Luke 5:20

‘And seeing their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” '

Jesus was clearly moved by the faith and persistence of these five men (including the paralytic). He ‘saw their faith'. But then He did the unexpected. Turning to the man He said to him, ‘Your sins are forgiven.' This was in the perfect passive indicative and could therefore mean ‘have been and therefore are forgiven'. But some see it as an aoristic perfect and as thus meaning ‘are this moment forgiven'. Both interpretations are possible. Either way forgiveness was declared, and when Jesus used the passive in this way He was intending God to be seen as the subject (compare Matthew 5:1).

But we may ask why did He speak like this when the man had come for healing? No Jew of that time would have asked such a question. They would have agreed that his condition must connect with some sin, either his or his parents (compare John 9:2), and that forgiveness of that sin could well relate to any attempt to heal. But Jesus did not think like that. Clearly as He looked at the man, with his eager gaze fixed on Him, possibly clouded by fear that he was not worthy, He knew something specific about this man which led Him to say it. And besides He wanted it made quite clear that He was not a doctor but a prophet. He was first of all concerned with men's inner souls. Once that was right healings could follow.

It is quite possible that the paralysis had actually resulted from some deep sin. Cases are known where people have become paralysed as a result of some traumatic event in their lives. That cannot be ruled out. But it is more likely that Jesus knew of his private struggle with sin and knew that he had prayed, ‘God be merciful to me a sinner', and yet was still in doubt. Whatever the situation Jesus knew that the greatest need of this man was an assurance of forgiveness. His healing was secondary. And His very words seem to suggest that He knew that this man had repented and that God had forgiven him. So He gives that assurance.