Jesus calls himself “the Son of Man” in Luke 5:24. Compare Daniel 7:13-14. What do you think is the significance of this title Jesus uses for himself? Notice that Jesus claims as the Son of Man to have authority on the earth among human beings to forgive sins. Compare these other passages in Luke’s gospel (a few of the many) where Jesus calls himself “the Son of Man” –- Luke 6:5, 12:8-10, 12:40, 18:31, 19:10, 21:27-28, 22:67-71. You can see that “Son of Man” was a favorite title Jesus used for himself. What do you think the religious leaders understood Jesus to mean when He called himself “the Son of Man”? What do you think Jesus himself meant when He said He was “the Son of Man”?
“Son of Man” was a term that both revealed and concealed that He was and is the Messiah. He used it in reference to his earthly ministry, his suffering, and his glorious return. As the Son of Man, Jesus is indeed a man – the Unique Man – through whom God is now working.
Let’s think about what forgiveness is. At its root, the word simply means to release or separate. To forgive doesn’t mean to ignore, forget, or feel pity for. Forgiveness requires a choice, an act of the will to let the offense go. It does not depend on the offender’s merit; it’s undeserved. It means to release the offender from the penalty he deserves to suffer for his sin and suffer it in his place. Consider these verse about Jesus’ forgiveness…
- Luke 1:77 – What can one receive if one is forgiven?
- Luke 3:3 – Before there can be forgiveness, what must take place first?
- Acts 10:43– What is the Source of forgiveness of sins?
- Isaiah 43:25 – Who is the true Forgiver of sins? Does he have to forgive us?
Compare Jesus forgiving the paralyzed man to another story of His offering forgiveness, found in Luke 7:36-50. Jesus declared her sins forgiven, no strings attached. Like this sinful woman, the paraplegic received God’s forgiveness because he repented and believed. Jesus released him from his moral and legal obligation due to his sinning. In Luke 23:23 Jesus makes it clear that all human beings need forgiveness, and his death on the cross makes that possible.
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