Thy Sins Be Forgiven Thee

One of the stories that all three synoptic gospels recorded about the Savior was how the man sick of the palsy was healed both physically and spiritually. It is one of the few stories in which He overtly forgave someone, but I believe it was meant to show us that all of the accounts of Him healing people of their physical infirmities were indications that He could also heal us spiritually. After this man was lowered down by his friends in the house where Jesus was at, “When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.” When Jesus perceived their criticisms, for they didn’t believe He could really forgive sins, He said, “Why reason ye these things in your hearts? Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house” (Mark 2:5-11). Since of course we can’t see for ourselves that sins are forgiven, He healed the man physically so the people could all know that He was also healed spiritually. And so each of the other stories that shows Him healing people’s sickness and infirmities are meant to indicate not only that He can heal physically but that He has power to forgive sins and heal people’s spirits.   

                There is one other story in which the Savior forgave sins of someone who came to Him. In this story it was the one who came to Him that showed the physical signs of being forgiven by her actions. We read, “And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.” She clearly was repentant of her mistakes and came humbly to the Savior for healing. Interestingly, she brought ointment to Him but it was He that gave her the healing balm of forgiveness: “And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.” Jesus further explained to his host: “Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much” (Luke 7:37-38, 44-47). This story emphasizes that indeed His mission included the forgiving of sins, and He was willing to forgive even this woman—whose sins were apparently great—because she came with such love and humility to Him.

                While most of the stories about the Savior are about physical healing, His mission to forgive is no less important than His mission to help and heal physically. When the angel came to Joseph to declare that Mary was pregnant with the Messiah, he said this: “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). That was the introduction to His life, and His mission was indeed to save all of us from our sins. He declared, “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:17). That salvation comes as we are rescued from our sins through repentance and faith in Him. At the end of His life it is fitting then that one of His final acts was to forgive sins. On the cross He cried out, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). His mission was to save us from our sins, and like the woman who came to Him weeping we too should come to Him seeking forgiveness each day of our own sins.