The Aggressive Forgiveness of Jesus

Luke 5:17-26, NRSV

17
One day, while he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting nearby (they had
come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem); and the power of the Lord
was wit him to heal. 18Just then some men came, carrying a paralysed man on a bed. They were
trying to bring him in and lay him before Jesus; 19but finding no way to bring him in because of
the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the
middle of the crowd in front of Jesus. 20When he saw their faith, he said, ‘Friend, your sins are
forgiven you.’ 21Then the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, ‘Who is this who is
speaking blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?’ 22When Jesus perceived their
questionings, he answered them, ‘Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? 23Which is
easier, to say, “Your sins are forgiven you”, or to say, “Stand up and walk”? 24But so that you
may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins’—he said to the one who
was paralysed—‘I say to you, stand up and take your bed and go to your home.’ 25Immediately he
stood up before them, took what he had been lying on, and went to his home, glorifying God.
26
Amazement seized all of them, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, ‘We
have seen strange things today.’