Jesus proclaims that the paralytic’s sins are forgiven before healing him because the paralytic had evidently been very worried on account of his sins, as shown by Jesus’ words: Take heart.
Jesus’ statement raises the question of how his words here in Matthew 9:2 match his claim in Luke 13:2–5, where he stresses that misfortune is not necessarily the consequence of sin (see also John 9:3). However, sin as such is always more important than any of its catastrophic consequences, so Jesus first heals the man from what actually plagues him the most, thereby cultivating in him hope for healing through faith in Jesus. He does not pronounce this forgiveness on his own authority but rather on the Father’s—hence the passive form your sins are forgiven
). Jesus affirms a connection between forgiveness and healing (see Psalm 103:3). The paralytic is healed both physically and spiritually, partly as a result of the faith of his friends. Jesus thus fulfills the prophecy about his ministry in Isaiah 61:1.
Upon noticing the paralytic, Jesus encourages him and proclaims his sins as forgiven. He does not here pronounce this forgiveness on his own authority but rather on the Father’s—hence the passive form your sins are forgiven
.1 We should not derive from these words of Jesus that he viewed sin and illness as synonymous, however (see Luke 13:1–5 and John 9:1–3), but rather that he affirmed that there generally exists a close connection between sin and illness, just like there is a connection between forgiveness and healing (see Psalm 103:3). The paralytic here is healed both physically and spiritually in part as a result of the faith of his friends. Jesus thereby fulfills the prophecy regarding his ministry recorded in Isaiah 61:1.2
Of course Jesus’ statement immediately raises the question of how the words of Jesus here in Matthew 9:2 can be reconciled with his claim in Luke 13:2–5, where Jesus expressly notes that misfortune is not necessarily the consequence of sin (see also John 9:3). Here we must remember, however, that in this specific case the paralytic had been very worried on account of his sins, and that sin as such is always more important than any of its catastrophic consequences. As such Jesus first heals the man from what actually plagues him the most, thereby cultivating in him hope for healing through faith in Jesus.3
2 Et voici, on lui amena un paralytique couché sur un lit. Jésus, voyant leur foi, dit au paralytique: Prends courage, mon enfant, tes péchés sont pardonnés.