Luke 5:17-39 Bible Teaching

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Okay so we left off at verse 17. Let’s read:

Luke 5:17 And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.
18 And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him.
19 And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.
20 And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.
21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?
22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts?
23 Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?
24 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.
25 And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.
26 And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day.

Okay, back to verse 17 and a new situation – Jesus healing in front of Pharisees and lawyers:

Luke 5:17 And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.

This is the first time the men of religion , in Luke’s account, came out to observe Jesus.

Obviously, word has spread that He was able to do mighty works – especially his healings at this point – and Luke informs us that these doctors of the law and pharisees came out “every town” of Galilee, Judea and Jerusalem.

It’s interesting, isn’t it? Normal, I suppose, for doctors of the Law and Pharisees to come and inspect the stories of someone working wonders.

We might wonder if the use of “every village” is hyperbole as there certainly had to have been a lot of them, but we have to remember that that according to John 4:1-4 that Jesus has already made one tour of Galilee and that this certainly stirred the Pharisees and rabbis up to active response (if not opposition) and in all probability, opposition because the account in John 4 shows that there was already opposition to him.

Because of all of this I think it is safe to assume that they were here to find fault with the Son of Man.

I think its important to remember that there were many kinds of Pharisees and that not all of them were as bad as these legalistic hypocrites who deserved the indictment and exposure that Christ gives them in Matthew 23.

We have a tendency to lump them all in together but there were God loving, God-serving pharisees on earth at that time.

Our word “doctor” by the way is Latin for “teacher” so these men were “teachers of the law” that in the other gospels are called another name . . . “scribes.

Generally speaking scribes were most often Pharisees but not all “Pharisees” were “teachers of the law.”

In the face of this situation Luke writes, “and the power of the Lord was with him to heal”

The Greek is clean but the English is cumbersome. Obviously, the line is saying plainly that the power of YHWH (the Lord) for the healing of those there was with him.”

The Lord does not refer to him, Jesus of Nazareth, but to His Father. So what Luke is saying is that Jesus had the power of the Lord God to heal with. I do not think, in light of other passages we have read about His power and the Spirit that Luke is suggesting an intermittent power course in Jesus. He is simply reminding his reader that Jesus possessed this power.

Finally, the line that they came, “Out of every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem” is one proof that Judea and Jerusalem were considered separate locations – at least by Luke – at that time.
And so to the story from the living word of God:

18 And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him.

Luke’s term here for the disease the man had is technically medical where Mark’s term in his account of the same story is vernacular.

What we know reading this is the man was bedridden with some ailment that would not allow him mobility. So some men took the man and attempted to enter the house. (verse 19)

19 And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.

Now, we’ve gotta imagine this. There is a man who is not mobile. Either people who really loved him (family or friends) OR people who had been handsomely paid to do what they were about to do.

I say this because these men bearing the paralytic man were determined to get an audience with the LORD Jesus.

And there is something in this type of determination that seems to appeal to Jesus. He responds to those who do all that they possibly can to reach him.

I think that there is something to this as a principle to all – that passivity in reaching the Lord with a need, which is probably a result of either faithlessness or entitlement – is not as readily rewarded or recognized by Jesus as the men and women who do all they can to gain access to him.

We see this with Zacchaeus and his climbing the tree to see Jesus, with the woman with the issue of blood parting the crowd, and here with this man who got his friends or employees to actually take him up to the rooftop of the house Jesus was in, pull the tiles apart and then lower the man down in the midst!

What a sight! Jesus and the others are there and suddenly they hear the roof coming apart and light streams in and then lo and behold and man on a bed is awkwardly lowered down – presumably by four ropes tied to each corner of the platform on which he lay!

I believe this story in part on the account that I know grown men who are crazy enough to have attempted such a thing – they would have found it an adventure!

We tend to read these stories with great solemnity but I can’t imagine solemn men with great piety participating in this. This was the work of some fishermen, firemen, or construction workers who love a challenge and find utter DELIGHT in executing it.

Schlomo! Schlomo! Easy. . . your letting your corner down to fast! Level. There you go…. Level.

Okaaaaaaay. He’s down! (High fives)

Imagine the people in the house – and then the heart of Jesus seeing “such faith.”

Mark uses the term translated pallet here to describe his bed and that makes some sense, doesn’t it, but the point is that in the face of obstacles and difficulties the people like these men (and Zacchaeus and the Woman with an issue of blood) did whatever the possibly could to get the attention of Jesus.

They were determined and their faith pushed them to do whatever was necessary to get to him.

We recall in Mark 10:46 reading:

46 And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.
47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
48 And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
49 And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.
50 And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.
51 And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.
52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.

Over the years I have counseled with people who complain that God is not interested in them – that they call to him and pray but get nothing back.

My response is for them to walk in faith and wait. To continue to pursue Him trusting that he will someday reply.

But many give up – often turning to elements of Atheism. We might wonder if this is the point. Are we in a relationship with God by faith to get HIM to serve us or are we in the relationship to serve and seek him?

There seems to be this attitude around that God owes us His time and attention and if He doesn’t give it when we want we have been insulted and to heck with him, right!?

The scriptural evidences – even in the life of Jesus and people like the man being lowered down – present another view, one where God and His Son seem to appreciate those who overcome every rejection and obstacle in an effort to reach him.

We get further insight into the way God works with His children in the story Jesus tells in Luke chapter 11, saying:

Luke 11:5 And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;
6 For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?
7 And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.
8 I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.
9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

We walk and we live by FAITH. Said faith quits but genuine faith and trust in the LORD God is manifest in seeking, asking, waiting, pushing and never giving up – it’s a faith that says:

WHATEVER you have for me God I will take. I trust in your will and ways though they be not mine. I will take and trust whatever you have for me.

We have evidence of this in the story of the Syrophenician woman (a Gentile) in Mark 7:25-30 where we read:

25 For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet:
26 The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.
27 But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it unto the dogs.
28 And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs.
29 And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter.
30 And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.”

Okay, back to Luke 5:20 and the man being let down into the house, which it seems was Peter and Andrews house looking at the context from two weeks ago.

Trick question – can we see the faith another person possesses? Scripture seems to indicate that we can.

Recall what James says in the famous chapter on faith?

James 2:18 “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.”

Works of what? Works of love. Which is what Jesus was witnessing here – works of love as what seems to be four men (I suppose it could have been four women or two strong individuals) but those who lowered the man down through the roof EVIDENCED THEIR FAITH BY their loving works for another!

In this we could see their faith – and in this manner we can actually see the faith in others.

Show me a man who claims faith, says “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus all day long but is selfish, self-serving, self-centered, and does not think or care about the needs of others before His own and I will show you someone whose faith is at least in some question – or at least their maturity.

Listen to what Luke says here

20 And when he (Jesus) saw their faith (What did He see? He say THEIR (meaning the faith of the man lowered down and the faith of those doing the lowering), he said unto him, “Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.”

This is the first thing Jesus says to the paralytic – that his sins were forgiven him. It appears from this (and other passages in scripture) that some disease, some illnesses are the result of sin in the life of the individual involved. The more we learn about the human mind and its effects on the body the more this makes great sense.

We remember in John that Jesus healed a man – got him to stand on lame limbs – and then departed. But then we read:

John 5:14 “Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.”

Because of these passages I am convinced that acts against God in the flesh have the capacity to cause dis-ease (dis-comfort) in the human body and that in some cases what we call sin is deleterious to our physical health.

But this does not mean all illness is the product of sin – so we need to be careful.
But obviously some are. I personally believe any ailments I suffer from in this life are a by-product of my choices as the attitude helps me accept and deal with the fallout.

But the point remains, here – in this story – Jesus first says to the man paralyzed – your sins are forgiven you.

Which was BIG in the eyes and ears of the scribes and Pharisees (verse 21)

21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?

Their criticism was fair – as we are to test and challenge all things. I don’t think their observation was necessarily bad – for who could truly forgive sins but God?

But a criticism was present with them, wasn’t it before they established the identity of Christ, because they said:

Who is this WHICH speaks blasphemy, suggesting that they had already judged him before deciding if he had the right to forgive sin.

Now, we have pointed out a number of instances here in Luke where Jesus is obviously Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of the Living God.

But here, in this instance, Jesus proves that He possesses in His person all the rights and authority and power of God – which cannot be denied.

What he says and does here IS ONLY permissible and possible by and through God – whether it be forgiving sin or healing a paralytic – both are the works of God – and this cannot be forgotten about Jesus of Nazareth – He was God with us, doing and saying what God Himself would and could do IF he was with us. (verse 22)

22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts?

In verse 21 what they reasoned in their hearts was that Jesus had committed blasphemy. He asks why they would think this? And then He says one of the greatest comebacks in all of the New Testament narrative, saying

23 Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?

Now, if we are going to be biblical literalists – and we should always start literally when addressing a passage – but if we are to be literalists in the face of this passage then how can this question be answered?

What is easier, to SAY, Thy sins be forgiven you or to SAY, Rise up and walk? They are equally easy to say. Anyone can say anything to anyone anytime.

So, the point is saying things is easy, but accomplishing the things said is the trick.

And that is what I think the meaning is – He is not asking literally about which is easier to say, he is asking which is easier to do or accomplish.

In other words, “Is it easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven you,” or, “to take a paralyzed man and cause him to walk?”

We can see this in the following verse where, after asking, Which is easier to SAY, Jesus says:

24 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.

But THAT you may know that the Son of Man (Jesus Himself, God on earth walking among you) HAS THE POWER to forgive sins . . .

See that is the point, that Jesus has the power to say to someone, your sins are forgiven you. This was this concern and criticism of Him, that he had the audacity to say, “your sins are forgiven you.” And since they had no other evidence that WHAT Jesus said was true (I mean, how can you tell that sins are forgiven by God in heaven – certainly not from the words alone) he says to his critics:

24 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins,

The power on earth to forgive sins. I think there is something to these additional words, “On earth.”

Jesus had or has the power ON earth to forgive sins. That is what he says. If or since the Word of God was made flesh and dwelled among us it only makes sense that Jesus has the POWER on EARTH to forgive sins.

Interestingly, in Luke chapter 11 we read that the apostles asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. And he responds and says:

2 When you pray, say, “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
3 Give us day by day our daily bread.
4 And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

Where Jesus addressed the Father (which is in heaven) I tend to believe that in the heavenly realm God the Father is the forgiver of sins, and that what Jesus was saying here was:

As I am in flesh walking among you as the Son of Man I have the power to forgive whom I will.

And he proves this in the next thin he says and that actually happens, adding:

24 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins,
(he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.

One quick point-out – the parenthetical reference here is also found in the other synoptics PROVING that there was a borrowing from among them by the writers because parenthetical references are a matter of preference.

So, Jesus says to the man with the palsy:

I say unto YOU, Arise and take up thy couch and go into thine house.

In that day this was a healing to prove that Jesus was the Son of God who had the power and right to say to people your sins are forgiven you.

It was done in the face of tremendous faith exercised by the people involved. For us today, the application comes from the fact that when we seek Jesus for spiritual healing, forgiveness of sin, and liberation from our failures, He has the power to give it – here on earth – as proven by the peace and comfort millions have received in faith.

After saying these words to the paralytic, we read:

25 And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.

And again, the application today is NOT so much healings from ailments and disease, but the healing Jesus gives of the human heart.

Interestingly, we get nothing from Luke about the Pharisees and scribes reactions to this.

Perhaps some or all were converted. Or maybe they were unimpressed – we can’t tell. But what Luke says next is interesting – listen:

26 And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day.

Because Luke says that they were all amazed, and because he includes the Pharisees and doctors of the Law in his description of who was present, perhaps his critics were amazed.

And filled with fear, and then what they actually are quoted as saying is interesting because Luke quotes them as saying:

“We have seen strange things to day”

And the Greek for strange is our word for paradox (paradoxa) which is a compound term of para and doxa with para meaning “near, and along side of” and doxa meaning “glory.”

We have seen things that are next to, along side that are along-side of glorious. To me the term shows that while they (whomever they are) could admit that something out of the ordinary had happened, something that was close to glorious, but perhaps not enough to convince them fully that Jesus was either the Messiah or the Son of God or one who had the power to forgive sin.

And this brings us to some final verses – lets take them one at a time until our time runs out. Verse 27

27 And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me.

We have recently seen Jesus call Peter and others from their fishing boats. Now we are reading about the call to Levi, the Son of Alphaeus, and also the most common name, Matthew.

So Levi was sitting in the tax-office or custom-house of Capernaum which was placed there to collect taxes.

Some commentators believe that this was a toll booth for boats going across the lake outside of Herod’s territory or from people going from Damascus to the coast.

Not sure.

Where Mark and Luke call this man, Levi first, Matthew calls him, “Matthew” and identifies him as one of the twelve apostles.

The publicans get their name in English from the Latin “publicanus” (meaning a man who did public duty) but it’s really not a very accurate designation because it was more than a duty – it was a paid and profitable position.

We have mentioned over the years that the publicans were generally hated because they practiced graft.

In fact, Jesus even appeals to them and their nature in a mildly negative way, saying in Matthew 5:46

“For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?”

This publican named Levi is also called, “The son of Alphaeus.” How Jesus knew this man, or if He even did prior to this exchange is unknown.

What we do know it the way the Son of Alpheus, Matthew, Levi the publican responded (verse 28)

28 And he left all, rose up, and followed him.

This was saying something about Levi – he had either seen Jesus miracles, heard about them and or Him Or he was a man of great spiritual discernment who seeing Jesus for the first time and getting an invitation to follow him, he knew it was right and did follow Him when invited.

What we see that Levi had in common with Peter and others is that he too, “forsook all, and rose up, and followed Him.”

But at this point Luke gives us some more insight into Levi the Publican and writes:

29 And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them.

The translation from the Greek lets us know a couple of things about this event:

First it was a feast for Levi to introduce Jesus to all of his friends – this was a reception for Jesus.

Secondly, it was a biggie – large party – lots of people.

Third, a publican was so hated that it is doubtful that anyone attended who had any sort of social reputation. Luke does not use the terms, unclean or sinners to describe them but this is most likely who would have been there- a Motley Crew of social reprobates disowned by religious society – perhaps many or most of them publicans themselves.

And finally, they were all sitting and eating together! What a launch party for the Son of Man! Just the people he would reach then, and continues to reach today.

The lost, the outcasts, the broken, the humble, the weak – and by attending this party these types were all showing allegiance to Jesus.

Love it.

Last verse for today:

30 But their scribes and Pharisees (some manuscripts remove their which the King James includes) murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?

Now, IF these were the same scribes and Pharisees who were at the healing of the lame man we know that they are being hard hearted and stumbling over the traditions of their fathers in the face of the Messiah and His love.

In response to their question, Jesus says:

31”They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.”

And we will pick this passage up next week – where I will be here live again – God willing.

Open up for comments and questions here.

Prayer by someone afterward?

Luke 5.17-end
July 14th 2019
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