What is a paradox? In English (especially in philosophy) we talk about paradoxes like the following example. Take a notecard, write on one side “the statement on the other side of this card is true”, write on the other side “the statement on the other side of this card is false.” You end up flipping the card over and over again with different answers every time. That’s the common English use of the term. However ‘option 1’ in Webster’s follows more the original Greek meaning of the word: “a tenet contrary to received opinion”. That is, a statement of fact that flies in the face of common knowledge, something seemingly contrary to obvious truth.
‘Paradox’ is made up of para meaning ‘beside’ or ‘alongside of’ and a form of doxa usually meaning ‘glory’ but here reflecting the root meaning of ‘belief’. Therefore we could say ‘beside belief’ as in ‘unbelievable’ or ‘contrary to belief’. BDAG gives the definition for the Greek as “contrary to opinion or exceeding expectation, strange, wonderful, remarkable.”
This biblical use of the word is in line with the non-Biblical Hellenistic use. According to LSJ, a paradox is something “contrary to expectation, incredible.” Demosthenes uses it in this sense:
For the reckless man has lost all control of himself, all hope of rational safety, and can only be saved, if at all, by some unexpected and incalculable accident.
– Demosthenes, Against Aristogiton 1
So we can settle on that definition of paradox, something contrary to opinion and exceeding expectation. This word is used only once in the New Testament. Can you guess where that is? Is there any place where a statement is made and an action is done that is contrary to opinion and vastly exceeds expectation? I’ll give you a hint, it’s something Jesus did. Alright, that doesn’t help too much. Take a minute and come up with some options in your head and then see if you get the right one.
It’s easy for someone to say something, to make some truth claim. It’s a whole other thing to actually do the action. In other words it’s easy to talk the talk, but it’s another thing to actually walk the walk. Jesus talked the talk for sure. He made a lot of claims that were extraordinary, and one of those is that he could actually forgive sins. It’s one thing to forgive a wrong that someone has done against you or a debt to you that they have incurred, but it’s something else entirely to forgive someone’s sins in general. Only God can do that after all because all sins are ultimately sins against God.
So Jesus claims to be able to forgive sins. So what? That’s just talk. Talk is cheap. What is easier, saying your sins are forgiven or…? Did you figure out where paradox is used?
Jesus was teaching and healing the sick, drawing quite a crowd. On that day a man came to Jesus looking to be healed. He couldn’t walk so he was carried on a bed by some men. The crowd being so great they couldn’t get to Jesus and went to the roof instead. There they began to peal the roof away and lowered the man on his bed into the room where the Pharisees were witnessing Jesus’ healing power.
And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus.
And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”
And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.”
And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”
– Luke 5:18-26
‘Extraordinary things’ indeed. Paradoxical things you might say, things vastly exceeding expectations. Jesus claiming authority to forgive sins, something only God can do, and showing it by healing a paralyzed man. The man once paralyzed has become a walking paradox.
‘Paralyzed’ or paraluo in this text comes from two Greek words para again and this time luo meaning ‘loosed’ or ‘free’. Here is a man who is ‘beside freedom’, look at him lying on his bed, contrary to the liberating freedom of movement. It is that man that Jesus sees before him. But it is that man’s true paralysis that Jesus addresses, his bondage to sin. It is that master from which the man needs to be liberated first and foremost.
The religious men scoff among themselves. Only God could make that claim. Sure this man is healing in the name of God but he is not God, claiming to be so is blasphemy. If he blasphemies then God will take that power away from him.
“Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?”
Obviously it is far easier to say the first. After that blasphemy God would hardly heal the paralytic.
“But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins…”
Again the blasphemy. God will not honor this man’s request for healing. In fact, this man Jesus is lucky God doesn’t strike him dead right here in front of all these people.
But blasphemy is only blasphemy if it is not true.
Jesus turns to the man on the bed and says, “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.”
And the man does what the Creator of the universe tells him to do.
Except he does something else as well, he went home “glorifying God.” He gave ‘glory’ or doxa to God. He glorified God through his faith and through his obedience. His story would then serve to glorify God in Christ to the present day and beyond. The man without freedom became free from sin and infirmity by the Son of Man, a sign of Christ’s authority over sin and illness that is truly “contrary to opinion” and “exceeding any expectation.”
And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”
‘Amazement’ is ekstasis here. True ecstasy seized them all. Let us join with the crowd, filled with awe toward Christ, let us glorify God for the ‘paradoxes’ that we have seen.
Maybe what Christ has shown us in our own lives doesn’t seem as impressive as a paralytic getting up and walking, but we are still walking with the Spirit, and if you truly know your self and your own sinful proclivities you will be amazed that he has saved you and you will glorify him for the things “contrary to opinion or exceeding expectation, strange, wonderful, remarkable.”
Christian, you are a walking paradox.
Tessera Sola 