Mt 9:1-8
Authority to forgive: In Jewish understanding physical illness was a manifestation of sin. Someone, the person himself or his parents had sinned, and the paralysis was God’s way of punishing that sin. Illness and sin are both dealt with in the narrative.
Authority to forgive: In Jewish understanding physical illness was a manifestation of sin. Someone, the person himself or his parents had sinned, and the paralysis was God’s way of punishing that sin. Illness and sin are both dealt with in the narrative.
Matthew’s thrust, however, is directed toward the community’s role in the forgiveness of sins. In his unique declaration to Peter, Jesus states, “Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (16:19). This same sentence is repeated in the story of a brother who sins (18:18). Matthew’s community is claiming authority to forgive sin. This is indicated at the end of the healing. The crowds “were struck with awe and glorified God who had given such authority to human beings” (v 8).
In Matthew’s church the forgiveness of sins has been entrusted to the community, human beings. When it acts, God acts. God mediates forgiveness through people.
In the account of the healing of the paralytic, Matthew is telling the reader that not only God has the power to forgive sins, but people have the ability to forgive sins. God acts through people to bring his healing and forgiveness to the world. For one person to refuse to forgive another is to refuse to permit God to continue the forgiveness which he brought about through Jesus.