Tag: New Testament

Categories
bible study devotion

Wise and foolish people: devotion

Devotion

Matthew 7:24-29

24 “Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on a rock. 25 The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it didn’t fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 Everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell—and its fall was great.” 28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the multitudes were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he taught them with authority, and not like the scribes.

Reflection

There are two kinds of people and two types of houses. Wise people who build their houses with Jesus as the foundation will be able to withstand the onslaught of trials and persecution. Foolish people who build their houses with sand as the foundation will be washed away by the floods, storms, and natural disasters of life. When the multitude heard these sayings, they were amazed because Jesus taught with authority, unlike the Pharisees and scribes. 

Application

Praying is asking, seeking, and knocking on God. The Greek verbs, ask, seek, and knock are in the present, active, and imperative tense. This is a continuous action i.e. go on asking, go on seeking, and go on knocking. Prayer involves persistence, perseverance, and determination. 

We must avoid hypocritical, judgmental, and self-righteous attitudes. We must be able to spot and discern false teachers by inspecting their fruits. Do they have the fruit of the Holy Spirit i.e. love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, Galatians 5:22-23?

We must build the foundation of our faith in Christ the solid rock through faith and obedience. 

As the second person of the Trinity, Jesus taught with the authority of the Godhead. Jesus is the Word of God, who became flesh and lived with us. He is the Son of God and Son of Man, fully divine and fully human.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your teaching on judging, spiritual discernment, relationship, and wisdom. Help us to build our faith with Jesus as our foundation to withstand the storms of life. Help us to go on asking, seeking, and knocking on You in prayer with persistence, perseverance, faith, and determination, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Dr Andrew C S Koh

Categories
bible study devotion

Devotion: false prophets

Devotion

Setting

In Matthew 7:12- 14, Jesus gave us the golden rule: do to others what you want others to do to us and be kind to others if you want others to be kind to us. Jesus explained that He is the only way to God and the gate to salvation. After this, He warned us against false prophets.

Matthew 7:15-20

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. By their fruits you will know them. Do you gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree produces good fruit, but the corrupt tree produces evil fruit. A good tree can’t produce evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit. Every tree that doesn’t grow good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore, by their fruits you will know them.

Reflection

Jesus warned us to watch out for false prophets who peddle false doctrines to lead people astray. They masquerade as sheep in wolf’s clothing to deceive people with heretic teachings. They misused the gospel for personal enrichment and financial gains. False prophets were plentiful in the first-century world and even today.

We can detect false teachers by inspecting their fruits. A good tree produces good fruit. A bad tree produces bad fruit. Examine every teacher for the fruit of the spirits. Genuine teachers will have the fruit of the Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-23: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things, there is no law.

Application

This passage is very relevant to us today because there are so many false teachers today masquerading as sheep among wolves. 

Do not believe everything you hear or read. Countercheck everything you hear or read with the scriptures. Learn the Bible and be biblically literate. This is the best safeguard against heresy. 

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we pray for the revelation of truth. We pray for the nourishment and strengthening of our souls. We pray for maturity in faith, in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Dr Andrew C S Koh

Categories
devotion

Devotion: Do not give pearls to dogs

Devotion

Cofee on a table

do not give pearls to dogs

Matthew 7:6-11

Don’t give that which is holy to the dogs, neither throw your pearls before the pigs, lest perhaps they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened. Or who is there among you who, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, who will give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! 

Reflection

We must not give valuable things to people who do not appreciate them. For example, if we give flowers to monkeys, they will trample on them and tear them to pieces in no time. This is a call for spiritual discernment and wisdom. Sharing the gospel with people who ridicule and blaspheme God is like throwing pearls to dogs. 

Prayer is asking, seeking, and knocking on closed doors. 

Prayer is to ask until God gives, seek until God reveals, and knock until God opens the door. We must pray consistently, continuously, patiently, persistently, with perseverance, determination, and faith. We must not allow obstacles to deter, discourage, or hinder us from praying.

Prayer is like children asking their father for the things they need. In prayer, we go to our heavenly Father and ask Him for things that we need. God will give us good things when we pray according to His will. His answer may be yes, no, or wait, but it will always be the best.

Application

If we who are sinful know how to give good things to our children when they ask, how much more will God give us when we ask?

God is just a prayer away. Pray with faith, conviction, persistence, and perseverance. Do not give up if the answer does not come. God hears every word you pray. God may say yes, no, or wait but His answer is always the best. He is never late, or early, but always on time. Sometimes you may even have to fast and pray.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we pray for divine enablement to pray with faith and conviction. Help us to overcome the fear of man through prayer. We pray for the gift of evangelism, in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Dr Andrew C S Koh

Categories
devotion

Do not judge: devotion

Dr. Andrew C S Koh

photo of an open bible
open bible

Setting

Matthew 7 is a continuation of Jesus’ sermon on the Mount where Jesus taught on judging others, spiritual discernment, relationship, and wisdom.

Matthew 7:1-5

1 Don’t judge, so that you won’t be judged. 2 For with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but don’t consider the beam that is in your own eye? 4 Or how will you tell your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye,’ and behold, the beam is in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite! First,  remove the beam out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye.

Reflection

We cannot judge other people because we are sinners under God’s judgment, Romans 3:22. If we judge we are like pots calling kettles black. We cannot judge others righteously because we are not righteous. Judging others will only bring judgment to ourselves because God will judge us.

Jesus asked two rhetorical questions. These are questions to emphasize a point and do not require any answers.

Why are we so fast to see a speck of sawdust in other people’s eye but could not see the log of wood in our own eyes?   How are we going to remove the speck of sawdust in other people’s eye when our vision is blocked by a log in our own eyes? 

Romans 3:23, “for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.”

Application

There are practical instructions to obey and apply.

Do not be a hypocrite. Remove the log in your own eye first before attempting to remove the speck of sawdust in other people’s eyes. Examine yourself first. Are you perfect? Are you qualified to judge? 

Confess, repent, and ask God to forgive your sins. Claim the promise of 1 John 1:9.

Do not take the law into your own hands. Let God be the judge, instead of judging others. Forgive others as God has forgiven you. Do not take vengeance on others. Let God deal with it.

1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Prayer

Heavenly Father, help us not to be judgmental and self-righteous. Thank You for reminding us that we are sinners under Your judgment. Thank You for redemption, reconciliation, justification, sanctification, salvation and eternal life, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Dr Andrew C S Koh

Newsletter opt-in

Categories
devotion

Exorcism: devotion

Dr. Andrew C S Koh

book cover

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we praise You and thank You because You are worthy to be praised. You are Holy and righteous, perfect and pure. We listen to You in humility and obedience, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Setting

Jesus taught in a synagogue on the Sabbath in Capernaum. Synagogue in Greek means a place of gathering. After the destruction of Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem, the exilic Jews built synagogues in Babylon as gathering places to meet and practice Judaism.  After the exile, the Jews continued to build synagogues throughout Israel. The elements of a synagogue service include prayer, worship, and teaching from the Old Testament.

Mark 1:21-28

21 Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. 22 And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 23 Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, ‘’Be quiet, and come out of him!” 26 And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. 27 Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, ‘’What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority, He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” 28 And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.’’ 

Mark 1:21-28

Commentary

Jesus taught, preached, and exorcised a demoniac man in the synagogue on a Sabbath day.

Sabbath is between sundown on Friday and sundown on Saturday.  The Jews were not allowed to do any work during the Sabbath. The Jewish leaders accused Jesus of breaking the Sabbath because He healed the sick and exorcised demons on the Sabbath.

A demonized man manifested when Jesus taught with authority. 

The demon knew Jesus of Nazareth by name and called Him the Holy One of God. It trembled with fear at the sight of Jesus because He was God.

Jesus commanded the demon to come out of the man and when it didso, the man had a convulsion.

The people were amazed and immediately His fame spread throughout Galilee. Note the word ‘’immediately’’.

Application

The demon knew Jesus’ identity and called Him Jesus of Nazareth and the Holy One of God.

The demon was terrified at the sight of Jesus because He was God. 

Jesus taught with authority because He was, and is God. He did not have to study the Bible because He is the author of the Bible, 2 Timothy 3:16.

2 Timothy 3:16, Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness,

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us a glimpse of Jesus preaching, teaching, and exorcising a demonized man in a synagogue in Galilee 2000 years ago. Thank You for the testimony of Mark, a disciple of Peter, a cousin of Barnabas, and a missionary worker, who gave us this fast-paced book. Thank You for the blessings You give us, In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Author app
read our latest newsletter
get your free book
book cover

Dr Andrew C S Koh

Categories
bible study devotion

The resurrection and the life: devotion

book cover

Dr. Andrew C S Koh

3 D book cover

Setting

After healing the centurion’s servant, Jesus came to the city of Naim and raised a widow’s only son back to life. This miracle is unique to Luke.  In the canonical gospels, Jesus raised three people from the dead, the son of the widow of Naim,  the daughter of Jairus, and Lazarus of Bethany. 

Luke 7:11-17

11 Soon afterward, he went to a city called Nain. Many of his disciples, along with a great multitude, went with him. 12 Now when he came near to the gate of the city, behold, one who was dead was carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. Many people of the city were with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said to her, “Don’t cry.”14 He came near and touched the coffin, and the bearers stood still. He said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!” 15 He who was dead sat up and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother. 16 Fear took hold of all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and, “God has visited his people!” 17 This report went out concerning him in the whole of Judea, and in all the surrounding region.

Luke 7:11-17

Commentary

Ancient Naim is located 2 miles southwest of Mount Tabor in the Galilee region. When Jesus reached the city gate of Naim, He encountered a funeral procession of the only son of a widow. In the patriarchal society of first-century Israel, once a woman was married, she belonged to her husband. A widow could not go back to her father’s house for support. Without a son to support her, this widow would be destitute.

Jesus had compassion for her and comforted her. He touched the coffin and commanded the dead man to rise up. To the amazement of everyone, the dead man stood up and began to talk. Everyone trembled and glorified God, acknowledging that Jesus was a prophet and that God had visited them. Zacharias prophesied this in Luke 1:68. Words spread like wildfire throughout Jordan and all the surrounding region.

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people.

Luke 1:68

Application

Jesus had compassion for the widow of Naim. Jesus has compassion on you too. He is the God of all comfort, 2 Corinthians 3-4.

Jesus is more than a prophet. He is God’s incarnate who came to earth in the form of a man. He is fully God and yet fully man. He is the second Person of the Trinity.

Jesus raised the dead man to life by speaking the words. He had authority over death and have the keys to death and hades, Revelation 1:18 

Jesus has the words of eternal life. He is the resurrection and the life, John 11:25. God’s word has the power to give life. Today, you can speak the word of God to other people to bless them.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; who comforts us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, through the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

2 Corinthians 3:4

and the Living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever and ever. Amen. I have the keys of Death and of Hades.

Revelation 1:18

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will still live, even if he dies.

John 11:25

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Jesus to us, who is the resurrection and the life. Thank You that whoever believes in Jesus will never die. Thank You for sending Jesus Christ to die on the cross to wash away our sins and give us eternal life, in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Author App
Read our latest newsletter
Get your free book
3 D book cover

Dr Andrew C S Koh

Categories
bible study devotion

Faith: devotion

book cover

Prayer:

Dr. Andrew C S Koh

3 D book cover

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for all that You have done for us in our lives. We acknowledge that You are the creator of the universe and God of the Bible. Thank You for speaking to us through the inspired, infallible, and inerrant words of the Holy Scripture, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Setting

A centurion is a Roman soldier who had 100 soldiers under his command. In the first-century world, masters treat their servants like a piece of furniture. They were not obligated to treat their servants with kindness. However, this centurion was very kind to his servant when he was on the verge of dying. Even though he was a Gentile, he loved the Jews and helped them build a synagogue. He sent Jewish elders to beg Jesus to come to his house and heal his servant. 

Luke 7:6-10

6 Jesus went with them. When he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying to him, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I am not worthy for you to come under my roof. 7 Therefore I didn’t even think myself worthy to come to you but say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 For I also am a man placed under authority, having under myself soldiers. I tell this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 9 When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turned and said to the multitude who followed him, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith, no, not in Israel.” 10 Those who were sent, returning to the house, found that the servant who had been sick was well.

Luke 7:6-10

Commentary

As Jesus was approaching the centurion’s house, the centurion had a sudden change of heart. He realized that he was not worthy to receive Jesus into his home. He sent his friends to Jesus asking him not to come to his house but to pray for healing from a distance. 

His faith was incredible and amazing. He recognized Jesus’ authority. He knew that His word was as good as His presence. He believed that Jesus could cure his servant from a distance. 

Jesus was amazed at the faith of the centurion. Even the Jews did not have such great faith. The centurion’s friends returned to the centurion’s house to find the servant recovered! Jesus was omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient. He healed the centurion’s servant through a private miracle from a distance. The public was not privy to the miracle. Only Jesus, the apostles, the centurion, his family, and his friends knew about the miracle. 

Application

Faith moves mountains. Even a mustard seed faith is enough to start a miracle. How big is your faith? Do you pray with faith? Jesus will mountains for you if you pray with faith according to His will. 

Faith is to know that you will get what you hoped for even when your physical eyes cannot see it coming. 

You cannot please God if you do not have faith, Hebrews 11:6.

Faith is your third pair of eyes. Walk by faith with your spiritual eyes, 2 Corinthians 5:7. 

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen

Hebrews 11:1

Without faith, it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.

Hebrews 11:16

for we walk by faith, not by sight

2 Corinthians 5:7

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for the lesson on faith. Help us to walk by faith and not by sight. Open our spiritual eyes of faith to see into the spiritual dimension. Increase our faith. Help us with our unbelief, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Author app
Read our LATEST newsletter
get your free book
book cover

Dr Andrew C S Koh

Categories
bible study devotion

Parable of the sower: devotion

Dr Andrew C S Koh

book cover

Prayer

Heavenly Father, bless us as we listen to Your word and be transformed. May the soil of our heart will be fruitful so that Your word will be able to take roots deeply and produce fruits. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

Setting

Jesus taught by the Sea of Galilee. In the last chapter, Jesus’ mother and half-brothers thought He was mad. The Jews accused Him of being demon-possessed. Now He spoke to the multitude from a boat, as a floating pulpit, teaching them in parables. A parable or parabola in Greek is an earthly story, usually an agricultural story, to explain a spiritual truth. It is a worldly story with a heavenly meaning. One-third of Jesus’ teachings were in parables.

Mark 4:3-9

3 Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside, and the birds of the air came and devoured it. 5 Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. 7 And some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. 8 But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased, and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred. 9 And He said to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

Commentary

A sower went out to sow seeds. Some seeds fell on the wayside, trodden by feet and eaten by birds. Some seeds fell on stony ground, and grew immediately but dried up just as quickly. Some seeds fell among thorns, grew but choked by thorns, and yielded no crop. Some seeds fell on good ground, grew healthily, and became fruitful.

The seed is the word of God, the gospel message. The sower could be Jesus, the disciples, or Christians,m. This is the sower of the seed of the gospel message. The soil is the human heart. The human heart is deceitful and unfruitful, Jeremiah 17:9.

Jeremiah 17:9, ‘’The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?’’ There are four types of human hearts.

Application

When you preached the gospel, it will land on four kinds of people, represented by the soil types:

1). Wayside, the indifferent heart, where seeds cannot penetrate and are eaten by birds or satan. They are not open to spiritual truth, stubborn, and will not listen.

2). Stony ground, the emotional heart, where there is no depth or roots. They had an initial shallow response but when hardship or suffering comes along, they fell out of faith and stop growing.

3). Thorny ground, the divided heart, a lukewarm Christian. They believed but could not dissociate with the world. The cares of the world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desire for material things made them too busy for God.

4). Good ground, the fruitful heart, who heard, believed, grew, and bear fruits, Psalm 1:3

Evangelism is very rewarding because the return of investment is so incredible. A 30-fold increase is 3000%, a 60-fold increase is 6000%, and a 100-fold increase is 10,000%. There is no earthly investment with such returns!

Psalm 1:3, He shall be like a tree, planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us the key to understanding the parable of the sower. Thank You for showing us that evangelism produces such an incredible return of investment. There is no investment in the world that is able to match a return of this magnitude. Help us to s

Visit author app
Read our latest newsletter
get your free book

Dr Andrew C S Koh

Categories
bible study devotion

He is not here, He has risen!: devotion

Dr. Andrew C S Koh

photo of an open bible
open bible

Easter, John 20:4-10 

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we come before You to learn, listen, worship, and fellowship with You. Speak to us and Your servants will listen, hear, and obey, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Setting

Mary Magdalene came to the tomb very early on Easter Sunday when it was still dark. She saw the tombstone rolled away and falsely concluded that tomb raiders had stolen the Lord’s body. She bumped into Peter and John, and told them what she saw. The duo raced to the tomb as fast as they could.

4 They both ran together. The other disciple outran Peter, and came to the tomb first. 5 Stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths lying, yet he didn’t enter in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and entered into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying, 7 and the cloth that had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself. 8 So then the other disciple who came first to the tomb also entered in, and he saw and believed. 9 For as yet they didn’t know the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 So the disciples went away again to their own homes.

John 20:4-10

Reflection

 John outran Peter and reached the tomb first but did not go in. He saw the empty tomb from the outside. The Greek word for saw here is “blepo” which means to take a glance. John did not see anything significant.

Peter arrived at the scene, entered the tomb, and saw the linen cloths lying on the floor, undisturbed in two piles, one for the head and one for the rest of the body., from the neck to the toes. The Greek word for saw here is “theoreo”, which means to see like a detective investigating a crime scene. Peter saw the empty linen clothes but could not connect the dots.

 After this, John entered the tomb and saw what Peter had just seen. The Greek word for saw here is “aido”, which means to see with insight and understanding. John saw the “cocoon” and correctly concluded that Jesus had resurrected from the dead. He understood that Christ’s resurrection body body had passed out from the linen cloths like a butterfly exiting a cocoon. John was the first disciple to believe in the Resurrection of Christ.

On Good Friday, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus wrapped up Jesus’ body with linen strips from the head to the toes. The linen strips were interlaced with myrrh and aloes. Over time, when the spices dried up, the linen strips hardened and solidified into a cocoon-like structure. 

Application

On Easter, three people came out from Easter with different conclusions. Mary Magdalene saw the opened tomb and falsely concluded that tomb raiders came to steal the body. Peter saw the linen cloths but could not connect the dots. John saw the linen cloths and believed that Christ had Risen. What about you? What did you ‘see’ from the Easter narrative? Did you ‘see’ the Risen Christ and believed?

Today, you can visit the garden tomb in Jerusalem as a pilgrim and relive the experience of Peter and John when you walk into the empty tomb. The Bible is about real people, real places, real history, and real geography. It is not a figment of someone’s imagination. The Bible is the inspired Word of God.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Thank You that You have conquered sin and death on Good Friday and rose from the dead on Easter. Thank You for the gift of salvation and eternal life, in Jesus’ name, Amen.  

download a free audiobook worth $4.99

Dr Andrew C S Koh

Categories
bible study devotion

Your sins are forgiven: devotion

Dr. Andrew C S Koh

boxset

Setting

When Jesus taught the people, Pharisees and teachers of the laws came from Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem to spy on Him. Four men carried their paralytic friend on a stretcher to Jesus. Mark informed us that there were four men, Mark 2:3. When they could not come near to Jesus, they went up the roof, broke the tiles, lowered the stretcher from the ceiling, and presented the man to Jesus. 

And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.

Mark 2;3

Luke 5:20-26

20 Seeing their faith, he said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” 21 The scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?” 22 But Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, answered them, “Why are you reasoning so in your hearts? 23 Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you;’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk?’ 24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” (he said to the paralyzed man), “I tell you, arise, take up your cot, and go to your house.” 25 Immediately he rose up before them, and took up that which he was laying on, and departed to his house, glorifying God. 26 Amazement took hold on all, and they glorified God. They were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen strange things today.” 

Luke 5:20-26

Commentary

The four friends of the paralyzed man had tremendous faith, determination, perseverance, and persistence. The massive crowd did not hinder their effort. They overcame the crowd by thinking out of the box. Acknowledging the faith of his friends, Jesus told the paralyzed man that He forgave him of his sins. The scribes and teachers of the law thought in their hearts that Jesus was a blasphemer. With omniscient power, Jesus knew what they were thinking and said that He had the power to forgive sins because He was the Christ, the Son of Man. He told the paralyzed man to take up his mat and walk and he walked! Jesus had authority over nature, sin, sicknesses, evil spirits, and death. The man got up, left the room, and walked home glorifying God all the way! The people were afraid, astonished, and amazed at the miraculous healing. 

Application

The man’s friends had faith. Nothing could stop them from bringing the paralyzed man to Jesus. Do you have faith in Jesus? Do you believe that He can do all things, even the impossible things?

Jesus can forgive sins because He is God. Jesus is fully man and fully God. He is the second person of the Trinity. 

Jesus is omniscient. He knows everything about you and me. Nothing is hidden from Him, Hebrews 4:13. He knows your thoughts, and He knows your past, present, and future. He even knows the number of hairs on your head, Matthew 10:30.

Jesus is the Son of Man, which means that He is the Messiah (Christ), Jesus is the fulfillment of the Son of Man described in Daniel l7:13.

Jesus spoke the word and the man was healed instantly. 

.

There is no creature that is hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him to whom we must give an account

Hebrews 4:13

But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

Matthew 10:30

I saw in the night visions, and behold, there came with the clouds of the sky one like a son of man, and he came even to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him

Daniel 7:13

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You that You are the Messiah, the Son of Man. Thank You that You came to seek and save those who are lost. Thank You for justification and salvation by grace through faith in Christ, in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Author app
Read our latest newsletter
Get your free book

Dr Andrew C S Koh