Verse 8
The response of the observing crowd was appropriate in view of Jesus’ action. People should respect and admire the One who can forgive sins. Here was a manifestation of God before them. They glorified God because they saw a man exercising divine authority. Unfortunately they failed to perceive that Jesus was the divine Messiah.
Readers of Matthew’s Gospel, however, perceive that this was the promised King come to rule "on earth" (cf. Matthew 9:6). The King had come to save His people from their sins. The kingdom of David’s Son was at hand.
"This is one of the most significant signs Jesus performs relative to the kingdom program. It shows that He is capable of forgiving sins on earth." [Note: Toussaint, Behold the . . ., p. 129.]
This miracle proves that Jesus could forgive sins and so produce the conditions prophesied in Isaiah 33:24; Isaiah 40:1-2; Isaiah 44:21-22; and Isaiah 60:20-21. The three miracles in this section (Matthew 8:23 to Matthew 9:8) show that Jesus could establish the kingdom because He had the authority to do so. He demonstrated authority over nature, the angelic world, and sin.
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