2 And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— 11 “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
13 He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. 14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.
15 And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 And the scribes of1 the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat2 with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Section Overview
Jesus further extends the reach of his authority by controversially forgiving the sins of a healed person. Such an act is reserved for God alone (cf. comment on 2:3–5). He is promptly accused by his opponents of blaspheming God (for which he will later be condemned to death; Mark 14:64). Likewise, he redefines those who are entitled to receive God’s forgiveness. Surprisingly, such forgiveness is extended to a despised tax collector, whom he even calls to be one of his disciples, as well as to socially outcast “tax collectors and sinners” (2:15).
Section Outline
II.A. Work in Galilee (1:16–3:12) . . .
2. Forgiveness of Sins, Healing, and Further Call to Discipleship (2:1–17)
a. Jesus Forgives Sins and Heals (2:1–12)
(1) Jesus Teaches in Capernaum (2:1–2)
(2) Jesus Forgives Sins (2:3–5)
(3) Accusation of Blasphemy (2:6–7)
(4) Jesus’ Asserts His Authority through Healing the Paralytic (2:8–12)
b. The Call of Levi (2:13–14)
c. Jesus’ Controversial Association with “Sinners” (2:15–17)
(1) Table Fellowship with “Sinners” (2:15–16)
(2) The Purpose of Jesus’ Coming (2:17)
Response
In addition to his healing powers and authority over evil spirits, the disciples find out that Jesus claims to be entitled to forgive sins directly. According to monotheistic Judaism, this claim is offensive since only God has the authority to declare unmediated forgiveness (2:7).115
Jesus is, however, not blaspheming, since he forgives sins as a member of the eternal Trinity. No other interpretation of this text is plausible. This means that Jesus’ forgiveness, which he accomplishes ultimately through his death on the cross (10:45), is of greater significance and value to human existence than anything else. A believing acceptance of Jesus’ atoning death forms the basis for the assurance of personal acceptance before God. This heals the soul and emboldens the followers of Christ to pursue reconciled relationships in all areas of personal and corporate life. Modern-day disciples also come to acknowledge their own rebellion against God: morally, intellectually, behaviorally, and socially. Even today, the “once for all,” eternally valid sacrifice of Christ for human sins (Heb. 7:27; 9:12; 10:10) is effectual in the person who by faith receives the forgiveness that Jesus offers thorough his atoning death on the cross. Such forgiveness establishes an eternal and covenantal (Mark 14:24) love bond between the repentant human being and God. Nothing in this world will be able to break this love bond (Rom. 8:35). Likewise, such forgiveness lays the foundation for true human forgiveness; the deadly cycle of retaliation, resentment, and hatred has been broken, since the hating person realizes that he or she has been pardoned by God. How can one persist in deep-seated, sustained resentment if one has been forgiven of such great and profound guilt by the living God himself (cf. Matt. 18:21–35)?
Furthermore, Jesus courageously contests the cultural and religious conventions of his day by connecting intentionally with the despised tax collectors and outcasts (“sinners”), thereby pursuing a challenging path of reconciliation and purification (cf. Isa. 61:1–2a; Joel 3:1–2). God’s approach to his people is not based on merit or performance; rather, it is need based and driven by mercy and grace. Jesus’ entire mission unfolds from this unexpected foundation. It correctly presumes that human beings are unable to restore their broken relationship with God, including all the dysfunctional personal, communal, and cultural consequences of their rebellious autonomy. Such unmerited grace must, however, not be misunderstood or misused as a license for an ungodly, rebellious, or immoral life.
To the contrary, the profound and merciful love of God in the gift of forgiveness compels pardoned believers to live godly lives, in constant dependence upon their life-giver. Such God-given godliness will progressively move toward a theistic worldview, purity of the inner heart, morally pure conduct, and engagement in justice and mercy in all areas of human culture and society, in accord with Christ’s person and teaching. The effect of reconciliation with God does not stop before any aspect of human life; it reaches into the economic, political, educational arenas as it reaches into the areas of the arts, family, relationships, and health.
More personally, following Christ leads to becoming increasingly Christlike while depending continuously on Jesus. Such Christlikeness is to be sharply distinguished from a misguided attempt at mimicking Christ. Rather, the follower of Christ allows the imprint of Jesus’ forgiveness and covenantal inclusion to grow in such a way as to develop attitudes and behaviors akin to those displayed by Christ. In the midst of such a process, Christ’s example shows the follower in what direction he or she is being led by Jesus himself. A necessary outcome of such growth is the conviction that a regenerate follower of Christ is in no way intrinsically better than any other human being, proficient or ruined as that person might be.
Someone who is reconciled with God is, and remains, a recipient of unmerited grace. As such, he or she is called to reflect and express Christ’s love and truth to other human beings, irrespective of race, religious affiliation, ethnicity, or any other mark of distinction. The follower of Christ remembers that every human being remains an image bearer of God, as broken as that image may be. On the flip side of this, it does not imply the condoning, e.g., of sexual immorality or violence for religious reasons. Jesus welcomes all, indiscriminately, but he calls all followers to a mental, personal, sexual transformation and purity in conformity with OT and NT moral absolutes. Such purity is the result of Christ’s atoning and teaching impact on his followers’ lives.