One day as Jesus was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem, and the power of the Lord was with him for healing. And some men brought on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed; they were trying to bring him in and set (him) in his presence. But not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on the stretcher through the tiles into the middle in front of Jesus. When he saw their faith, he said, "As for you, your sins are forgiven." Then the scribes and Pharisees began to ask themselves, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who but God alone can forgive sins?" Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them in reply, "What are you thinking in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins''– he said to the man who was paralyzed, "I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home." He stood up immediately before them, picked up what he had been lying on, and went home, glorifying God. Then astonishment seized them all and they glorified God, and, struck with awe, they said, "We have seen incredible things today."(Lk 5:17-26)
Jesus was teaching. He also had the power of healing. These were the two great ministries which Jesus was doing on this earth. People were witnesses to these activities. Pharisees and the teachers of the law were also there listening to his teachings. Certainly they did not agree to all what he taught because constantly they tried to put him to test. They wanted to catch him by his own words. They did the same with regard to his doings.
Only God can forgive sins and that too he would do it through the temple and all the system of sacrifices. Above all this was done on the Day of Atonement. Normally this would be the process through which God forgave the people. So naturally this would involve the priests and particularly the high priest. Jesus was aware of this. The how could he say: ‘your sins are forgiven’. He was cutting across the normal channels of authority and this was the problem.
People who were gathered around Jesus, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were witnesses to his teachings and miracles. They saw the paralyzed man walking in front of their own eyes. The people were amazed because they saw am man with healing power and he was a man of authority because he challenged the leading members of the society and preached about the kingdom.
