Paralysis - Religion

In this first series of encounters that Luke highlights, here is another of the many healing events carried out by Jesus. In the previous example of the leper, Jesus sends the man to the religious leaders to bring the healing to their attention. In this one they are the audience. Jesus, in addition to bringing a miraculous change to the life of a paralysed man and his supportive friends, deliberately provokes a fundamental religious debate 'Who can forgive sins?' This is the start of a battle provoked by Jesus in order to release life from the grip of religion.

The man is alive but paralysed, unable to enjoy life as it should be experienced. Jesus equates this to sin, and so when he heals him, his sins are also forgiven.

What is sin? How can it be forgiven?

The religious leaders would define sin as failing to keep God's law. To be forgiven they operated a system of substitution, for example where a healthy animal such as a lamb was sacrificed to cover the sin.

Jesus instead points to the core of the law. To enjoy life as it should be enjoyed is to live as God intends us to live. He knows best how we will be fulfilled and how we can best support others. This is achieved by relying on his provision and doing what he advises. The law helps to illustrate this but just trying our best to keep the law doesn't work, as demonstrated by the society Jesus lives within. This is religion, undertaking all sorts of 'external' actions that we think will please God. They don't! They bore, frustrate and annoy him. They strangle life and end up paralysing a person.

Jesus equates doing God's will to following him, relying on him and his strength. Sin is therefore not doing God's will. This is about life as we live it, in the present. He is able to forgive sins, where we do not do as God wants. He gives us his Spirit to help us do as God wishes. He is addressing and changing the heart, the core of our being. Therefore this is the driving force, his Spirit in the core of our being. What is external comes from this core change. He can forgive every past sin and therefore the focus is on how we live now.  By living by his Spirit in our lives, we are not encumbered by sin. We do not have to try to be religious as God is happy with us as we are. We are getting used to inhabiting the kingdom that Jesus is establishing.

Religion is an external attempt to appease God. It does not change our core problems like selfishness. It results in paralysis then death. Jesus comes to bring life not religion. He repeatedly challenges the religious leaders and their religion, to such a degree that they are instrumental in his death.

Forgiveness is an important foundation to Luke. It is prophesied by John the Baptist’s father Zacharias, and John himself. It is the basis for freedom, the release that Jesus brings, the ability to live as God intends. It is an active word. It takes someone from one place into another. Without forgiveness there is paralysis. With it there is new life and hope.

We see an example of faith in action in the passage. Bringing people to Jesus for healing and forgiveness, even when they are paralysed and unable to get there themselves, is possible, even when it seems impossible. There can often be restricted circumstances which seem to have immoveable walls and ceilings. Faith can remove these, taking off the roof tiles and giving access to Jesus and his forgiveness. Faith is another active word and combined with forgiveness can be unstoppable.