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Forgive

I miss God’s goal for my life (aka sin). I sin. I need forgiveness. I need a pardon.

Jesus stands ready to forgive me. Jesus has the authority to do it. Now in thinking about the authority of the Messiah, perhaps it’s helpful to consider two words. The first is the word dunamis which the Bible translates “power.” The second is the word exousia which the Bible translates “power” or “authority” and is best understood as “authority,” and there is a difference. Dunamis or power is the ability to do something. Exousia or authority is the right to do it.

And when we say Jesus had authority, we mean not just that He had power but that He had privilege. God had given Him the privilege of acting in His behalf in this world with no regard for the authorities of men. And so He had both dunamis and exousia, He had the power and He had the privilege. It was given Him by God and He said that again and again. He said in John’s gospel at least three or four times from chapter 5 to 8, “I do what the Father shows Me to do and that’s exactly what I do.”

Am I questioning that Jesus has the authority from God? I need to consider that issue in my heart. Is Jesus my Master? Am I His slave? Does Jesus own me?

  • Matthew 9:1–8 (NASB) — 1 Getting into a boat, Jesus crossed over the sea and came to His own city. 2 And they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, “Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven.” 3 And some of the scribes said to themselves, “This fellow blasphemes.” 4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, “Why are you thinking evil in your hearts? 5 “Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, and walk’? 6 “But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your bed and go home.” 7 And he got up and went home. 8 But when the crowds saw this, they were awestruck, and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
  • Luke 7:37–38 (NASB) — 37 And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, 38 and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume.
  • Luke 7:44–50 (NASB) — 44 Turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 “You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. 46 “You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. 47 “For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 Then He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.” 49 Those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?” 50 And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
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