The Meaning of Luke 5:21 Explained

Luke 5:21

KJV: And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?

YLT: And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, 'Who is this that doth speak evil words? who is able to forgive sins, except God only?'

Darby: And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason in their minds, saying, Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who is able to forgive sins but God alone?

ASV: And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this that speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  the scribes  and  the Pharisees  began  to reason,  saying,  Who  is  this  which  speaketh  blasphemies?  Who  can  forgive  sins,  but  God  alone? 

What does Luke 5:21 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The religious leaders were correct. Only God can forgive sins. However, they were unwilling to draw the conclusion that Jesus was God.
"Whenever Luke reports what someone is thinking, instruction from Jesus usually follows." [1]
" Luke , incidentally, is rather fond of questions which begin with "Who?" and refer to Jesus ( Luke 7:49; Luke 8:25; Luke 9:9; Luke 9:18; Luke 9:20; Luke 19:3)." [2]

Context Summary

Luke 5:12-26 - Cleansing, Power And Pardon
Jesus did not hesitate to touch the leper, because He could no more be polluted by uncleanness than could a ray of light by passing through a fetid atmosphere. The question is never in can or will, as applied to Christ, but whether we will trust Him and can believe.
The Mosaic offering was a pair of birds, one of which was killed over running water; while the other, having been dipped into this mingled blood and water, was freed to fly away in its native air. Is not this the meet emblem of the forgiven and cleansed soul? See Leviticus 14:2-32.
At first the bed bore the paralytic, but after the power of Jesus had entered into him, he bore the bed. So Jesus pours His energy into our anemic natures, and we master what had mastered us. The miracle in the physical sphere, which men could test, approved His power in the realm of the spiritual, where only the forgiven one could actually know.
Do not forget to withdraw from the crowd, however eager it is, that you may pray, Luke 5:16. [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 5

1  Jesus teaches the people out of Peter's ship;
4  shows how he will make them fishers of men;
12  cleanses the leper;
16  prays in the desert;
17  heals a paralytic;
27  calls Matthew the tax collector;
29  eats with sinners, as being the physician of souls;
33  foretells the fasting and afflictions of the apostles after his ascension;
36  and illustrates the matter by the parable of patches

Greek Commentary for Luke 5:21

But God alone [ει μη μονος ο τεος]
Mark has εις — heis (one) instead of μονος — monos (alone). [source]
To reason []
See on Mark 2:6. The words who is this that speaketh blasphemy, form an iambic verse in the Greek. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 5:21

Matthew 9:2 Lying on a bed []
” (stretched on a couch), perfect passive participle, a little bed or couch Present passive indicative (aoristic present). Luke (Luke 5:21) has απεωνται — apheōntai Doric and Ionic perfect passive indicative for the Attic απεινται — apheintai one of the dialectical forms appearing in the Koiné. [source]
Matthew 9:2 Thy sins are forgiven [απιενται]
Present passive indicative (aoristic present). Luke (Luke 5:21) has απεωνται — apheōntai Doric and Ionic perfect passive indicative for the Attic απεινται — apheintai one of the dialectical forms appearing in the Koiné. [source]
Mark 2:6 Sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts [εκει κατημενοι και διαλογιζομενοι εν ταις καρδιαις αυτων]
Another of Mark‘s pictures through Peter‘s eyes. These scribes (and Pharisees, Luke 5:21) were there to cause trouble, to pick flaws in the teaching and conduct of Jesus. His popularity and power had aroused their jealousy. There is no evidence that they spoke aloud the murmur in their hearts, “within themselves” (Matthew 9:3). It was not necessary, for their looks gave them away and Jesus knew their thoughts (Matthew 9:4) and perceived their reasoning (Luke 5:22). [source]
Luke 5:17 He [αυτος]
Luke sometimes has ην διδασκων — autos in the nominative as unemphatic “he” as here, not “he himself.”Was teaching (ησαν κατημενοι — ēn didaskōn). Periphrastic imperfect again like our English idiom.Were sitting by Periphrastic imperfect again. There is no “by” in the Greek.Doctors of the law (ιεροδιδασκαλος — nomodidaskaloi). A compound word formed after analogy of γραμματεις — hierodidaskalos but not found outside of the N.T. and ecclesiastical writers, one of the very few words apparently N.T. in usage. It appears here and Acts 5:34; 1 Timothy 1:7. It is not likely that Luke and Paul made the word, but they simply used the term already in current use to describe teachers and interpreters of the law. Our word “doctor” is Latin for “teacher.” These “teachers of the law” are called elsewhere in the Gospels “scribes” (νομικος — grammateis) as in Matthew and Mark (See note on Matthew 5:20; Matthew 23:34) and Luke 5:21; Luke 19:47; Luke 21:1; Luke 22:2. Luke also employs νομος — nomikos (one skilled in the law, οι γραμματεις και οι Παρισαιοι — nomos) as in Luke 10:25. One thinks of our LL.D. (Doctors of Civil and Canon Law), for both were combined in Jewish law. They were usually Pharisees (mentioned here for the first time in Luke) for which see note on Matthew 3:7, note on Matthew 5:20. Luke will often speak of the Pharisees hereafter. Not all the “Pharisees” were “teachers of the law” so that both terms often occur together as in Luke 5:21 where Luke has separate articles (οι ησαν εληλυτοτες — hoi grammateis kai hoi Pharisaioi), distinguishing between them, though one article may occur as in Matthew 5:20 or no article as here in Matthew 5:17. Luke alone mentions the presence here of these Pharisees and doctors of the law “which were come” (εκ πασης κωμης της Γαλιλαιας και Ιουδαιας και Ιερουσαλημ — hoi ēsan elēluthotes periphrastic past perfect active, had come).Out of every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem Edersheim (Jewish Social Life) observes that the Jews distinguished Jerusalem as a separate district in Judea. Plummer considers it hyperbole in Luke to use “every village.” But one must recall that Jesus had already made one tour of Galilee which stirred the Pharisees and rabbis to active opposition. Judea had already been aroused and Jerusalem was the headquarters of the definite campaign now organized against Jesus. One must bear in mind that John 4:1-4 shows that Jesus had already left Jerusalem and Judea because of the jealousy of the Pharisees. They are here on purpose to find fault and to make charges against Jesus. One must not forget that there were many kinds of Pharisees and that not all of them were as bad as these legalistic and punctilious hypocrites who deserved the indictment and exposure of Christ in Matthew 23. Paul himself is a specimen of the finer type of Pharisee which, however, developed into the persecuting fanatic till Jesus changed his whole life.The power of the Lord was with him to heal (Κυριου — dunamis Kuriou ēn eis to iāsthai auton). So the best texts. It is neat Greek, but awkward English: “Then was the power of the Lord for the healing as to him (Jesus).” Here δυναμεις — Kuriou refers to Jehovah.Dunamis (dynamite) is one of the common words for “miracles” What Luke means is that Jesus had the power of the Lord God to heal with. He does not mean that this power was intermittent. He simply calls attention to its presence with Jesus on this occasion. [source]
Luke 5:17 Doctors of the law [ιεροδιδασκαλος]
A compound word formed after analogy of γραμματεις — hierodidaskalos but not found outside of the N.T. and ecclesiastical writers, one of the very few words apparently N.T. in usage. It appears here and Acts 5:34; 1 Timothy 1:7. It is not likely that Luke and Paul made the word, but they simply used the term already in current use to describe teachers and interpreters of the law. Our word “doctor” is Latin for “teacher.” These “teachers of the law” are called elsewhere in the Gospels “scribes” (νομικος — grammateis) as in Matthew and Mark (See note on Matthew 5:20; Matthew 23:34) and Luke 5:21; Luke 19:47; Luke 21:1; Luke 22:2. Luke also employs νομος — nomikos (one skilled in the law, οι γραμματεις και οι Παρισαιοι — nomos) as in Luke 10:25. One thinks of our LL.D. (Doctors of Civil and Canon Law), for both were combined in Jewish law. They were usually Pharisees (mentioned here for the first time in Luke) for which see note on Matthew 3:7, note on Matthew 5:20. Luke will often speak of the Pharisees hereafter. Not all the “Pharisees” were “teachers of the law” so that both terms often occur together as in Luke 5:21 where Luke has separate articles (οι ησαν εληλυτοτες — hoi grammateis kai hoi Pharisaioi), distinguishing between them, though one article may occur as in Matthew 5:20 or no article as here in Matthew 5:17. Luke alone mentions the presence here of these Pharisees and doctors of the law “which were come” (εκ πασης κωμης της Γαλιλαιας και Ιουδαιας και Ιερουσαλημ — hoi ēsan elēluthotes periphrastic past perfect active, had come). [source]
Luke 7:47 Are forgiven [απεωνται]
Doric perfect passive form. See Luke 5:21, Luke 5:23. [source]
Luke 7:49 Who even forgiveth sins [ος και αμαρτιας απιησιν]
Present indicative active of same verb, απιημι — aphiēmi Once before the Pharisees considered Jesus guilty of blasphemy in claiming the power to forgive sins (Luke 5:21). Jesus read their inmost thoughts as he always does. [source]
Luke 5:17 Were sitting by [νομοδιδασκαλοι]
Periphrastic imperfect again. There is no “by” in the Greek.Doctors of the law (ιεροδιδασκαλος — nomodidaskaloi). A compound word formed after analogy of γραμματεις — hierodidaskalos but not found outside of the N.T. and ecclesiastical writers, one of the very few words apparently N.T. in usage. It appears here and Acts 5:34; 1 Timothy 1:7. It is not likely that Luke and Paul made the word, but they simply used the term already in current use to describe teachers and interpreters of the law. Our word “doctor” is Latin for “teacher.” These “teachers of the law” are called elsewhere in the Gospels “scribes” (νομικος — grammateis) as in Matthew and Mark (See note on Matthew 5:20; Matthew 23:34) and Luke 5:21; Luke 19:47; Luke 21:1; Luke 22:2. Luke also employs νομος — nomikos (one skilled in the law, οι γραμματεις και οι Παρισαιοι — nomos) as in Luke 10:25. One thinks of our LL.D. (Doctors of Civil and Canon Law), for both were combined in Jewish law. They were usually Pharisees (mentioned here for the first time in Luke) for which see note on Matthew 3:7, note on Matthew 5:20. Luke will often speak of the Pharisees hereafter. Not all the “Pharisees” were “teachers of the law” so that both terms often occur together as in Luke 5:21 where Luke has separate articles (οι ησαν εληλυτοτες — hoi grammateis kai hoi Pharisaioi), distinguishing between them, though one article may occur as in Matthew 5:20 or no article as here in Matthew 5:17. Luke alone mentions the presence here of these Pharisees and doctors of the law “which were come” (εκ πασης κωμης της Γαλιλαιας και Ιουδαιας και Ιερουσαλημ — hoi ēsan elēluthotes periphrastic past perfect active, had come).Out of every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem Edersheim (Jewish Social Life) observes that the Jews distinguished Jerusalem as a separate district in Judea. Plummer considers it hyperbole in Luke to use “every village.” But one must recall that Jesus had already made one tour of Galilee which stirred the Pharisees and rabbis to active opposition. Judea had already been aroused and Jerusalem was the headquarters of the definite campaign now organized against Jesus. One must bear in mind that John 4:1-4 shows that Jesus had already left Jerusalem and Judea because of the jealousy of the Pharisees. They are here on purpose to find fault and to make charges against Jesus. One must not forget that there were many kinds of Pharisees and that not all of them were as bad as these legalistic and punctilious hypocrites who deserved the indictment and exposure of Christ in Matthew 23. Paul himself is a specimen of the finer type of Pharisee which, however, developed into the persecuting fanatic till Jesus changed his whole life.The power of the Lord was with him to heal (Κυριου — dunamis Kuriou ēn eis to iāsthai auton). So the best texts. It is neat Greek, but awkward English: “Then was the power of the Lord for the healing as to him (Jesus).” Here δυναμεις — Kuriou refers to Jehovah.Dunamis (dynamite) is one of the common words for “miracles” What Luke means is that Jesus had the power of the Lord God to heal with. He does not mean that this power was intermittent. He simply calls attention to its presence with Jesus on this occasion. [source]
1 Timothy 1:17 The only wise God [μόνῳ θεῷ]
Wise should be omitted. Rend. The only God. Σοφῷ wisewas interpolated from Romans 16:27- the only instance in which Paul applies the term to God. Comp. Judges 1:4, Judges 1:25; Luke 5:21; John 5:44. [source]
James 2:4 Judges of evil thoughts [κριταὶ διαλογισμῶν πονηρῶν]
Better, as Rev., “judgeswith evil thoughts.” The form of expression is the same as in Luke 18:6, κριτὴς τῆς ἀδικίας , the judge of injustice, i.e., the unjust judge. So James 1:25, a hearer of forgetfulness. The word thoughts is, rather, reasonings. See on deceiving yourselves (James 1:22). Compare Luke 5:21. Their evil processes of thought lead to these unjust discriminations. [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 5:21 mean?

And began to reason the scribes Pharisees saying Who is this who speaks blasphemies is able sins to forgive if not alone - God
Καὶ ἤρξαντο διαλογίζεσθαι οἱ γραμματεῖς Φαρισαῖοι λέγοντες Τίς ἐστιν οὗτος ὃς λαλεῖ βλασφημίας δύναται ἁμαρτίας ἀφεῖναι εἰ μὴ μόνος Θεός

ἤρξαντο  began 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἄρχω  
Sense: to be the first to do (anything), to begin.
διαλογίζεσθαι  to  reason 
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Middle or Passive
Root: διαλογίζομαι  
Sense: to bring together different reasons, to reckon up the reasons, to reason, revolve in one’s mind, deliberate.
γραμματεῖς  scribes 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: γραμματεύς  
Sense: a clerk, scribe, esp.
Φαρισαῖοι  Pharisees 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: Φαρισαῖος  
Sense: A sect that seems to have started after the Jewish exile.
λέγοντες  saying 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
οὗτος  this 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
λαλεῖ  speaks 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀπολαλέω 
Sense: to utter a voice or emit a sound.
βλασφημίας  blasphemies 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Plural
Root: βλασφημία  
Sense: slander, detraction, speech injurious, to another’s good name.
δύναται  is  able 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: δύναμαι  
Sense: to be able, have power whether by virtue of one’s own ability and resources, or of a state of mind, or through favourable circumstances, or by permission of law or custom.
ἁμαρτίας  sins 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Plural
Root: ἁμαρτία  
Sense: equivalent to 264.
ἀφεῖναι  to  forgive 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: ἀφίημι 
Sense: to send away.
μόνος  alone 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: μόνος  
Sense: alone (without a companion), forsaken, destitute of help, alone, only, merely.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Θεός  God 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.