You May Know That The Son of Man Has Authority On Earth to Forgive Sins
A Reflection On Matthew 9:1-8
At that time, getting into a boat Jesus crossed over and came to his own city. And behold, they brought to him a paralytic, lying on his bed; and when Jesus saw their faith he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say ‘Rise and walk?’ But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins” he then said to the paralytic -- “Rise, take up your bed and go home.” And he rose and went home. When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
Matthew 9:1-8
Within today’s Gospel reading, we see the authority of Christ as God on full display. As our Lord crosses the sea and returns to His homeland, we are told of the healing of a paralyzed man. Yet in healing him, conflict arises among some of the scribes, who question whether our Lord, rather than being God, is blaspheming God Himself. Their reaction highlights the challenge of recognizing Christ’s divine authority.
This reading speaks to a common motif throughout Matthew’s Gospel, one that we will explore more fully in the fall when our Bible study returns. The conflict between worldly leaders and the authority of our Lord is consistently on display, and in the way our Lord responds to their criticism, we continually witness His full divine authority.
True authority for a Christian is never understood apart from God. We cannot rightly understand authority as merely an earthly or abstract concept. Rather, true authority is revealed in the way God creates, ministers to, and renews His creation.
This reality is revealed to us as our Lord encounters the paralyzed man lying upon his bed. Sin—our deviation from God—allows the distortion of illness to enter creation. As humanity collectively turns away from God and His life-giving presence, the creation we are called to steward becomes distorted, leading to every sort of illness and calamity. Yet our Lord does not abandon us in this fallen state, for His very presence renews what has become distorted.
We are called to be faithful stewards of creation, and this stewardship is beautifully illustrated as we hear that the people:
“Brought to Him a paralytic, lying on his bed.”
Seeing the suffering of their friend, they do not attempt to solve his predicament themselves—something that would have been impossible. Instead, they bring him to Christ, for He alone can renew our fallen nature.
Thus we hear:
“When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, ‘Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.’”
Here we see how faith connects us to Christ’s divine authority.
Faith is the continual pursuit of God. Seeing both their own weakness and the condition of their friend, these men are not discouraged. Instead, they seek Christ so that He may heal him. This reminds us to remain hopeful in our own pursuit of God, trusting that His promise of salvation belongs to us all, even when immediate healing is not apparent.
Our Lord renews our lives, and we see this most fully in His forgiveness of the paralytic’s sins. He forgives sin and all of its consequences that distort reality, for in His presence we participate in creation as it was always intended to be.
Thus, we see God’s authority on full display as He renews His creation, revealing that true healing is found only in His loving and saving presence.
Yet we also hear:
“Some of the scribes said to themselves, ‘This man is blaspheming.’”
Seeing their own authority challenged by Christ’s saving acts, rather than glorifying God for what has been done, they accuse Christ of being an enemy of God. Their spiritual blindness is on full display, for they witness the goodness of God and mistake it for evil.
Yet our Lord,
“Knowing their thoughts, said, ‘Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Rise and walk”?’”
Our Lord reveals His divinity by knowing their thoughts. In questioning them, He invites them to elevate their reasoning. He asks why they harbor evil thoughts after witnessing such goodness. Then He asks whether it is easier to forgive sins or to command the man to rise and walk.
By emphasizing the forgiveness of sins, Christ reveals the true purpose of His ministry. The healing of the man’s paralysis is inseparable from this forgiveness, but it is ultimately a visible sign pointing toward the greater healing taking place within him.
Our Lord continues:
“But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins…”
Then He says to the paralytic:
“Rise, take up your bed and go home.”
Christ performs this miracle so that those present may recognize His authority to forgive sins.
We are then told simply:
“And he rose and went home.”
God meets this man where he is in order to reveal the glorious gifts He offers to us all.
The scribes are offended by what they witness, yet we finally hear:
“When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.”
In the fear experienced by the crowd, we see the awesomeness of God revealed. When we approach God with fear, faith, and love, as we do before receiving Holy Communion, this fear is not terror or timidity. Rather, it is a profound recognition of God’s greatness and of all that He is doing for us. Thus, the fear of God is ultimately the recognition of His divine authority.
The crowd glorifies God for giving such authority, revealing that Christ’s actions direct them toward the glory of the Father rather than away from Him. This stands in complete contrast to the accusation of blasphemy made by the scribes. The crowd recognizes that true authority is rooted in God, and as they behold the wonder of His authority, they cannot help but glorify Him.
If we believe ourselves to possess authority independently of God, we will always fall short of the Kingdom of Heaven. The reason is simple: when we honestly consider our place within time and creation, we recognize how limited and fragile we truly are. Our lives are brief, and our strength is finite. Such recognition naturally points us toward Someone infinitely greater than ourselves.
This realization leads us to the greatness of God. In His presence we experience the dissolution of all that binds us to this fallen age through the saving transfiguration He offers us.
God is a joyful giver and delights in those who likewise give with joy, for joyful generosity recognizes that every good gift has its origin in Him. God grants us everything we need for life in His presence, and in recognizing His authority, we are filled with awe at the humility with which He continually serves us.
True communion with God fulfills creation and gives meaning to our lives. We may search for meaning in our careers, our families, meditation, or even various forms of enlightenment. Yet the true illumination of every aspect of our lives is found only in the loving and saving presence of our Lord.
Our worth in God’s eyes is not determined by our family relationships, our professional success, or an abstract pursuit of inner peace. Rather, we are valued simply because we belong to Him. We are called to become fully who we were created to be by receiving His gifts as we pursue eternal life in His loving presence.
We may choose to fall into the dissonance of believing our faith is foolish whenever it challenges our own reasoning. Or we may humbly seek the wisdom of God, especially when the peace He offers contradicts what seems most reasonable to us.
Seeking the true peace of Christ becomes our guide in discerning God’s will for our lives. Yet to cultivate this discernment, we must continually seek Him, remain in communion with Him through His Church, and constantly call upon His holy name.
Our Lord alone offers us everything we need for true life in His presence. It is toward this fullness of life that every one of us is called. In His presence, we become fully who we were created to be. Our Lord does not erase our individuality; rather, He perfects it, transforming us into the people He intended us to become from the very beginning of creation.
Our Lord gives us everything we need for this fullness of life. It therefore becomes our calling to recognize the awesomeness of His authority as we partake of all the gifts He freely offers us.
For truly, to Him, for all He continues to provide us, be all glory, honor, and worship, now and forever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
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