October 24, 2010: The Forgiving Blasphemer – Michael Hidalgo

The Jewish Sages taught, “No one gets up from his sick-bed unless all his sins are forgiven” (b. Ned 41a). In their thinking, if a person was not whole physically then surely he was not whole spiritually. This kind of person was then cut out from the social fabric of the day due to the assumption of his sin. The doors of participation to life in the community were effectively shut in his face and he was left outside.

Here, Jesus extends to this man who was paralyzed on the mat the renewal that he so longed for … the renewal that would open the doors back up to him that had been shut. Yet, even then the religious people do not buy it. This man is still an outcast, and Jesus is a blasphemer. More than thinking Jesus a blasphemer – the religious it seemed missed the point. Jesus had come to establish a new community where the condition of one’s heart was what counted – not the appearance of their body, sick or otherwise.