To read the texts click on the texts: Amos 7:1-10; Mt 9:1-8
The miracle of the healing of the
paralytic who was let down from the roof which forms our text for today is
found also in Mark (2, 1-12) and Luke (5,17-26). Matthew has
omitted some details from Mark and thus shortened his narrative. Through these
omissions, Matthew allows the reader to focus exclusively on Jesus and his
words. It is unusual that Jesus does not respond to the paralytic’s immediate
need but first forgives him his sins. The healing of the man is done later and
only as demonstration of the fact that Jesus has power and authority to forgive
sin, because the scribes consider Jesus’ pronouncement of forgiveness of sins
as blasphemy. Since Jesus heals by the power of God, he can forgive sins by the
same power. In Matthew, the crowd does not praise God for the miracle like they
do in Mark and Luke, but for the authority to forgive sins attributed not only
to Jesus but to human beings (“such authority to human beings” – Mt 9,8).
Most doctors today are convinced that
there is an intimate connection between negative feelings and especially
unforgiveness and physical ailments and advice a positive attitude and
forgiving and letting go, for quicker healing. If we persist in our unforgiveness,
we will continue to have a variety of ailments and sometimes no amount of
external medicine will help at all. Forgive it is good for health.
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