Get up and walk

Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins have been forgiven you,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'?" (Luke 5:23 NASB)

The amazing thing about this passage is that Jesus responded to the scribes and Pharisees in a way they could understand. There was no way for those Jewish leaders to verify what He had said. They could not prove sins had not been forgiven, but what proof would satisfy them that sins had been forgiven? They were full of questions, and He responded with a terrific question. Even at first glance, the answer was obvious, but with His question, He gave a hint of what He was about to do.  

We have previoualy looked at the forgiveness of this man's sin, so we will not address that again today. The "get up and walk" is a rich phrase. Egeirō is the Greek word translated as "get up". It is usually translated as "arise" and is the same word used to indicate rising from a sickness or from death. It is the word the angel used in the tomb when he said, "He is not here but is risen."  This is a resurrection word. 

The word translated here as "walk" is peripateō and actually means "to go about one's life", to take advantage of opportunities, or to "occupy".  What Jesus was about to tell the man was "Be resurrected, transformed and occupy the life God has given you. Make the most of every opportunity He brings your way."

Those are great words for us today, aren't they? Pray that we and our loved ones will be resurrected, transformed in that resurrection, and that we will occupy the life God has given us. Pray, too, that we will make the most of every opportunity He brings our way.