11/16/2007
Matthew 9:1 - 6 (HCSB)
1So He got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own town. 2Just then some men brought to Him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. Seeing their faith, Jesus told the paralytic, “Have courage, son, your sins are forgiven.” 3At this, some of the scribes said among themselves, “He’s blaspheming!”
4But perceiving their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why are you thinking evil things in your hearts? 5For which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 6But so you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—then He told the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your stretcher, and go home.”
With whom do you have a mortgage for your house? What lending institution loaned you the money to buy your car? Can another institution then come and declare your debt paid in full? No, only the institution to whom you owe the money can declare the debt satisfied.
In Biblical times, it was common belief that a person was ill or lame due to some sin. In fact, theologians of the day wondered if it was possible for the baby to sin before it was even born. Nonetheless, since sin caused the condition, only God could forgive the sin and thus heal.
I had a conversation with a Muslim once on the subject of Jesus’ deity. The Muslim refused to acknowledge Jesus because He never said “I am God.” This is a true statement. And only a few times did Jesus identify Himself as the Messiah. But, when we look at this passage, we see something that I think is more significant: Jesus is using His actions to proclaim who He is.
John the Baptists followers came to Jesus and asked “are you the One that is to come?” to which Jesus said:
Matthew 11:4 - 5 (HCSB)
4Jesus replied to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: 5the blind see, the lame walk, those with skin diseases are healed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news.
Jesus wanted people to believe him based on His actions. No doubt many men had come claiming to be the Messiah, but Jesus wanted to demonstrate who He was and let people decide for themselves.
So let’s look at the passage above. What is it the scribes and Pharisees accuse Jesus of? Blasphemy. This accusation is that someone is speaking as if they were God. Only God could forgive sins and Jesus Himself forgave the man’s sins. What Jesus did and said in their midst, they clearly understood, was acting as if He were God. For this, the punishment was stoning.
But Jesus was indeed God and knew their thoughts and answered them that He said these things : “… so you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” The “son of Man” is the title that Jesus gave Himself. But rest assured, that Jesus identified Himself with and as God on earth.
Let no one ever tell you that Jesus is not one and the same with God.
Jeff Justus
Cleff Publishing
www.cleffpublishing.com
©2007 Cleff Publishing, all rights reserved.
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