in several other places in the bible where Jesus promised to answer our prayers. One example; “And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.”  (1 John 5:14-15)          
    The last part of the quote relates how the scribes, those among the Jewish elite, were trying to undercut Jesus by falsly accusing Him of blasphemy. ~