Jesus Heals a Paralytic
(Matthew 9:1–8; Luke 5:17–26)
A few days later Jesus went back to Capernaum. And when the people heard that He was home, Luk 5:18Jhn 4:47Luk 18:35-38Mat 9:1Mrk 1:45Mrk 7:24Act 2:6 they gathered in such large numbers that there was no more room, not even outside the door, as Jesus spoke the word to them. Mrk 2:13Mrk 1:452Ti 4:2Luk 5:17Luk 8:1Mat 5:2Mrk 1:14Mrk 1:33
Then a paralytic was brought to Him, carried by four men. Luk 5:18-26Mat 9:1-8Mat 4:24 Since they were unable to get to Jesus through the crowd, they uncovered the roof above Him, made an opening, and lowered the paralytic on his mat. Luk 5:19Deu 22:8
When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Mat 9:2Jas 5:15Mrk 2:9-10Luk 7:47-50Luk 5:20Act 5:31Eph 2:8Mat 9:22
But some of the scribes were sitting there and thinking in their hearts, Luk 5:21-22Mrk 8:172Co 10:5Mat 16:7-8 “Why does this man speak like this? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Isa 43:25Dan 9:9Luk 5:21Mic 7:18Luk 7:49Jhn 10:33Jhn 20:20-23Job 14:4
At once Jesus knew in His spirit that they were thinking this way within themselves. “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?” He asked. Psa 139:2Act 5:3Act 8:22Ezk 38:10Heb 4:13Jhn 2:24-25Jhn 6:64Luk 24:38 “Which is easier: to say to a paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, pick up your mat, and walk’? Luk 5:22-25Mat 9:5 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...” He said to the paralytic, Dan 7:13-14Mat 9:6-8Act 5:31Jhn 5:20-27Mat 16:131Ti 1:13-16 “I tell you, get up, pick up your mat, and go home.” Mrk 1:41Jhn 5:8-10Jhn 6:63
And immediately the man got up, picked up his mat, and walked out in front of them all. As a result, they were all astounded and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” Mat 9:33Mat 9:8Jhn 9:32Luk 7:16Act 4:21Jhn 7:31Luk 13:13Luk 17:15
Jesus Calls Levi
(Matthew 9:9–13; Luke 5:27–32)
Once again Jesus went out beside the sea. All the people came to Him, and He taught them there. Mrk 4:1Pro 1:20-22Luk 19:48Luk 21:38Mat 13:1Mat 9:9Mrk 1:45Mrk 2:2
As He was walking along, He saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth. “Follow Me,” He told him, and Levi got up and followed Him. Luk 5:27-32Luk 6:15Mat 9:9-13Mrk 1:17-20Mrk 3:18Mat 4:19-22Act 1:13
While Jesus was dining at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with Him and His disciples—for there were many who followed Him. Luk 15:1Luk 5:29-30Mat 9:10-11Luk 6:17Mat 21:31-32 When the scribes who were Pharisees saw Jesus eating with these people, they asked His disciples, “Why does He eat 1with tax collectors and sinners?” Luk 18:11Luk 19:10Luk 19:71Co 2:15Act 23:9Isa 65:5Heb 12:3Luk 15:2-7
On hearing this, Jesus told them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Luk 15:7Mat 9:12-13Luk 19:10Luk 5:31-321Ti 1:15-16Tit 3:3-7Rom 5:6-8Isa 55:7
Questions about Fasting
(Matthew 9:14–15; Luke 5:33–35)
Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were often fasting. So people came to Jesus and asked, “Why don’t Your disciples fast like John’s disciples and those of the Pharisees?” Luk 18:12Mat 6:18Mat 9:14-17Mat 6:16Luk 5:33-39Mat 23:5Rom 10:3
Jesus replied, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while He is with them? As long as He is with them, they cannot fast. Mat 25:1-10Gen 29:22Jdg 14:10-11Psa 45:14Sng 6:8 But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast. Luk 17:22Rev 21:9Isa 54:5Isa 62:5Rev 19:7Zec 13:71Co 7:52Co 11:2
The Patches and the Wineskins
(Matthew 9:16–17; Luke 5:36–39)
No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the new piece will pull away from the old, and a worse tear will result. Mat 9:161Co 10:13Isa 57:16Psa 103:13-15
And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. Instead, new wine is poured into new wineskins.” 2 Mat 9:17Psa 119:83Luk 5:37-38Job 32:19Jos 9:13Jos 9:4Psa 119:80
The Lord of the Sabbath
(1 Samuel 21:1–7; Matthew 12:1–8; Luke 6:1–5)
One Sabbath Jesus was passing through the grainfields, and His disciples began to pick the heads of grain as they walked along. Deu 23:24-25Mat 12:1-8Luk 6:1-5 So the Pharisees said to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?” Exo 20:10Heb 12:3Mat 12:2Exo 31:15Exo 35:2-3Isa 56:2Isa 56:4Isa 56:6
Jesus replied, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? 1Sa 21:3-6Luk 10:26Mat 19:4Mat 21:16Mat 21:42Mat 22:31Mrk 12:20Mrk 12:26 During the high priesthood of Abiathar, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, 3 which was lawful only for the priests. And he gave some to his companions as well.” 2Sa 8:171Sa 21:1Lev 24:5-91Ch 24:61Ki 2:26-271Sa 22:20-221Ki 1:71Ki 2:22
Then Jesus declared, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Col 2:16Luk 6:9Deu 5:14Ezk 20:12Isa 58:13Exo 23:12Ezk 20:20Jhn 7:23 Therefore, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” Mat 12:8Jhn 9:14Rev 1:10Eph 1:22Jhn 5:17Jhn 5:9-11Jhn 9:16Jhn 9:5-11