Anchor My Faith

Jesus Provides Circumstantial Evidence

Scripture: Mt 9:4, 8; Mk 2:8-12; Lk 5:25-26

In the previous lesson Jesus makes a profound statement by saying to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” In saying this, Jesus was either as a man blaspheming or Jesus was speaking to them as God. If you were there in the group and heard this and you had grown up with Jesus, how readily would you accept that Jesus was God? How is Jesus going to convince people that he is the Son of God, their Messiah? What is Jesus going to say next?

^{“Mt 9:4} But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, ^{Mk 2:8} [and] perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts?”’ The ability of knowing the thoughts of the people and being able to perceive in his spirit, indicates the divine nature of Jesus and as a result he asks them why they question what he is telling them. Does Jesus expect the Pharisees and Scribes to know the Scriptures and understand what he has been saying about himself and the miracles he has been performing to know who he is and thus would be able to forgive people of their sins?

Jesus then asks them another question: ^{“Mk 2:9} Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’?” On the surface saying, “Your sins are forgiven” is easier than saying, “Rise, take up your bed and walk” because they couldn’t see if he could forgive sins or not, but to say, “Rise, take up your bed and walk” Jesus had to produce results that could be seen. Jesus continues to speak and says, ^{“Mk 2:10} [So] that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— ¹¹ “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.”’ By telling the Paralytic to get up, pick up his bed, and go home, Jesus is hoping the people will conclude that he also has the ability to forgive sins, but we will soon see that this is wishful thinking.

In obedience, the paralytic ^{“Lk 5:25} Immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on ^{Mk 2:12} and went out before them all, ^{Lk 5:25} and went home, glorifying God. Again Jesus was able to demonstrate that he has the power to heal and as ^{“Lk 5:26} amazement seized them all, and they glorified God, ^{Mt 9:8} who had given such authority to men. ^{Lk 5:26} [They] were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”’ Notice that so far they only recognize the ability of Jesus to heal because as they leave they say, ^{“Mk 2:12} We [have] never [seen] anything like this!” There is no indication of any belief about his ability to forgive sin. This is not to say that they were not thinking about his claim to be able to forgive sins.

Prayer

Father, as we walk with Jesus along this gospel path we are on, I find it interesting how Jesus gradually attaches additional information about himself to his miracles. In this lesson he connects the healing of the paralytic with the ability to forgive sins. Father, I wonder what we will encounter next on our journey?