And when Jesus had seen their faith, He said to the sick of the palsy:
"Be of good heart, son, thy sins are forgiven thee."
Our Lord saw the state of the soul as distinctly as that of the body, and because He knew the much greater value of the soul, He thought of its health first. The poor man held up his trembling hands and looked wistfully at the great Physician, thinking only of the healing of the body, or afraid, perhaps, that his sins would render him unworthy of cure. In reward of his faith our Lord gave him true sorrow for his sins, without which there can be no forgiveness, and then He forgave them.
Now notice carefully what happened, for this scene, like another at Capharnaum later, is one of the most important in our Lord's Life. Remember who sat there, quite an unusual gathering, Pharisees and doctors of the Law from every town of Galilee and Judea. These men began to think in their hearts:
"Why doth this Man speak thus?" He blasphemeth. Who can forgive sins but God only?
And Jesus seeing their thoughts said to them: "Why think you evil in your hearts? Which is easier to say: Thy sins are forgiven thee, or to say: Arise and walk? But that you may know that the Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins"—He said to the sick of the palsy:
"I say to thee, arise, take up thy bed and go into thy house."
And immediately, rising before them, he took up his bed on which he lay and went his way in the sight of all, glorifying God. And all were astonished and glorified God saying:
"We have seen wonderful things to-day."
