Matthew 9:6

Submitted by jennifer solis (United States), Jun 1, 2008 at 02:41

Hello, sTs,

There's a little confusion going on in these posts over Matthew 9:6.

It helps if you read the verses before and after.

Matthew 9:1-8 -

Getting in a boat, Jesus crossed over [the sea] and came to His own city.

And they brought Him (Jesus) a paralytic lying on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, "Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven." - here, Jesus saw they (the paralytic and those who had brought the paralytic) had faith - faith that Jesus was the Son of God - and therefore their sins were ALREADY forgiven. PAST TENSE. Seeing their faith, Jesus said, your sins are forgiven.

And some of the scribes said to themselves, "This [fellow, refering to Jesus] blasphemes." These scribes did not have faith (did not believe) who Jesus was.

And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, "Why are you thinking evil in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven', or to say, 'Get up, pick up your bed and go home." - this is illustrating how impossible sins are to forgive - sin is a barrier between imperfect man and perfect God - miracles are much easier. Only Jesus Christ, the Son of God, would solve the problem of sin on the Cross. Only by faith in Christ - like that of the paralytic fellow in the first verse - do we receive forgiveness of sin - the barrier was broken by Christ on the Cross - while Jesus had not yet gone to the Cross in these verses, by FAITH that Jesus was the Son of God and the promised Messiah was the "paralytic" already forgiven for his sins.

And he [the paralytic] got up and went home. - the miracle was performed.

But when the crowds saw this, they were awestruck, and glorified God, who had given such athority to men. Jesus gave the athority to perform miracles to His apostles.

When Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father (God), but through Me" (John 14:6) he was repeating that only through faith in Him, Jesus Christ and what He did on the Cross do we receive eternal life - forever in the presence of God. As the Son of God, He was the only one qualified to be our substitute, take the punishment for the sins of the world, onto His shoulders on the Cross.

For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; and not of works, lest any man should boast - Ephesians 2:8-9

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 6:23

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only [uniquely born] Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life; for God did not send His Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him. - John 3:16-17

Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved. - Acts 16:31

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you apart from the law of sin and death. - Romans 8:1-2

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