“Your sins are forgiven you”

It was a simple statement by Jesus.  It was just six words.  They may not be the most significant or powerful words ever spoken by Jesus, but they undoubtedly they were the most significant and powerful words ever spoken to the man who heard them:

“Friend, your sins are forgiven you” (Lk. 5:20).

He was a sick/injured man who came to Christ in faith, evidently believing Him to be the Messiah who would “proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed” (Lk. 4:18).  He came to Christ with that kind of faith, Christ saw that faith, and Christ forgave him (and then healed him of his paralysis to demonstrate His authority to forgive sin). 

This forgiveness was why Christ came.  He took on manhood as the Son of Man and appeared on earth as God incarnate so He could fulfill the Law, satisfy God’s demands, and provide forgiveness for sinners.

• This plan of forgiveness was prophesied prior to His advent (Lk. 1:77)
• This forgiveness was manifested at the beginning of His ministry in this story (Lk. 5:17-26)
• He granted this forgiveness to the penitent woman (Lk. 7:37, 47-48)
• He taught His disciples to pray for forgiveness (Lk. 11:4)
• He taught His followers to forgive those who sinned against them and repented as an expression of this forgiveness (Lk. 17:3)
• He even offered this forgiveness to those who were crucifying Him (Lk. 23:34)
• And then this forgiveness became the message of the early church (Acts 2:38; 5:31; 8:22; 10:43; 13:38) — and remains so today.

It was a simple declaration to a needy man, but it was made against the backdrop of an eternal plan and was indicative of a fundamental role of Jesus as Messiah.

We often say similar words to those who sin against us.  When asked for forgiveness, we will rightly say, “Yes, I forgive you.”  And those words of remission are often costly.  Sometimes they cost us financially.  Most often they cost us grief and heartache, the pain of broken relationship, and the sorrow of harsh words.  These are costs that are difficult to repay; so we wash over the debt with the simple declaration of forgiveness.

That was also true of Christ’s words.  Except it was much more costly for Him.

When Christ said, “I forgive you,” He did not mean, “Don’t worry about it…it’s okay” (as we sometimes do).  No, when Christ said, “I forgive you,” He was affirming that the sin would be wiped away because the debt would be paid by another.  He would be the One to pay that debt.  And He would pay that debt by His death on the cross.  It was a granting of forgiveness that came at the greatest cost (a cost, frankly, that we are incapable of comprehending).  And He willingly absorbed that cost.

So, when Christ said, “Friend, your sins  are forgiven you,” what was behind those six words were six other words:  “Friend, I will die for you.”

No wonder one commentator said of the word forgiveness, “In the Bible no sweeter word meets the sinner’s eye.”