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Luke 5:17-26
Two types of people came to see Jesus in this passage; those who believed in Him and sought to be healed, and those who did not believe in Him and were looking for a way to disprove Him. Those who lowered the paralyzed man, and the paralyzed man, had such great faith in the healing power of Jesus that they knew if they could just find a way to get near to Jesus, He would heal the man. But to everyone’s surprise, Jesus told the man, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” Because the man “believed” in the healing power of Jesus, Jesus uses this as an example to show not just His physical healing power, but His spiritual healing power. Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV) states, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to
God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Jesus points to this transition from the physical worship of doing to the spiritual worship of believing, as He states in John 4:23-24 while speaking not to a Jew, but to a Samaritan woman, “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” Jesus knew the thoughts of their hearts, and Luke 5:22 is the proof of this, “But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, ‘Why are you reasoning in your hearts?’” Jesus explains further that it is our hearts that need to be cleansed in Matthew 15:18-20, “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”
Jesus has used this example of healing the man in Luke 5:17-26 to show that it is not only physical healing that one may be in need of, but more importantly is the need for a spiritual healing of our souls.
This is an example of Jesus making the transition from the physical law of the Old Testament to the spiritual faith of the New Testament.
This is an example of Jesus showing the need for spiritual, as well as physical healing.
This is an example and proof that Jesus is the source for all healing, physical and spiritual.
The man in this passage believed in the healing power of Jesus, therefore Jesus healed him. Jesus healed him physically, but first He gave him the bonus; the spiritual healing that we are all in need of. The people were unaware of spiritual healing in this story. Many people today are unaware of the need for spiritual healing, which is coming to a sincere faith in Jesus. Jesus states in Luke 6:45, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” Jesus came to heal our hearts, “For out of the heart proceed evil…” (Matthew 15:19a). It is easy for us to say that we believe in Jesus, that He is our Savior; but do you sincerely believe it in your heart? Have you, through your faith in believing in Him, asked Him to forgive your sins and cleanse your heart?
Dear Lord,
Thank You for this great example of Jesus making the transition from the physical need for healing to the spiritual need for healing. Please open our eyes, hearts, minds, and souls, to this great truth that we would sincerely believe in Him. In Jesus name I pray, amen.