Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 9:2

"And behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, be of good cheer; thy sins are forgiven." — Matthew 9:2 (ASV)

Here our King displays His power over weakness. The man is sad and paralyzed. The weight of sin is on his conscience, and his body is in bonds. Yet he has good friends, who band themselves together, and four of them carry him up to the roof of the house in which our Lord is preaching, and let him down, in his bed, by ropes.

They have faith in Jesus, and so does he, and the Lord answers their faith with a cheering word, in which He called him, “child.” How sweet a word for a young man and for one so feeble! His mental distress was the hardest to suffer, and our Lord removed it with a word. Perhaps the youth’s sin had some connection with his palsy, and hence his double distress.

None but Jesus could pardon sin, but with a royal word He pronounced effectual absolution. This He gave first, because it was most longed for by the paralytic, because it was the greatest benefit, because the evil it removed lies at the root of every other, and because He thus unveiled His majesty and had an opportunity to instruct opposers.

How the youth’s face brightened as he felt the comfort of that effectual forgiveness! He could not yet walk, but he felt happier than tongue could tell. “Thy sins be forgiven thee” is a phrase that never fails to bring “good cheer” to the saddest heart.

Said to the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; your sins be forgiven you.

It was remarked by a medieval writer that we do not find Christ calling any of the apostles, not even the very chief of them, by the name that he gave to this palsied man, "Son." This is the title that he gives to a sin-sick sinner, lying on a bed before him, waiting to be healed. Oh, the tenderness of Christ to sin and misery! He puts a kind of sonship upon this man which he had not possessed before.

And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. (Matthew 9:2)

He saw the faith of the one man who was brought to him, and also the faith of the four bearers who had let him down through the roof.