“For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?”
The full verse · Matthew 9:5 · KJV
, to , Thy be ; to , , ?
Asked by
Jesus: the Son of God and promised Messiah, who had just told a paralyzed man, "Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee" (Matthew 9:2)
Asked to
Scribes: experts in the law of Moses, some of whom said within themselves, "This man blasphemeth" (Matthew 9:3)
The Scene
Back in His own city, Jesus has told a man sick of the palsy that his sins are forgiven, and certain scribes have silently accused Him of blasphemy (Matthew 9:1-4).
Why It Was Asked
The purpose behind the questionJesus asked this to answer an accusation no one had spoken out loud. The scribes thought, "This man blasphemeth" (Matthew 9:3), because, as Mark records their reasoning, "who can forgive sins but God only?" (Mark 2:7). Jesus knew their thoughts and put a test before them. Anyone can say "thy sins be forgiven" and no one can see whether it happened. But saying "Arise, and walk" to a paralyzed man would be proven true or false in front of everyone. Barnes explains that "neither can be done but by God": one is as easy as the other, so the power to do one shows the right to do the other. Gill says Christ was clearing Himself of the charge of blasphemy "by putting a case to them."
The Response
What Scripture recordsThe scribes gave no recorded answer, so Jesus answered His own question with a miracle. "But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins," He told the man, "Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house" (Matthew 9:6). "And he arose, and departed to his house" (Matthew 9:7). The multitudes "marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men" (Matthew 9:8). The visible healing stood as proof of the unseen forgiveness.
Historical Context
The world behind the wordsThe scribes were right that forgiving sins belongs to God (Mark 2:7). That is why they heard Jesus' words as blasphemy, a claim to do what only God can do. Their charge forced a choice: either Jesus was speaking falsely about God, or He had God's own authority.
The Greek word for "easier" is eukopoteron, which Thayer defines as "that can be done with easy labor." Thayer notes it appears in the New Testament only in this comparative form. The same question about which is easier appears in all three accounts of this healing (Mark 2:9; Luke 5:23).
The Bigger Picture
Where this fits in God's storyThis question shows that Jesus came first to deal with sin. The man had been brought for healing (Matthew 9:2), but Jesus spoke first to his deeper need: "thy sins be forgiven thee" (Matthew 9:2). Matthew Henry writes that Christ "designed to show that his great errand to the world was, to save his people from their sins," echoing the angel's words about His name (Matthew 1:21).
Jesus did not ask people to take His forgiveness on faith with no evidence. He gave a sign they could see, so they could trust what they could not see. The crowd glorified God (Matthew 9:8), and the scribes who called it blasphemy were left with a healed man walking home.
Look Closer
What led Jesus to ask which was easier to say?
Carry the question into prayer and conversation.
Lord Jesus, You have power on earth to forgive sins; where am I still waiting for proof before I believe that I am forgiven?
A prayer to carry into the day.
- The man was brought for healing, but Jesus spoke first about sin. What do you tend to ask God for first, and what might that show about what you think you need most?
- Tell about a time when something you could see helped you trust something God had promised that you could not see.
For you, a small group, a friend, or the dinner table.
If you have come to Jesus, you can take His word of forgiveness as seriously as His power to heal. The same voice that said "Arise, take up thy bed" also said "thy sins be forgiven thee" (Matthew 9:2, 6), and He proved both had the same authority.
This also means your deepest need may not be the one you came asking about. Jesus cared about the man's body and healed it, but He addressed his sins first.
This does not mean every sickness is caused by a particular sin. The text does not say that about this man. Jesus' point is about His authority, not about the cause of the illness.
Built from the biblical text and checked against trusted commentaries and lexicons. References & Sources
Keep questioning
“Wherefore think ye evil 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?”
“Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?”
“Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?”