Luke 5:17-26

content/bible_journal/luke_5:17-26.md

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+title = "Luke 5:17–26"
+date = "2022-11-04"
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+
+### [Read the passage.](https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Lk5.17-26)
+
+Jesus has gotten famous enough at this point that the religious elites, the
+Pharisees and the teachers of the law, have come to hear what Jesus is saying.
+And they have come from all over, so Jesus's fame has spread throughout the
+Jewish provinces. These men are the ones who have dedicated their lives to
+knowing the Scriptures so well that they do its requirements perfectly, and
+thus can be accepted by God.
+
+As always, a crowd had gathered to hear Jesus and get healing, but on this day,
+there were some friends who couldn't get a paralyzed man through the press of
+people to get him to Jesus. But they could manage to get him on the roof by the
+stairs outside, and pull the roof tiles away in order to lower him down to
+where Jesus was.
+
+And because of their faith, Jesus forgives the paralyzed man's sins. Probably
+not what he expected, but it's hard to tell. The scribes and Pharisees hear all
+this and start asking the proper questions. "Who is this who speaks
+blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?" (_v. 21_) If some teacher
+starts acting as if they are God, it is right and proper to stop listening to
+them and proclaim them a false teacher to everyone who will listen. Except when
+that teacher actually is God, as Jesus is.
+
+Jesus knows what they are thinking, and why, so He does something to let them
+know that they are wrong about Him. He acknowledges that anyone can say, "Your
+sins are forgiven." After all, there's no outward, physical sign of that
+spiritual reality. Then He heals the man of his paralysis and has him walk out
+the door in front of everybody.
+
+* * *
+
+Give us discernment to know true teachers of Your word from false ones, and let
+us glorify You when You heal ourinfirmities.