Why does this man speak that way? Who but God can forgive sins? Such was the reaction from the teachers of the law present at the healing of the paralytic by Jesus. And they were absolutely right in insisting that only God can forgive sins- especially the particular sin to which Jesus was apparently referring. Impressed by the faith of both the paralyzed man and those who went to a lot of trouble to bring him into his presence, Jesus told the man that his sins were forgiven. While it is the first time that we see Jesus making such a move, it was not the last. There are a couple of times in the Gospel accounts where Jesus would forgive sins as part of a healing process. Jesus did not just wake up one day and decide that before healing anybody, he would first utter those words of absolution. The forgiveness of sins was the introductory phase of any healing miracle. For it was held that any ailment resulted from a sin committed (cf. John 9:2). As such, a holistic healing had to be preceded by the forgiveness of sins. Jesus did agree with the scribes that forgiveness of sins does belong to God, for he reckons it is the most difficult thing to do. How so?
Sin puts a wedge between an individual and God, a wedge that once planted, can only be removed by God. For any healing to occur, this wedge that separates and individual from God must be removed. Only God can do this. Did Jesus hold that the man’s condition resulted from his sin (or his parents?) Highly unlikely. Was the paralytic man responsible for his condition? Was he a sinful man? We don’t know. However, Jesus knew (as well as we do) that sickness such as paralysis can lead us to sin. What begins as a question (the several 'whys') can easily lead to doubts: whether God exists, whether God loves me, or whether God is punishing me. And once such doubts creep into our thoughts, then it becomes easier to commit a sin. It is highly probable that his condition led this paralytic to instances where he doubted the presence of God, or God's love for him. Maybe his situation had come to put a wedge between himself and God. And if this was the case, then his healing could not properly have taken place until he was at peace with God. His healing could take place only if he was, once again, at one with God. This is why it was necessary that Jesus tells him that his sins were forgiven.
Jesus has come to take away that which separates us from God. He has come to take away that which can lead to our missing out on God’s gift of eternal life. By forgiving us our sins, Jesus makes it easier for us not only to approach God but also to abide in his life-giving relationship.