Power on Earth

In Matthew chapter 9 we see a story of a man sick of the palsy brought before Jesus. Jesus said to him, “Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.” (v. 2) The scribes got upset and considered this blasphemy. (v. 3) But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking said to them, “But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.” (v. 6)

The Greek word for power, as in “power on earth” above, is expisoa. Thayer (1), and Strong (2)both say this Greek word means: power of choice, liberty of doing as one pleases; leave or permission.

It can be seen from the above definition of the Greek word expisoa, that although the word means “power of choice” there’s a strong sense of having “leave or permission”. In other words, this power of choice is delegated (3).

Delegated from whom? Leave or permission from whom? The answer can be found in verse 8, “and the multitudes having seen, wondered, and glorified God, who did give such power to men.” This power came from God!

If then, according to the doctrine of the deity of Christ, Jesus is co-equal with the Father, why did the power to forgive sins need to be delegated to him from God?

The answer can be found in verse 8. God gave “such power to men.” Jesus, although the Son of God, was a man and only a man. (See Rom 5:15, 1 Tim. 2:5,)

Reference:

(1) Joseph Henry Thayer, D.D., The New Thayer’s Greek - English
Lexicon of the New Testament (Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson Publishers,
1981) p. 225

(2) God’s Word for Windows, Strong’s # 1849

(3) W.E. Vine, Merrill F. Unger and William White, JR., Vine’s
Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Atlanta: Thomas
Nelson Publishers, 1985), p. 479