Jesus’s Apprentices Learn to Deal with a Different Kind of Opposition

David W Palmer

(Matthew 9:1 NLT) Jesus climbed into a boat and went back across the lake to his own town.

When Jesus and his disciples concluded their first mission trip to Gennesaret—where he set the demonized tomb dweller(s) free—he returned to Capernaum and went into a house. This is where the famous “man through the roof” episode happened. Here, the apprentices learned even more about the authority of Jesus and his words. But they also learned some first-hand lessons about another kind of opposition Jesus’s ministry has to overcome.

First, the miracle:

(Matthew 9:2–7 DKJV) And, behold, they were bringing to him a man sick with paralysis, stretched out on a stretcher. And seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, … “Rise up, pick up your stretcher, and go to your house.” {7} And he arose, and went off to his house …

Amazing! The awesomeness of Jesus’s words is truly astonishing, and his miracles are outstanding. How did this miracle happen? Serious disciples not only want to receive miracles like the paralyzed man did, they also want to minister to the sick and spiritually immobilized like Jesus did. He “saw their faith.” Jesus—along with all those who receive his new birth—can “see” what others cannot:

(John 3:3 NKJV) “… unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Jesus perceived their faith in the spirit, and he saw it in their actions. James later wrote that faith without corresponding actions is dead; faith must be able to express itself for God to consider it alive (See: James 2:17–26). So in verse 6 above, we see that Jesus spoke living word into this faith: “Rise up, pick up your stretcher, and go to your house.” When God’s living word is spoken to a person who has faith in their heart, as expressed in their actions, miracles supersede all the laws of space, time, and nature. Nothing is more powerful than this combination. Nobody can stop it producing; and naught can stand in the way of you receiving your miracle when you follow the example of this paralyzed man and the men who brought him to Jesus.

However, encased in this healing event is a sub-theme: forgiveness and Jesus’s authority to pronounce it:

(Matthew 9:2–8 CSB) Just then some men brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. Seeing their faith, Jesus told the paralytic, “Have courage, son, your sins are forgiven.” {3} At this, some of the scribes said to themselves, “He's blaspheming!” {4} Perceiving their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why are you thinking evil things in your hearts? {5} For which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? {6} But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—then he told the paralytic, “Get up, take your stretcher, and go home.” {7} So he got up and went home. {8} When the crowds saw this, they were awestruck and gave glory to God, who had given such authority to men.

There it is; forgiveness and healing entwined in the same miracle. When Jesus saw their faith, his immediate response was to announce that the man’s sins were forgiven. We could ask, “But didn’t he come for healing? Why does Jesus seem to change the subject to forgiveness?”

Obviously, there is a connection between sickness and sin. In the Old Testament, God revealed that sickness is just one of the horrific consequences of sin (See: Deut. 28:25–68, and especially verse 61: [As a consequence of sin] “The lord will afflict you with every sickness and plague there is, even those not mentioned in this Book of Instruction, until you are destroyed” (NLT).)

The only way to be forgiven and fully justified before God is by faith. The man had faith, and he must have been repentant about his sin. Jesus perceived this and heard from heaven, so he declared, “Have courage, son, your sins are forgiven.”

Even the word “son” in this statement implies that God had accepted him back as a son; his faith was evidence that he was acting like God. Wow, Jesus says so much in a very short statement. All blockages and hindrances to this man’s healing were now gone: pride, unbelief, sin, guilt, and shame. Miracle power hit him and healed him completely when Jesus commanded: “Rise up!”

Everyone in that house should have been rejoicing; God’s light had come, his authority demonstrated, his power present, and the way to right relationship with God was clearly displayed. But what actually happened? A new kind of opposition arose against Jesus; a religious spirit said, “He’s blaspheming!” I wonder if the new apprentices noticed the cold, awkward atmosphere that Jesus picked up on.

Jesus, “perceiving their thoughts,” confronted those who judged him as blaspheming. Obviously, God’s love for the teachers of the law wanted to give them every opportunity to understand, to renew their minds, and to receive God’s gift of righteousness by exercising their own faith. So Jesus proved to them that he had the authority to announce forgiveness; he showed that the man was suddenly free of the consequences of guilt. Yes, Jesus has both the authority to forgive sin, and the power to heal from its consequences.

Jesus’s apprentices were no doubt taking all of this in—as I trust you are—in preparation for Jesus later saying to them:

(John 20:21–23 NKJV) “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” {22} And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. {23} If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

Jesus could perceive faith, announce forgiveness, and authoritatively command healing because the Holy Spirit gave him a hotline to heaven. Jesus is “sending” you with the same commission. He has given you the same Holy Spirit that he was listening to. As you cultivate the same loving, intimate, surrendered closeness with him that Jesus had, you will also have a hotline to heaven. Through Jesus’s blood, and his achievements on the cross and resurrection, you can hear from the Holy Spirit today. He will reveal what to perceive, what you should announce or command, when to confront religious spirits, and what to prophesy in his name.

Today, be ready for the Holy Spirit to take you on your next step of apprenticeship by doing some of this “with” Jesus.