Introduction

I just want to say that God sent His Son and only Son Jesus Christ to give and sacrifice Himself for the atonement and redemption of mankind, and to make peace with God, which occurred at the Garden of Adam and Eve by our rst parents. So our Jesus was dragging His cross under the burden of that sin, to make peace between man and Holy God.

We human beings, who by nature are sinful—Jesus knowing this— before going to heaven, instituted the Sacrament of Confession, to keep us sinners worthy of His paradise and to see His glory with our eyes. Amen.

Biblical References: Luke 24:44-47; Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-

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Jesus is God’s Divine Son. The Gospel of the Lord even now forgives sins, and He forgives the sins of those who obey the Gospel (Mark 16:15-16). He forgives the sins of His followers as we walk in the light

(1 John 1:7), and He forgives His followers when we confess our sins (1 John 1:9). But (Luke 5:15) “So much the more went there a fame abroad of Him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their in rmities.”

Jesus Christ’s Ministry of Forgiveness and Healing

The Priority of Forgiveness in Jesus’ Ministry

When people brought the paralytic to Jesus, the rst thing Jesus said was, “Your sins are forgiven.” Jesus used to forgive sins before healing. Jesus usually forgave sins as the higher priority before healing someone. Jesus always forgave sins before healing, as seen in the example o ered below (Luke 5:17-26).

Biblical Examples of Jesus Forgiving Sins

The Paralytic Man (Luke 5:17-26)

His people brought him to Jesus. The story goes in the Bible like this: Jesus was teaching in a house that was lled with people, including some Pharisees. Some people brought a paralyzed man su ering from palsy to the Lord for healing. Because of the crowd, they could not take him inside, so they lowered him down through the roof. Jesus saw their faith and said to this man, “Your sins are forgiven.”

The Pharisees and Scribes said, “It is blasphemy to forgive sins; only God can forgive sins.” But Jesus knew their remarks and said, “What is easier—to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up from your bed and go’?” So Jesus expressed His divinity and said, “Your sins are forgiven,” and also, “Take up your bed and go home.” Jesus told the crowd there that the Son of Man is given authority to forgive sins also. And the patient, being made whole, left carrying his bed and glorifying God.

The Woman Who Anointed Jesus’ Feet (Luke 7:36-50)

Jesus forgave the sins of a woman who washed and anointed His feet.

Jesus had been invited to eat a meal at the home of a Pharisee named

Simon. This woman is described in the Gospel as a sinner. She washed His feet and anointed them with anointing oil. While this woman was anointing Jesus’ feet, she was weeping. Seeing this, the host Simon questioned Jesus: “Are you a true prophet?” Jesus responded to Simon’s comment. He told the woman of her special forgiveness:

Jesus forgave her sins. His divinity was revealed to the host, His disciples, and all present there. The woman, who came weeping, left the house saved and in peace. Jesus also blessed the woman, saying, “Wherever His Gospel will be preached, she will be remembered also.”

The Repentant Thief on the Cross (Luke 23:39-43)

And one more story: Jesus forgave the sins of one of the two thieves cruci ed with Him (Luke 23:39-43). As Jesus was cruci ed between two thieves, one of them mocked Jesus, the crowd and the criminal railing against the Lord. But the other thief knew that Jesus, being a righteous man, did not deserve to be treated that way. He asked Jesus for a special blessing and said, “Lord, remember me in your paradise.” Jesus said to him, “Today you will be with me in paradise.”

The Divine Authority to Forgive Sins

Remember that I presented to you three occasions from the Holy Gospel when Jesus forgave the sins of three di erent people. By doing so, He demonstrated His divine authority to prove that He is present from His mother’s womb and in His works. (Exodus shows that only God the Father is incarnated in Him, and He alone is su cient to forgive sins.)

One more question can come to your mind: Why were these people not baptized? The answer is very simple: our Lord Jesus did not give the order to do so—the order of the Sacrament of Confession—until after His resurrection.

Conclusion

Through His earthly ministry, Jesus Christ demonstrated His divine authority to forgive sins, o ering redemption and healing to all who came to Him in faith. From the paralytic lowered through the roof, to the woman who anointed His feet, to the repentant thief on the cross —each received the gift of forgiveness through Jesus’ divine power.

This mission of atonement and reconciliation, established before His resurrection and expressed in the Sacrament of Confession, continues to o er salvation to all who believe and confess their sins.