Luke 5:17

King James Version (KJV)

And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.

Adam Clarke
Bible Commentary

On a certain day - This was when he was at Capernaum. See Mark 2:1.

The power of the Lord - Δυναμις Κυριου The mighty or miraculous power of the Lord, i.e. of Jesus, was there to heal them - as many as were diseased either in body or soul. Where the teaching of Christ is, there also is the power of Christ to redeem and save.

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Albert Barnes
Notes on the Whole Bible

Verses 17-26

See this passage explained in the notes at Matthew 9:1-7.

Luke 5:17

On a certain day - The time and place are not particularly mentioned here, but from Matthew 9:1 it seems it was at Capernaum.

Luke 5:19

The tiling - See the notes at Matthew 9:1-7.

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Matthew Henry
Concise Bible Commentary

How many are there in our assemblies, where the gospel is preached, who do not sit under the word, but sit by! It is to them as a tale that is told them, not as a message that is sent to them. Observe the duties taught and recommended to us by the history of the paralytic. In applying to Christ, we must be very pressing and urgent; that is an evidence of faith, and is very pleasing to Christ, and prevailing with him. Give us, Lord, the same kind of faith with respect to thy ability and willingness to heal our souls. Give us to desire the pardon of sin more than any earthly blessing, or life itself. Enable us to believe thy power to forgive sins; then will our souls cheerfully arise and go where thou pleasest.

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SDA Bible Commentary (limited)
Volume 1-7

17. On a certain day. [The Paralytic Lowered Through the Roof, Luke 5:17-26=Matt. 9:2-8=Mark 2:1-12. Major comment: Mark.] Literally, “in one of the days.”

Pharisees. The first mention of this religious sect in the Gospel of Luke. Concerning the Pharisees, see pp. 51, 52.

Doctors. Literally, “teachers” (see pp. 51, 52; see on Mark 1:22). The English word “doctor” originally meant “teacher”; in fact, like our word “doctrine,” or “teaching,” it is from the Latin doctor, “teacher.” Application of the term “doctor” to a physician is a modern use of the word. In the Gospels, “doctors of the law” are generally called “scribes” (see pp. 51, 52). These men concerned themselves primarily with the exposition of the written and oral laws of the nation, and with the application of these laws to life. Most of them were Pharisees, for it was the Pharisees who took particular interest in the details of the law.

Every town. According to Josephus there were about 200 cities and towns in Galilee. Luke is therefore probably using hyperbole, and may be referring particularly to the towns visited by Christ on His recent tour through Galilee. Undoubtedly, wherever Jesus went the professed teachers of the law sought to oppose and hinder His exposition of the law, and seem to have gathered at Capernaum to counsel with the leaders from Judea and Jerusalem as to the course of action they should pursue with respect to the popular sentiment in Christ’s favor. They were here on purpose to find fault with Him and to make charges against Him (see on Mark 2:6).

Jerusalem. That Luke specifically mentions Jerusalem in addition to Judea is evidence that he was acquainted with the Jewish practice of considering Jerusalem a separate district from Judea (see also Acts 1:8; 10:39). The city was a metropolitan area, not under the political jurisdiction of Judea. However, see on Luke 4:44.

Power of the Lord. That is, of the Holy Spirit (see DA 143, 268).

Present to heal. Particular mention of the presence of the Holy Spirit upon this occasion does not imply that Christ had only intermittent power to heal. Luke simply calls attention to the fact in anticipation of the miracle he is about to relate.

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Ellen G. White
The Ministry of Healing, 75

Again and again the bearers of the paralytic tried to push their way through the crowd, but in vain. The sick man looked about him in unutterable anguish. How could he relinquish hope when the longed-for help was so near? At his suggestion his friends bore him to the top of the house and, breaking up the roof, let him down at the feet of Jesus. MH 75.1

The discourse was interrupted. The Saviour looked upon the mournful countenance and saw the pleading eyes fixed upon Him. Well He knew the longing of that burdened soul. It was Christ who had brought conviction to his conscience when he was yet at home. When he repented of his sins and believed in the power of Jesus to make him whole, the mercy of the Saviour had blessed his heart. Jesus had watched the first glimmer of faith grow into a conviction that He was the sinner's only helper, and had seen it grow stronger with every effort to come into His presence. It was Christ who had drawn the sufferer to Himself. Now, in words that fell like music on the listener's ear, the Saviour said, “Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.” Matthew 9:2. MH 75.2

The burden of guilt rolls from the sick man's soul. He cannot doubt. Christ's words reveal His power to read the heart. Who can deny His power to forgive sins? Hope takes the place of despair, and joy of oppressive gloom. The man's physical pain is gone, and his whole being is transformed. Making no further request, he lay in peaceful silence, too happy for words. MH 76.1

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Ellen G. White
The Desire of Ages, 267-71

In the healing of the paralytic at Capernaum, Christ again taught the same truth. It was to manifest His power to forgive sins that the miracle was performed. And the healing of the paralytic also illustrates other precious truths. It is full of hope and encouragement, and from its connection with the caviling Pharisees it has a lesson of warning as well. DA 267.1

Like the leper, this paralytic had lost all hope of recovery. His disease was the result of a life of sin, and his sufferings were embittered by remorse. He had long before appealed to the Pharisees and doctors, hoping for relief from mental suffering and physical pain. But they coldly pronounced him incurable, and abandoned him to the wrath of God. The Pharisees regarded affliction as an evidence of divine displeasure, and they held themselves aloof from the sick and the needy. Yet often these very ones who exalted themselves as holy were more guilty than the sufferers they condemned. DA 267.2

The palsied man was entirely helpless, and, seeing no prospect of aid from any quarter, he had sunk into despair. Then he heard of the wonderful works of Jesus. He was told that others as sinful and helpless as he had been healed; even lepers had been cleansed. And the friends who reported these things encouraged him to believe that he too might be cured if he could be carried to Jesus. But his hope fell when he remembered how the disease had been brought upon him. He feared that the pure Physician would not tolerate him in His presence. DA 267.3

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Ellen G. White
Faith and Works, 67

I will refer to the paralytic who had not used his limbs for many years. There he was. The priests, the rulers, and scribes examined his case and pronounced it hopeless. They told him that by his own sin he had brought himself into this condition, and there was no hope for him. But the word was brought to him that there was a man called Jesus who was doing mighty works. He was healing the sick, and He had even raised the dead. “But how can I go to Him?” he said. FW 67.1

“We will carry you to Jesus,” his friends replied, “right into His presence; we have heard He has come to such a place.” FW 67.2

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Ellen G. White
Faith and Works, 68

But that mighty evidence given to the Pharisees did not convert them. Men can so encase themselves in unbelief, doubt, and infidelity that the raising of the dead would not convict them. Because of their unbelief they would be in the same unbelieving position, unconvicted, unconverted. But all those who have hearts to receive the truth and ears to hear, glorify God. They exclaim, “We have never seen it on this wise before!” FW 68.1

There was the impotent man, and as Christ talked with him, he told the pitiful story of how, just as soon as he would go down into the water to be healed, somebody else would step in before him. Christ asked him, “Wilt thou be made whole?” (John 5:6). What a question! That was what he was there for, but Christ wanted to call forth the expression of desire in that man's heart to be made whole. And when Christ bade him to rise, take up his bed and walk, he did just as Christ told him to do. He did not say, “Why, I have been here thirty years and have not taken a step during that time.” He did not stop to argue, but did just as he was bidden. He took up his bed and walked out and was healed from that time. FW 68.2

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