seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Luke 5:12 While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”
13 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him.
14 Then Jesus ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”
15 Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
17 One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick. 18 Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. 19 When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.
20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”
21 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
22 Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? 23 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 24 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So, he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 25 Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. 26 Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”
Jesus could have been a priest or a rabbi. He had the bloodline through His mom. He knew the scriptures, probably better than the Pharisees and teachers of the law who hounded Him. He could have stayed in Nazareth and those around there would have been happy to tip their hats to Him and his parents, with respect. BUT NOOOOOOO.... Jesus wanted to heal all the sick and feed all the poor.
They thought for sure He was insane. They tried to throw Him off the cliff, but He disappeared [walked right past them in broad daylight].
Now He's healing the Lepers. No one can stand to be near those crusted over monstrosities let alone heal them. They should be in the colony where the good people could be safe from them. But Jesus could heal them..... How's that possible? A cure for Leprosy is decades away.
On top of that.... He's healing the paraplegics! He made a crippled man get up and walk. How is that possible? It's going to be decades before Polio becomes a thing. It's going to be decades before humans have enough medical know how to battle a paraplegic.
Jesus said, "I forgive you". He was just being honest. That man did nothing to Him. Jesus could not blame the guy for his predicament. Fresh slate.
Let's look at the financial side of all this. The moneychangers couldn't sell the man any more expensive "sacrifices".
Jesus didn't require a "tithe" or a "sacrifice".
All Jesus wanted was for people to Believe He could heal the sick and feed the poor. Jesus could have changed the world.
BUT.... NOOOOOOOO.... those Pharisees and teachers of the law were stuck going through their lawbooks trying to find fault. If they couldn't do it, it couldn't be done.... after all, they were the next thing to God. They were the ones between humans and God. Until Jesus came along, that is.
They were always saying "you can't do that".
