Mark 2: The Authority to Forgive Sin

Today’s reading is Mark 2.

In the beginning of the gospel, Jesus was anointed to be king by the Holy Spirit of God. Then He demonstrated authority over unclean spirits and unclean sicknesses. He commanded the demons to depart, and they did. He commanded the diseases to depart, and they did. All is looking good for the would-be king. All that is about to change.

Jesus’s popularity had grown. When He returned to Capernaum, great crowds formed. So great, those who needed healing couldn’t reach him. But a particular group of friends would not be stopped. They removed some of the roof from above Jesus and lowered their friend right into the middle of the teaching. In that moment, Jesus lit the match to start the fire throughout Mark’s gospel account.

And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
–Mark 2:5 (ESV)

He didn’t have to say this. He could have just healed the man. That is what He had done up to this point. He didn’t command the sickness away, but the sins. “Blasphemy!” the scribes sitting there thought.

This is how Mark demonstrates the beginning of controversy and opposition in Jesus’s work. Don’t miss how important it is. This opposition will continue all the way through His trial in Mark 14:53:65. In similar fashion, had Jesus not said anything, the opposition would have faded. In the monkey trial before the Council, even with trumped up charges and bribed witnesses, they couldn’t get the testimony they needed to accuse Jesus. They were unable, that is, until Jesus spoke up and said they would see the Son of Man seated at God’s right hand. They leveled the charge again: “Blasphemy!” That time, they sentenced Him to death.

But Jesus knew what He was doing both times. After forgiving the paralytic’s sins, He healed the paralytic’s sickness. However, this miracle was not simply for the purpose of healing. Jesus said…

“But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”–he said to the paralytic–“I say to you, rise, pick up you bed, and go home.” And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all.
–Mark 2:10-12a (ESV)

What an incredible king! He has authority over spirits and over sickness. He even has authority over sin. Sin cannot remain in His presence. When He commands it to depart, it goes. And the man was forgiven.

That is a really big deal. Why would any of us want to surrender to King Jesus? Because King Jesus has the authority to forgive our sins.

Praise the Lord!

Tomorrow’s reading is Mark 2.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does Mark 2 prompt or improve your praise of God?

John 5: Do You Want to Be Healed?

Today’s reading is John 5.

Jesus walks up to a man who has been an invalid for thirty-eight years. He is sitting with a bunch of other blind, lame, and paralyzed people around a pool which will allegedly provide healing. And Jesus asks…

Do you want to be healed?

That’s kind of insensitive, don’t you think? It seems to me the man even took it as a bit of an accusation. He doesn’t say Yes or No, but starts explaining why he hasn’t been healed yet. It’s not his fault. He would have been healed long ago if someone else cared enough to get him into the water when it was stirred.

So, Jesus heals him.

Wow!

But all of this leads me to a question.

Do you want to be healed?

I mean that question for you. I mean it for me. Our sin sickness has caused us enough problems, hasn’t it? As we hang out here around all these other people dead in trespasses and sins, are we just making excuses? If someone else cared enough to come heal us, would we do something about it? I mean, I know we all want to go to heaven when we die, but…

Do you want to be healed?

I can’t help but notice Jesus had done enough healing by the time He speaks to this man that in the previous chapter an official from Capernaum (possibly a Gentile) hunted Jesus down in Cana to get his son healed. Is it possible there were no stories among the people at the pool of Bethesda about the man traveling Judea, Samaria, and Galilee healing people? Did the invalid have no friends whatsoever who could help him seek out Jesus for healing? How did he get to the pool of Bethesda anyway?

Of course, this fellow didn’t even know who Jesus was after he had been healed by Him. So, perhaps not. Maybe the man really was a complete victim of circumstance. Maybe I’m making too much out of a simple question.

But the fact is you and I have heard of Jesus. You and I can walk. Are we making excuses about why we haven’t hunted Him down, given our allegiance to Him, and allowed Him to heal our souls? Which thought leaves me with one final question.

Do you want to be healed?

Tomorrow’s reading is John 5.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does John 5 prompt or improve your praise of God?

Authority to Forgive Sins

Today’s reading is Matthew 9.

Sometimes I wonder what went through the paralyzed man’s mind when Jesus first spoke to him. His friends had told him, “We’re going to take you to the healer, Jesus.” But when they got to the house, the crowd was large and tightly packed, they couldn’t get through the door. Imagine the man’s disappointment. One of the friends says, “I have an idea!” They carry the man up to the roof. They start to dig. They lower the man through the roof right in front of Jesus. Yes!!! Healing can now happen!

But Jesus doesn’t say, “Rise and walk.” He doesn’t touch him and say, “Be clean.” He says, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” Was the lame man excited at this? Did he think, “Yes, that is what I really needed. We can leave now”? Or was he disappointed. “My sins? My sins? What about my legs?” I obviously don’t know what the lame man thought. However, I learn something from this scenario. Everyone around thinks what this man really needs is to be able to walk. Jesus knows what this man really needs is to have his sins forgiven. Not because if his sins are forgiven, he’ll be able to walk, but because even if he starts walking, he’ll still be lost.

The scribes didn’t say anything out loud, but they were all getting ready to go back to their lair and decry Jesus as a blasphemer. Jesus knew their thoughts. And used this as the perfect opportunity to demonstrate what the miracles were really all about. Jesus didn’t perform miracles merely to heal people. Jesus performed miracles to prove something about Himself. He performed miracles to prove He is God. Only God can forgive sins. If a mere man claims that authority, he is blaspheming. Jesus is no mere man; He is no blasphemer. Jesus says, “Is it easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Rise and walk’?” The point seems to me to be anyone can say the words “Your sins are forgiven.” No one can check whether that is true or not. But it takes some true authority to say, “Rise and walk.” People will know pretty quickly if you really have that authority. So He then said, “Rise and walk,” and the lame man did. That is the kind of authority Jesus has. If He can do that right after declaring someone’s sins forgiven, guess what. He has authority to forgive sins.

We’ve talked a great deal about Jesus’s authority. But now we are getting down to brass tacks. I mean, it is cool that Jesus has authority over disease, demons, storms, and so forth. But my biggest problem is I’m a sinner. What can He do about that? I’ll tell you what He’s going to do; He’s going to forgive. He clearly has the authority to do that too.

Praise the Lord!

Tomorrow’s reading is Matthew 9.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

Discuss the Following Questions with Your Family

1. What are your initial reactions to the chapter and the written devo above?
2. Why do we need our sins forgiven?
3. How grateful are you that Jesus forgives sins?
4. How should the lame man have lived after Jesus forgave him? How should we live after He forgives us?
5. What do you think we should pray for and about in light of this chapter and today’s post?