The Son of Man's Authority to Forgive and Heal

When Christ declared to the paralyzed man, "that ye may know that the Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins" (Matthew 9:6), He performed a miracle with dual purpose. Our Lord forgave the sick man's sins for his own sake, yet healed his disease for the sake of those who stood by—a distinction revealing His intimate knowledge of human need and skepticism.

Remarkably, Christ claims the power of forgiving sins not because He is the Son of God, but because He is the Son of Man. This title displays before us a pattern of what we ought to be and of powers we ought to possess. Were we perfect beings, the power of forgiving sins would be ours.

Forgiveness, as Exell explains, is reconciliation—the offense no longer stands between parties. When Elohim forgives, He receives us back to His favor. It is free, full, and outrunning our repentance. Yet the consequences of sin remain; punishment persists, but its character transforms entirely. What we regarded as the blow of an angry Ruler becomes the chastisement of a kind Father.

Christ accepted the challenge of unbelief by curing the man, demonstrating to bystanders that they ought to possess like power. The ministry of reconciliation is committed to man. People of great personal holiness possess the power of reconciling sinners to God. Love raised the life that self-righteous scorn had trampled down.