Luke 5:1-26
Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, 2 he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” 6 When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” 11 When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.
Jesus Cleanses a Leper
12 Once, when he was in one of the cities, there was a man covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean.” 13 Then Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I do choose. Be made clean.” Immediately the leprosy left him. 14 And he ordered him to tell no one. “Go,” he said, “and show yourself to the priest, and, as Moses commanded, make an offering for your cleansing, for a testimony to them.” 15 But now more than ever the word about Jesus spread abroad; many crowds would gather to hear him and to be cured of their diseases. 16 But he would withdraw to deserted places and pray.
Jesus Heals a Paralytic
17 One day, while he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting near by (they had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem); and the power of the Lord was with him to heal. 18 Just then some men came, carrying a paralyzed man on a bed. They were trying to bring him in and lay him before Jesus; 19 but finding no way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the middle of the crowd in front of Jesus. 20 When he saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you.” 21 Then the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, “Who is this who is speaking blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 22 When Jesus perceived their questionings, he answered them, “Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and walk’? 24 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the one who was paralyzed—“I say to you, stand up and take your bed and go to your home.” 25 Immediately he stood up before them, took what he had been lying on, and went to his home, glorifying God. 26 Amazement seized all of them, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen strange things today.”
What does the passage say?
V. 1-11 Jesus calls Peter to ministry. Now I realize that there was a process of him, meeting Peter before this event. Peter did see Jesus heal many people. Therefore, it was easier for him to be obedient to Jesus’ call to ‘Put out [the net] into the deep water.’ (v. 4 NIV) I recently shared a devotion regarding this story. To read more, click.
V. 12-16 Jesus then encounters a leper. The leper comes and begs Jesus to be healed. He was desperate about his situation, and Jesus was compassionate to tend his need. We learn his compassion through his words saying, ‘I am willing.’ (V. 13 NIV)
V. 17-26 There were a group of men who wanted to help their friend, who was paralyzed. They put their friend on the mat and had to find a way to present their friend to Jesus. Because of the crowd, they had to lower his friend from the roof. Jesus saw their willingness; then he responds with one of the oddest replies, ‘ Your sins are forgiven.’ (v. 20 NIV) His statement rattles up the teachers and the Pharisees. Then he tells the paralyzed men that he will be healed. All of the people gathered are amazed at his power.
What does the passage say to me/us?
We can talk about the process of healing we see in these stories. The people who are in need of healing, both spiritual and physical, needs to approach Jesus. Jesus in his compassion needs to be willing to heal. That is why it is important to seek ‘God’s will’ not ours. Then we have to see how the encounter heals our spirit before our physical needs. And then we have to see that our physical needs are heal, at the latest point.
However, I wanted to focus on the word ‘power’ in this story.
Comparing to the other Gospels, Luke uses this word more often.
The word power, which is ‘Dunamis’ refers to the power that flows from God. Jesus is sharing this power with the people who are in need of God’s work in their lives.
It is interesting to see that the Jesus is to have this power after he withdrew from the world. It was used after Jesus finished his fasting in the wilderness, and here right after Jesus ‘withdrew to lonely places and prayed.’ (v. 16 NIV)
“Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit…” (Luke 4:13)
“And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick.” (Luke 5:17)
What does this mean? I wanted to interpret and ask how we are withdrawing from the world. In other words, how are we keeping our Sabbath to withdraw from the world and gain the power, Dunamis, of God? Even for me, if I don’t keep my Sabbath holy, I tend to be exhausted the most next day. If I don’t spend my time with Jesus, on a regular basis, I might be doing the work, but it has no power to share with the world.
Would it be safe to say, “No withdrawal, no Power.”
Let us Pray
Lord, we want to live in this world sharing the power of Jesus to the world. There are so many who are in need of your saving power. But Lord, if we are too swampted in the world, not to have this power to share how can we live being the light of this world. Help us to withdraw and be filled with your power, to share with the world.
In your name we pray, AMEN
What are your thoughts?
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