Faith is a gift! How can we expect God’s guidance and power in our life without believing that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who believe in Him.
Without faith it is impossible to please God.
In a world where discouragement and weariness are real, too often stoked by stress, loneliness and political division, every single one of us needs kindness and grace. SabbathMoments
“For our high priest [Jesus] is able to understand our weaknesses. He was tempted in every way that we are, but he did not sin. Let us, then, feel very sure that we can come before God’s throne where there is grace. There we can receive mercy and grace to help us when we need it” (Hebrews 4:15-16 NCV).
When we stumble we aren’t abandoned. The stunning idea is simply this: God, for a time, became one of us. God became flesh in the form of Jesus Christ. And neither his humanity nor deity were compromised. Max Lucado
Mark 2:5-12
5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” 6 And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic, 11 “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” 12 Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!” The New King James Version
Jesus’ words to the man suggest a connection between sin and illness, an assumption rooted in the old testament understanding of disobedience to God’s law resulting in various curses. The healing that follows authenticates Jesus’ claim to forgive sins.
The people’s increasing recognition of Jesus’ authority provokes conflict with these teachers.
In Mark, the Greek term used here for scribes, dialogizomai, is often used in contexts where a sense of disapproval or disagreement is involved. Each episode of controversy in this chapter is provoked by a question about the behavior of Jesus or His disciples. The scribes (teachers of the law) accuse Jesus of blasphemy because He, a human being, claims to do something only God can.
Blasphemy—a significant theme in Mark’s Gospel—is the first and last charge Jesus’ Jewish adversaries will bring against Him. For Jesus’ opponents, His claim to forgive the man’s sins—equivalent to claiming divinity—is easily dismissible since there is no proof of the success of His claim. Jesus’ rhetorical question and following action are meant to stimulate His audience, and especially His accusers, to recognize that He had authority to act with God’s power.
The phrase, which may be literally rendered “human one” refers to a Messiah figure who comes to Yahweh (called the Ancient of Days), with the clouds surrounding him, to be given dominion over all of the world. Yahweh is also depicted as riding on the clouds, which means the Son of Man is depicted like Yahweh himself—indicating that the Son of Man figure is also divine.
This is fitting as a description for Jesus’ ministry, since He is divine and human, and is establishing the kingdom of God on earth. Jesus acted with an unprecedented authority over physical maladies and demons. Faithlife Study Bible
Not only did the four men have faith, but the paralytic himself had it too. When Jesus announced to him, your sins are forgiven, He was implicitly acknowledging the paralytic’s trust that He was the Messiah.
Mark notes the opposition of the scribes, who under their breath accused Jesus of blasphemy. In Christ’s day the scribes were commonly called lawyers. Jesus asked the which is easier question to demonstrate the truth of His claim to forgive the man’s sins—something only God can accomplish. Anyone could assert the ability to forgive sins, since there was no earthly way of confirming the statement. But to say arise, take up your bed and walk to a paralytic could be tested immediately by whether he walked or not. By healing the paralytic, Jesus made His pronouncement of forgiveness far more credible.
Son of Man is a term regularly used for the Messiah.
The crowd’s reaction showed that they understood the significance of Jesus’ miracle. It is possible that some scribes and Pharisees joined in the acclamation. But permanent, life-changing faith is what Christ sought, not temporary adoration from the crowd. The NKJV Study Bible
When we see what Christ does in healing souls, we must own that we never saw the like. Most men think themselves whole; they feel no need of a physician, therefore despise or neglect Christ and his gospel. But the convinced, humbled sinner, who despairs of all help, excepting from the Saviour, will show his faith by applying to him without delay. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Isaiah 43:25 “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins.
Matthew 9:2 Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.”
Matthew 9:5 For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’?
John 15:22 if I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.
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