Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 9:5
For whether is easier, to say, [Thy] sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?
For whether is easier to say – Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise and walk? The one involves divine power, the other divine authority, and neither can be done but by God. One is as easy as the other; and to be able to do the one, involves the right and the power to do the other.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 5. For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?] Both are equally easy, and equally difficult; for both require unlimited power to produce them. And every thing is equally easy to that power which is unlimited. A universe can be as easily produced by a single act of the Divine will as the smallest elementary part of matter.
The common punctuation of the above passage almost destroys the sense: the comma should be placed after easier, and to say, made the first part of the question.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
For whether is easier to say,….. Christ proceeds to clear himself of the charge of blasphemy, and to prove his power to forgive sins, by putting a case to them, of which he makes themselves Judges, and is this: which is easiest to be said,
thy sins are forgiven thee? or to say, arise and walk? Neither of them were easy to a mere creature, but both of them easy to God; and he that could say the one with power and efficacy going along with his word, could say the other as effectually: and whereas it was a plain case, and out of all question, that he could bid this “paralytic” man, though in this weak condition, arise from his bed, stand upon his feet, and go home of himself; and since he had already healed many that were sick of the palsy, and particularly the “centurion’s” servant, by a word speaking, he must have equal power to forgive sin. For to heal the diseases of the body in such a wonderful manner, was a very sensible proof of his power to heal the maladies of the soul; and though these are greater than those of the body, yet since both require divine power, he that is able to do the one, is able to do the other. And that it might appear he did not say this in a boasting manner, he adds,
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
1) “For whether is easier, to say,” (ti gar estin eukopoteron eipein) “For which is easier to say,” and it be done. Our Lord poses two alternatives, neither of which was too hard for Him, but both of which confounded the doubting, unbelieving scribes, who rejected both prophetic and miraculous evidences of His Deity, Joh 1:11-12; Joh 20:30-31.
2) “Thy sins be forgiven ‘thee;” (aphientai sou hai hamartiai) “Your sins are forgiven,” for God alone can forgive sins; yet, Jesus was God, manifest in the flesh, Heb 1:3; Eph 1:7; Joh 1:7; Joh 1:9.
3) “Or to say, Arise, and walk?” (he eipein egeire kai peripatei) “Or to say rise (up) and walk?” Neither is hard, or too hard, for God, see? Luk 5:23; Jer 32:17; Jer 32:27. Can you not see those devilish, doubting scribes, grinning, nodding, scowling, “ye, you make him walk, and we will believe.” But would they? They had not believed, though it was in their Scriptures, fulfilled before them:
1) His Virgin Birth, Mat 1:22-23; Isa 7:14.
2) His Bethlehem of Judea Birth, Mat 2:4-5; Mic 5:2; Luk 2:1-14.
3) His Forerunner, John the Baptist, Isa 40:1-3; Mat 3:1-3.
4) His being called out of Egypt, Mat 2:15.
5) The Dove (Holy Spirit) and voice of God at His Baptism, Mat 3:16-17; Joh 1:30-33. Why should they believe one more sign? See? Joh 20:30-31; Luk 16:31.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
5. Whether is it easier to say? The meaning is, that, as it is not easier to quicken by a word a body which is nearly dead than to forgive sins, there is no reason to wonder that he forgives sins, when he has accomplished the other. The argument which our Lord uses may appear to be not well-founded: for, in proportion as the soul is more excellent than the body, the forgiveness of sins is a greater work than the healing of the body. But the reply is easy. Christ adapts his discourse to their capacity: for, being carnal, they were more powerfully affected by outward signs, than by all the spiritual power of Christ, which related to eternal salvation. Thus he proves the efficacy of the Gospel for quickening men from the fact, that at the last day he will raise the dead by his voice out of their graves.
Wonder not at this: for the hour is coming, in which all who are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth, (Joh 5:28.)
This was a sufficiently powerful argument to refute those who reckoned a visible miracle of more importance than all things else. They could not say that he had no right to forgive the sins of the paralytic, when he restored to him health and rigour: for this was a result which followed from the forgiveness of sins.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(5) Whether is easier, . . .?The form of the question implies what we call an argument fortiori. It was easier to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee, for those words could not be put to any outward test, and only the consciousness of the sinner could attest their power. It was a bolder and a harder thing to risk the utterance of words which challenged an immediate and visible fulfilment; and yet He was content to utter such words, without fear of the result. Measured in their true relation to each other, the spiritual wonder was, of course, the greater; but here, as so often elsewhere, He puts Himself, as it were, on the level of those who hear Him, and vouchsafes to speak to them according to their thoughts.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
5. Whether is it easier to say That is, to say it with a clear and visible effect to sustain it. Any popish priest can SAY, Thy sins be forgiven thee, and the credulous may believe that a miracle of pardon is performed. But it is not quite so easy to perform the bodily miracle. The papist may claim that he performs a miracle in transforming the sacramental elements into real flesh and blood, and his followers may believe him. But it always takes a sensible and material miracle, attested beyond rational doubt, to make the moral miracle credible. When a man does heal the sick, and raise the dead at will, we may then begin to believe that he has authority to forgive the sins by which disease and death are produced.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘For which is easier, to say, “Your sins are forgiven”; or to say, “Arise, and walk?” ’
He then challenged them on the basis of the evidence of His mighty works. Which was easier, to say, “Your sins are forgiven”; or to say, “Arise, and walk?” The answer was that they were both impossible to man, but that they were both equally possible to God. And if God performed the one through a man of His choosing, would it not then demonstrate His approval of that man in all that He did? For all knew that God would not perform His mighty works through a blasphemer. So He set the proof of His right to declare the forgiveness of sins categorically and firmly on the basis of His ability to perform mighty wonders by God’s power.
This was a question that they could not answer (which was their tendency when they knew that really their case had been destroyed – Mar 11:27-33). They could hardly say that miracles of healing were not of God. Why, they had themselves taught that God only acted on behalf of those who pleased Him. Yet they dared not say that a man who could heal consistently was demonstrated to be of God, because they knew very well that Jesus could do it. On the other hand they could not deny it in front of the crowds, for they would have simply looked at them in amazement. For this was their basic sin, the ‘blasphemy against the Holy Spirit’, that they would accept nothing that did not conform with their teaching, even if the evidence that it was from God, and that the Spirit was at work, was indisputable.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Mat 9:5 . ] gives a reason for the thought expressed in the preceding question, the thought, namely, that they were not justified in thinking evil of Him.
] The meaning is unquestionably this; the latter is quite as easy to say as the former, and conversely; the one requires no less power than the other; the same divine enables both to be done; but in order that you may know that I was entitled to say the one, I will now add the other also: Arise, and so on. The result of the latter was accordingly the actual justification of the former. For in the sense of , comp. Stallbaum, ad Plat. Phil . p. 168.
(see the critical remarks) is not a mere interjection, like , (Fritzsche, ad Marc . p. 55 f.), seeing that it is followed by , and that the circumstance of the arising has an essential connection with the incident (see Mat 9:2 , . ; comp. Mat 20:6-7 ); but the transitive is used intransitively (Khner, II. 1, p. 81 ff.), as is frequently the case, especially in verbs denoting haste (Bernhardy, p. 340). Eur. Iph. A . 624: .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
5 For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?
Ver. 5. For whether is it easier, &c. ] q.d. It is a work of one and the same Almighty power to pardon sin, and with a bare word only to heal the sick, such as are counted past cure especially. Think the same of the soul’s sicknesses, and say with that ancient, Ego admisi, Domine, unde tu damnare potes me, sed tu non amisisti, unde tu salvare potes me.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
5. . ] “In our Lord’s argument it must be carefully noted, that He does not ask, which is easiest , to forgive sins , or to raise a sick man for it could not be affirmed that that of forgiving was easier than this of healing but, which is easiest, to claim this power or that, to say Thy sins be forgiven thee, or to say , Arise and walk? That (i.e. the former) is easiest, and I will now prove my right to say it, by saying with effect and with an outward consequence setting its seal to my truth, the harder word, Arise and walk. By doing that which is capable of being put to the proof, I will vindicate my right and power to do that which in its very nature is incapable of being proved. By these visible tides of God’s grace I will give you to know in what direction the great under-currents of His love are setting, and that both are obedient to My word. From this, which I will now do openly and before you all, you may conclude that it is ‘no robbery’ (Phi 2:6 , but see note there) upon my part to claim also the power of forgiving men their sins.” Trench on the Miracles, p. 206.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mat 9:5 . (from and , whence ; in N.T. (Gospels) only the comparative neuter is found, as here). The question as to ability, , is first disposed of; which is easier : they are both alike easy to say ; the vital matter is saying with effect. Saying here stands for doing. And to do the one thing was to do the other. To heal was to forgive. It is implied that it is easier to forgive than to make a palsied man strong. Christ means that the one is ordinary, the other extraordinary; the one is within the power of any man, the other belongs only to the exceptional man; there is no assumption in declaring pardon, there is pretension in saying “arise and walk”.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
5. .] In our Lords argument it must be carefully noted, that He does not ask, which is easiest, to forgive sins, or to raise a sick man-for it could not be affirmed that that of forgiving was easier than this of healing-but, which is easiest, to claim this power or that, to say Thy sins be forgiven thee, or to say, Arise and walk? That (i.e. the former) is easiest, and I will now prove my right to say it, by saying with effect and with an outward consequence setting its seal to my truth, the harder word, Arise and walk. By doing that which is capable of being put to the proof, I will vindicate my right and power to do that which in its very nature is incapable of being proved. By these visible tides of Gods grace I will give you to know in what direction the great under-currents of His love are setting, and that both are obedient to My word. From this, which I will now do openly and before you all, you may conclude that it is no robbery (Php 2:6, but see note there) upon my part to claim also the power of forgiving men their sins. Trench on the Miracles, p. 206.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mat 9:5. , for which?) In itself either is the sign of Divine authority and power; and the connection between sin and disease is in itself most close: the power which removes both is one. According to human judgment, it is easier to say, Thy sins are remitted; and he who can say Arise, which appears greater, can also say this, which appears less.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
sins
Sin. (See Scofield “Rom 3:23”)
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
whether: Mar 2:9-12, Luk 5:23-25
Arise: Isa 35:5, Isa 35:6, Joh 5:8-14, Joh 5:17, Joh 5:18, Act 3:6-11, Act 3:16, Act 4:9, Act 4:10, Act 9:34, Act 14:8-11
Reciprocal: Mat 9:6 – Arise
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
9:5
The thing Jesus declared to be done was invisible and thus open to question. He then proposed to make another declaration that would be visible if accomplished. Whether it is easier means that if he has the authority to do the one he also has it to do the other, for one would be no harder to do than the other for one endowed with divine power as he claimed to be.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 9:5. For, as a proof that the thoughts were evil.
Which is easier, etc. Archbishop Trench correctly sets forth the argument: In our Lords argument it must be carefully noted that He does not ask, Which is easiest, to forgive sins, or to raise a sick man? for it could not be affirmed that that of forgiving was easier than this of healing; but Which is easiest, to claim this power or to claim that; to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee, or to say, Arise and walk? And He then proceeds: That is easiest, and I will now prove my right to say it, by saying with effect and with an outward consequence setting its seal to my truth, the harder word, Rise up and walk. By doing that which is submitted to the eyes of men, I will attest my right and power to do that which, in its very nature, Ties out of the region of proof.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Jesus’ question in Mat 9:5 was rhetorical. His critics believed it was easier to say, "Get up and walk," because only God can forgive sins. Jesus had claimed to do the more difficult thing from their viewpoint, namely, to forgive sins. Jesus responded ironically in Mat 9:6. He would do the easier thing. From the scribes’ perspective since Jesus had blasphemed God He could not heal the paralytic since God does not respond to sinners (Joh 9:31). By healing the paralytic Jesus showed that He had not blasphemed God. He could indeed forgive sins.
Jesus again used the term "Son of Man" for Himself (Mat 9:6). His critics should have sensed the messianic claim Jesus’ use of this title implied since they knew the Old Testament well. The Judge had come to earth with authority to forgive sins (cf. Mat 1:21; Mat 1:23). [Note: See Morna D. Hooker, The Son of Man in Mark, pp. 81-93.]
Finally Jesus not only healed the paralytic but also assured him that God had forgiven his sins. He also refuted the scribes’ charge of blasphemy.