Easier to Say

by Hugh DeLong

Jesus asked a simple question: “Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, and walk’?”(Matthew 9:5). Of course, the answer is that it is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven’, for how does one prove or disprove that such took place? However, if one says to a paralytic: “Get up, pick up your bed and go home”, you can instantly see if the speaker has the authority to heal the man so that he could do that.

What does that prove? Well, Jesus gives the response: “But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"—then He said to the paralytic, "Get up, pick up your bed and go home" (Matthew 9:6). He had earlier told this man that his sins were forgiven. Mark included the thinking of the crowd at that point: "Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins but God alone?" (Mark 2:7)

Jesus' question sets forth the problem: the healing of this paralytic would be a confirmation that Jesus indeed had the power (authority, ability, right) to forgive sins. "'But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins'—then He said to the paralytic, 'Get up, pick up your bed and go home'" (Matthew 9:6).

If Jesus was not the Son of God, such a statement as ‘your sins are forgiven’ (indicating ‘I forgive your sins’) would have been blasphemy: making himself equal to God. When this man then, at the command of Jesus, was immediately and completely healed of his paralysis and took up his bed and went home, everyone there recognized that Jesus could and did forgive this man’s sins.

Jesus is no longer here on earth, but He still has the words that bring forgiveness. These were given as His great commission: "He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned" (Mark 16:16).

If you were this paralytic, and Jesus told you to take up your bed and walk—would you have said “No!” Why then do people today say ‘no’ at His command to be baptized when they believe He is the Son of God?