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The Life of ChristSection 27 / 113
Section 027 · The Galilean Ministry Begins

The Paralytic & the Call of Matthew

A paralyzed man is lowered through a roof to Jesus, who forgives before he heals, proving the one by the other. From there Jesus calls a tax collector to be his disciple, eats with “publicans and sinners,” and answers a question about fasting with the bridegroom, and two parables: newness cannot be patched onto, or poured into, the old.

Matthew 9:1–17; Mark 2:1–22; Luke 5:17–393 of 4 accountsReading: CCE

Tap a Gospel to show or hide its column. Narrow to any two to read them side by side.

ProvenanceJSTJoseph Smith TranslationCCECovenant Christian EditionDeleted text shown struck, attributed
Study: reading text with parallel accounts; changes available.

Note. The JST revises all three accounts. In Luke it replaces the question of 5:23 outright (“Does it require more power to forgive sins than to make the sick rise up and walk?”), and in Mark 2:18 it puts the question about fasting into the mouths of John’s disciples. Matthew carries the era’s densest JST material: a small addition at 9:2, a clarifying reword at 9:12, and a whole passage on baptism and the law with no KJV verse at all, inserted just before the new-cloth parable.

? How to read this edition

The reading is the Joseph Smith Translation, in the text of the Covenant Christian Edition, carried beside each Gospel and set against the King James baseline. Headers give both numbering systems: the CCE chapter and verse, and the traditional KJV reference.

JST
Green: Joseph Smith Translation. Where the Covenant Christian Edition departs in substance from the King James text and the change is in the JST (confirmed against the parallel-column edition). Modernized English (“has” for “hath,” “you” for “thou”) is not marked.
CCE
Burgundy: Covenant Christian Edition. Where the CCE’s reading departs from the King James but the change is not in the Joseph Smith Translation manuscript (e.g. “this day I have begotten you” at the baptism). Some are Joseph’s own readings from his sermons; the section’s Joseph Smith commentary then gives the sermon.

Each movement Joseph discusses carries a JS link down to his letter; the letter carries a roman-numeral link back up to the movement.

MatthewKJVMatthew 9:1–17CCEMatthew 4:7–10NT 1NT 2
MarkKJVMark 2:1–22CCEMark 1:10–11; Mark 2:1–3NT 2
LukeKJVLuke 5:17–39CCELuke 4:11–14NT 2
I
The Paralytic Healed

Let down through a broken roof by four friends, a paralyzed man hears Jesus forgive him before he heals him. The scribes charge blasphemy in their hearts (“who can forgive sins but God only?”), and Jesus answers the unspoken thought with a visible sign: the man rises, takes up his bed, and walks.

Mt 9:1–8

1And he Jesus entered into a ship and passed over and came into his own city. 2And behold, they brought to him a man, sick of the palsy, lying on a bed. And Jesus, knowing their faith, said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you. Go your way and sin no more. 3And behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemes. 4And Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, Why is it that you think evil in your hearts? 5For is it not easier to say, Your sins are forgiven you, than to say, Arise and walk? 6But I said this, that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,). Then Jesus said unto the sick of the palsy, Arise, take up your bed, and go unto your house. 7And he immediately arose and departed to his house. 8But when the multitude saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such power unto men.

Mk 2:1–12

1And again he entered into Capernaum after some many days, and it was noised abroad that he was in the house. 2And immediately many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, the multitude, no, not so much as about the door. And he preached the word unto them. 3And they came unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, who was borne of four people. 4And when they could not come near unto him for the crowd, they uncovered the roof where he was. And when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. 5When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, your sins are forgiven you. 6But there were certain of the scribes sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, 7Why does this man thus speak blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God only? 8And immediately, when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why do you reason these things in your hearts? 9Is it not easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Your sins are forgiven you, than to say, Arise and take up your bed and walk? 10But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins, he said to the sick of the palsy, 11I say unto you, arise and take up your bed, and go your way into your house. 12And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all, insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.. And many glorified God, saying, We never saw the power of God after this manner.

Lk 5:17–26

17And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, and Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them. 18And behold, men brought in a bed a man who was taken with a palsy, and they sought to bring him in and to lay him before him. Jesus. 19And when they found that they could not bring him in for the multitude, they went upon the housetop and let him down through the tiling, with his couch, into the midst before Jesus. 20And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, Now he saw their faith and said unto the man, Your sins are forgiven you. 21And the scribes and Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this that speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone? 22But Jesus perceived their thoughts, and he said unto them, What do you reason in your hearts? 23Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk? Does it require more power to forgive sins than to make the sick rise up and walk? 24But that you may know that the Son of Man has power upon earth to forgive sins, I said it. And he said unto the man sick of the palsy, I say unto you, Arise, and take up your couch, and go into your house. 25And immediately he arose up before them, and took up that on which he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. 26And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things today.

II
The Call of Matthew and the Feast

Jesus calls a tax collector (Matthew, or Levi), and the two words are enough: he rises and follows. The feast at his house draws “publicans and sinners,” and the Pharisees object; Jesus answers that the sick, not the well, are the ones who need a physician.

Mt 9:9–13

9And as Jesus passed forth from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the receipt of custom: the place where they received tribute, as was customary in those days, and he said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him. 10And it came to pass as Jesus sat at a meal in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and with his disciples. 11And when the Pharisees saw it, them, they said unto his disciples, Why does your master eat with publicans and sinners? 12But when Jesus heard them, he said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. 13But go and learn what this means: I desire mercy, and not sacrifice. For I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Mk 2:13–17

13And he Jesus went forth again by the seaside, and all the multitude went unto him, and he taught them. 14And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said the place where they receive tribute, as was customary in those days. And he said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him. 15And it came to pass that as Jesus sat at a meal in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with him and his disciples (for there were many) and they followed him. 16And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eats and drinks with publicans and sinners? 17When Jesus heard it, this, he says unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Lk 5:27–32

27And after these things, he went forth and saw a publican named Levi sitting at the place where they received custom. And he said unto him, Follow me. 28And he left all, rose up, and followed him. 29And Levi made him a great feast in his own house, and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them. 30But the scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do you eat and drink with publicans and sinners? 31Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician, but they who are sick. 32I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

III
Fasting, New Cloth, and New Wine

Asked why his disciples don’t fast as John’s do, Jesus answers with a wedding: no one fasts while the bridegroom is still present. Only in Matthew, the JST inserts a whole exchange with the Pharisees about their baptism and the law before the parables continue: new cloth cannot patch an old garment, and new wine cannot be trusted to old skins.

Mt 9:14–17

14Then came And while he was thus teaching, there came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but your disciples fast not? 15And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.

16Then said the Pharisees unto him, Why will you not receive us with our baptism, seeing we keep the whole law? But Jesus said unto them, You keep not the law. If you had kept the law, you would have received me, for I am he that gave the law. I receive not you with your baptism because it profits you nothing, for when that which is new has come, the old is about to be put away; for no man puts a piece of new cloth on an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up takes from the garment, and the rent is made worse. 17Neither do men put new wine into old bottles, else the bottles break, and the wine runs out, and the bottles perish. But they put new wine into new bottles and both are preserved.

Mk 2:18–22

18And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do And they came and said unto him, The disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast. And why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples fast not? 19And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20But the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. 21No man also sews a piece of new cloth on an old garment, else the new piece that filled it up takes away from the old and the rent is made worse. 22And no man puts new wine into old bottles, else the new wine does burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled and the bottles will be marred. But new wine must be put into new bottles.

Lk 5:33–39

33And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink? 34And he said unto them, Can you make the children of the bridechamber fast while the bridegroom is with them? 35But the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. 36And he spoke also a parable unto them, saying, No man puts a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old. new cloth upon an old garment. If so, then the new makes a rent, and agrees not with the old. 37And no man puts new wine into old bottles, else the new wine will burst the bottles and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. 38But new wine must be put into new bottles, and both are preserved. 39No man also, having drunk old wine, desires new, for he says, The old is better.

Cross-references · other works
Psalm 103:3 (CCE 103:1) · who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases↗Isaiah 43:25 (CCE 15:14) · I, even I, am he that blots out your transgressions↗Hosea 6:6 (CCE 2:8) · I desire mercy, and not sacrifice↗Jeremiah 31:31–34 (CCE 12:9) · a new covenant, not according to the covenant of their fathers↗Isaiah 62:4–5 (CCE 24:1) · as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride↗
Joseph Smith on the new wine

New Wine into Old Bottles

New Revelations in the Old Churches

At the October 1841 general conference in Nauvoo, Joseph Smith was asked why the Latter Day Saints would not accept baptism performed in other churches, or fellowship with them. He answered with the parable that ends this section: new revelation cannot be held in the old vessels. The published minutes give his words; switch to “Scribal accounts” to read Willard Richards’s notes taken as he spoke.

Discourse, 3 October 1841, general conference, Nauvoo · published minutes, Times and Seasons, 15 October 1841 (2:577–578), p. 578; Words of Joseph Smith, 76–79 · Joseph Smith Papers ↗

The speaker then answered the objections urged against the Latter Day Saints for not admitting the validity of sectarian baptism, and for withholding fellowship from sectarian churches. It was like putting new wine into old bottles and putting old wine into new bottles. What, new revelations in the old churches! New revelatiens knock out the bottom of their bottomless pit. New wine into old bottles!—the bottles burst and the wine runs out. What, Sadducees in the new church! Old wine in new leathern bottles will leak through the pores and escape; so the Saddacee saints mock at authority, kick out of the traces, and run to the mountains of perdition, leaving the long echo of their braying behind them.

He Explained the New Wine to Represent New Revelation

A late reminiscence, not a record made at the time. David Osborn wrote down years afterward what he remembered of Joseph Smith explaining this saying, probably at the same October 1841 conference. The editors of Words of Joseph Smith print it in a note because it agrees with the minutes. It is shown here for what it adds: how Joseph read the wineskins, and whom he meant by them.

David Osborn, reminiscent account in his journal (Church History Library), quoted in Words of Joseph Smith, 3 October 1841, note 19 · Joseph Smith Papers ↗

Joseph’s explanation of this saying of the Savior. ‘No man putteth new wine into old bottles—but new wine must be put into new bottles, lest the bottles break and the wine be spilt etc.’ He said the Jews anciently used bottles made of the skins of sheep and other animals. The wine when new would ferment and swell so would a new bottle stretch and swell, but to put new wine into an old one that had stretched all it could, the bottle was liable to burst and spill the wine. He explained the new wine to represent new revelation. He said he had seen this saying of the Savior’s exemplified in this church many times by those who had been gathered out of other churches. Who were so full of ancient revelation on the Bible that when a little more was given they could not find room for it, consequently it was lost to them. They would turn away and leave the church

Christ Said He Came to Call Sinners to Repentance

The Pharisees ask why Jesus eats with publicans and sinners, and he answers that he came to call sinners to repentance. In June 1842 the Female Relief Society was deciding whether to receive a woman against whom objections had been made, and Joseph Smith settled it from this scene. To read Eliza R. Snow’s minutes as she took them, switch to “Scribal accounts.”

Discourse to the Female Relief Society, 9 June 1842, Nauvoo · History, 1838–1856, vol. C-1 addenda, p. 74 (History of the Church 5:23–25; Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 240–241); recorded by Eliza R. Snow, Nauvoo Relief Society Minute Book, p. [61] · Joseph Smith Papers ↗

Respecting the reception of Sister Overton, President Joseph Smith said. It grieves me that there is no fuller fellowship; if one member suffer, all feel it— by union of feeling we obtain power with God. Christ said he came to call sinners to repentance, and save them.— Christ was condemned by the self righteous Jews because he took sinners into his Society— he took them upon the principle that they repented of their sins. It is the object of this Society to reform persons, not to take those that are corrupt and foster them in their wickedness; but if they repent, we are bound to take them, and by kindness sanctify and cleanse them from all unrighteousness, by our influence in watching over them. Nothing will have such influence over people, as the fear of being disfellowshipped by so goodly a society as this. Then take Sister Overton, as Jesus received sinners into his bosom.

Hugh Nibley on authority to forgive

A Demonstration Equivalent to the Claim

Nibley quotes Tertullian, arguing directly from this passage: authority to forgive sins cannot rest on office alone. Jesus backed his claim with a visible sign, and no one may claim the same power today without an equivalent demonstration.

Mormonism and Early Christianity“The Passing of the Primitive Church” · Collected Works of Hugh Nibley, Vol. 4 · n. 204
Tertullian… noting that the power to do miracles and that of forgiving sins have the same source, observes, “If the blessed Apostles enjoyed such power it was by a special gift of God, … and not by virtue of any special training…. Show me then some examples of such power today, and I will concede your right to forgive sins. But if you claim your authority simply by virtue of your office … and cannot show the power of Apostle or Prophet, you must be lacking in the authority you claim.” On Matthew 9:4 [Matt. 4:7]: “If the Lord himself took such pains to put his power to the proof, not presuming to forgive sins without a power great enough to heal the sick, certainly I may not claim power to forgive sins without at least an equivalent demonstration of divine power.”

Nibley (via Tertullian) reads Matthew 9:4 as the standard by which every later claim to forgive sins must be measured: not the words alone, but a power visibly equal to them.

Margaret Barker · forgiveness as atonement

Who Can Forgive Sins: A High Priest’s Question

For Barker, “who can forgive sins but God alone” is not an abstract theological objection but the plain temple logic of the Day of Atonement, where the high priest, standing in the Lord’s own place, absorbed the people’s sin to heal and restore them. Read that way, the paralytic’s healing is itself the claim under dispute: that Jesus stands where only the great high priest stands.

Atonement: The Rite of HealingSociety for Old Testament Study, Edinburgh, July 1994 · Scottish Journal of Theology 49.1 (1996) ↗
It would explain Matthew’s use of the Servant text “he took our infirmities and bore our diseases” in the context of healing miracles (Mat.8.17)… Above all it would explain the so-called kenotic hymn in Philippians 2.6–11; the self-emptying of the Servant would have been the symbolic life-giving when the blood, the life, was poured out by the high priest on the Day of Atonement to heal and restore the creation.
The Secret Traditionpaper ↗

Both Luke (24.25-27) and John (5.39), in very different contexts, record that Jesus found himself in the Old Testament. This is an extraordinary claim, and must be one of the clearest pieces of evidence that Jesus saw himself as the LORD. In first century Palestine, such a belief would have been possible for someone who had achieved the mystical ascent and been transformed. It is only traditions recorded much later in 3 Enoch which show clearly how a human could ascend to the presence of the throne and become ‘the lesser LORD’. Heated debates in the early Christian period, however, as to whether or not there were two powers in heaven, show just where the Christian claim lay. ‘Being’ the LORD had been part of the tradition of the high priests and before them, of the kings. They had worn the Name on their foreheads.85 The principle of temple practice, ‘on earth as it is in heaven’ meant that the act of atonement, in reality the work of the LORD (Deut.32.43 [Deut. 9:19]) was enacted on earth by the high priest. This was the suffering and death that was necessary for the Messiah.

In my book The Great Angel. A Study of Israel’s Second God, I showed how the first Christians recognised Jesus as yhwh, the LORD, the Son of God Most High. This claim came from Jesus himself, who had attained the ultimate mystical experience of the high priesthood, seen the throne and been transformed by that experience. The Messianic titles Son of Man and Son of God, and the role of the mysterious Servant, resulted from that experience, as did the realisation that the coming of the LORD to his people meant the great Day of Atonement when he took upon himself the sins and sicknesses of the creation (Isa.53.4 [Isa. 19:2] c.f.Matt.8.17 [Matt. 4:3]), and gave his own life to his people (Isa.53.10 [Isa. 19:2-3]). Thus it was that Peter could say ‘You denied the Holy and Righteous One … and killed the Author of Life’ (Acts 3.14-15 [Acts 2:2]).

Once Jesus is set back within the temple tradition, there is a whole new landscape for the study of Christian origins. The pre-existent and adoptionist Christologies are seen to be both compatible and original. The ‘knowledge’ characteristic of the non-canonical gospels would have originated in esoteric teaching such as was characteristic of priestly groups, and perhaps even underlying Isaiah 53.11 [Isa. 19:3]. The central themes of sacrifice, redemption and atonement can be seen in their original setting, and Jesus’ disregard for the purity laws can be seen as the practical enactment of priestly atonement, bringing the excluded sinner back into the community rather than excluding him.

Barker does not treat the call of Matthew or the feast with sinners directly: that movement carries no Barker material. Her reading of the bridegroom saying in Movement III likewise comes from her broader “bridal chamber as the Holy of Holies” temple theology (elsewhere in her work), not a direct comment on this passage.