Luke 5:21 Kommentaari

In this chapter, we have, I. Christ preaching to the people out of Peter's ship, for want of a better pulpit (Luk 5:1-3). II. The recompence he made to Peter for the loan of his boat, in a miraculous draught of fishes, by which he intimated to him and his partners his design to make them, as apostles, fishers of men (Luk 5:4-11). III. His cleansing the leper (Luk 5:12-15). IV. A short account of his private devotion and public ministry (Luk 5:16, Luk 5:17). V. His cure of the man sick of the palsy (Luk 5:18-26). VI. His calling Levi the publican, and conversing with publicans on that occasion (Luk 5:27-32). VII. His justifying his disciples in not fasting so frequently as the disciples of John and the Pharisees did (Luk 5:33-39).

And it came to pass, that as the people pressed upon him,.... As Christ went through Galilee, and preached in the synagogues there, great crowds of people attended on him, and they followed him wherever he went; and so large were their numbers, and so very eager were they to see him, and hear him, that they were even troublesome to him, and bore hard upon him, and were ready to press him down, though they had no ill design upon him, but only to hear the word of God; the scriptures of the Old Testament explained, and the doctrines of the Gospel preached; and which were preached by him, as never were before or since, and in such a manner as were not by the Scribes and Pharisees; and both the matter and manner of his ministry drew a vast concourse of people after him: he stood by the lake of Gennesaret; the same with the sea of Chinnereth, Num 34:11 where the Targums of Onkelos, Jonathan, and the Jerusalem, call it, , "the sea of Geausar" or "Gennesaret": and so it is elsewhere called (a), and is the same which is called the sea of Galilee, and of Tiberias, Joh 6:1 and is, by other writers (b), as here, called the lake of Gennesaret, and said to be sixteen miles long, and six broad. Josephus says (c), it is forty furlongs broad, and an hundred long. The Jews say (d), that "the holy, blessed God created seven seas, but chose none of them all, but the sea of Gennesaret.'' And indeed, it was a place chosen by Christ, and honoured, and made famous by him, by his preaching at it, his miracles upon it, and showing himself there after his resurrection. (a) Targum in Ezek. xxxix. 11. Zohar in Gen. fol. 3. 2. & 17. 2. & in Exod. fol. 52. 4. & 61. 4. (b) Plin. l. 5. c. 15. Solin, c. 48. Ptolom. l. 5. c. 15. (c) De Bello Jud. l. 3. c. 18. (d) Pirke Eliezer, c. 18.

And the Scribes and the Pharisees began to reason,.... To think and say within themselves, and it may be to one another, in a private manner: saying, who is this which speaketh blasphemies? what vain boaster, and blaspheming creature is this, who assumes that to himself, which is the prerogative of God? Who can forgive sins but God alone? against whom they are committed, whose law is transgressed, and his will disobeyed, and his justice injured and affronted. Certain it is, that none can forgive sins but God; not any of the angels in heaven, or men on earth; not holy good men, nor ministers of the Gospel; and if Christ had been a mere man, though ever so good a man, even a sinless one, or ever so great a prophet, he could not have forgiven sin; but he is truly and properly God, as his being a discerner of the thoughts of these men, and his healing the paralytic man in the manner he did, are sufficient proofs. The Scribes and Pharisees therefore, though they rightly ascribe forgiveness of sin to God alone, yet grievously sinned, in imputing blasphemy to Christ: they had wrong notions of Christ, concluding him to be but a mere man, against the light and evidence of his works and miracles; and also of his office as a Redeemer, who came to save his people from their sins; and seem to restrain the power of forgiving sin to God the Father, whereas the Son of God, being equal with him, had the same power, and that even on earth, to forgive sin; See Gill on Mar 2:7.

The Lord had come, of course, to save that which "had perished; " "a Physician." necessary to "the sick" "more than to the whole." This fact He was in the habit both of typifying in parables and preaching in direct statements.

Who, moreover, was able to forgive sins? This is His alone prerogative: for "who remitteth sins but God alone? " and, of course, (who but He can remit) mortal sins, such as have been committed against Himself, and against His temple? For, as far as you are concerned, such as are chargeable with offence against you personally, you are commanded, in the person of Peter, to forgive even seventy times sevenfold.

While the Pharisee doubted that our Lord was a prophet, he was unwittingly pledging himself to the truth by thinking, “If this man were a prophet, he would know that this woman is a sinner.” Therefore, if our Lord indeed knows that she is a sinner, then, Pharisee, by your own reasoning he indeed is a prophet. And so our Lord did not hesitate to point out not only that she was a sinner but also that she had sinned very much, so that the testimony of his own mouth would trap the accuser. [The Pharisee] was one of those who had said, “Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Our Lord took this testimony from them, that whoever is able to forgive sin is God. From this point on, the struggle was for our Lord to show them whether or not he was able to forgive sin. And so he quickly healed the parts [of the body] that were visible, to confirm that he had forgiven the sins which were not visible.

From the Pharisees themselves therefore the Son of God receives testimony. For it is both more powerful evidence when men confess unwillingly, and a more fatal error when they who deny are left to the consequence of their own assertions. Hence it follows, Who can forgive sins, but God only? Great is the madness of an unbelieving people, who though they have confessed that it is of God alone to forgive sins, believe not God when He forgives sins.

But from fear of the multitude, the Pharisees durst not openly expose their designs, but only meditated them in their hearts Hence it follows, And they began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies?

By this they hasten the sentence of death, for it was commanded in the law, that whoever blasphemed God should be punished with death. (Lev. 24:16.)

He then, as was said, announced forgiveness of sins, since he is endowed with a most godlike authority. But the declaration disturbed again the ignorant and envious gang of the Pharisees. They said one to another, "Who is this that speaks blasphemies?" But would you have said this about him, Pharisee, if you had known the divine Scriptures, and borne in mind the words of prophecy, and understood the adorable and mighty mystery of the incarnation? Instead, they now involve him in a charge of blasphemy, bringing against him the uttermost penalty and condemning him to death. The law of Moses commanded that whoever spoke blasphemies against God should be put to death.

And the scribes and Pharisees began to consider, saying, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?" The scribes speak the truth, because no one can forgive sins except God, who also forgives through those to whom He has granted the power to forgive. And therefore Christ is proved to truly be God, because He can forgive sins as God. They truly bear witness to God, but by denying the person of Christ, they are deceived. Thus, the Jews err, who believe that Christ is both God and capable of forgiving sins, but do not believe that Jesus is the Christ. But the Arians err much more foolishly, who, though conquered by the words of the Gospel that Jesus is the Christ and is able to forgive sins, do not dare to deny it, yet nevertheless do not fear to deny that He is God. But He, desiring to save the unfaithful, and by the knowledge of hidden things and the power of His works, manifests that He is God.

For they say true, that no one can forgive sins but God, who yet forgives through those to whom He gives the power of forgiving. And therefore Christ is proved to be truly God, for He is able to forgive sins as God.

The miraculous draught of fishes at the lake of Gennesaret, Luk 5:1-11. Christ heals a leper, Luk 5:12-14. His fame being published abroad, he withdraws to the desert, Luk 5:15, Luk 5:16. He heals a paralytic person, at which the scribes and Pharisees murmur, but the people glorify God, Luk 5:17-26. He calls the publican Levi, who makes a feast for Christ, to which he invites a great number of publicans and others, at which the scribes and Pharisees murmur, and our Lord vindicates his conduct, Luk 5:27-32. The question about fasting answered, Luk 5:33-35. The parable of the new piece of cloth put on the old garment, and the new wine in old bottles, Luk 5:36-39.

Who can forgive sins, but God alone? - If Jesus were not God, he could not forgive sins; and his arrogating this authority would have been blasphemy against God, in the most proper sense of the word. That these scribes and Pharisees might have the fullest proof of his Godhead, he works in their presence three miracles, which from their nature could only be effected by an omniscient and omnipotent Being. The miracles are: 1. The remission of the poor man's sins. 2. The discernment of the secret thoughts of the scribes. 3. The restoration of the paralytic in an instant to perfect soundness. See on Mat 9:5, Mat 9:6 (note).

MIRACULOUS DRAUGHT OF FISHES--CALL OF PETER, JAMES, AND JOHN. (Luk 5:1-11) taught . . . out of the ship--(See on Mat 13:2).