Mark wrote how, “And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house. And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them. And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, your sins be forgiven you. But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts. Why does this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason you these things in your hearts?”, and in chapter two and verse nine of his book, Mark shares how Jesus asked the scribes, “Whether is easier to say? Your sins be forgiven you; or … Arise, and take up your bed?” where we read:
Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Your sins be forgiven you;
or to say, Arise, and take up your bed, and walk?
The verse reads, “Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Your sins be forgiven you;” Mark began with the words, “whether is it easier to say” which means “”which of these two questions is more facile, better for toil and of little labor to utter, declare and proclaim” “to the sick of the palsy? or “toward the paralytic man” “your sins” which means “the man's errors, mistakes, missing of the mark and violation of the laws of God” “be forgiven you” or “to bid depart, send away, omit and remit from the sins of the paralytic man”. Mark shared how Jesus questioned the “scribes as to which of two statements would be easier to declare to the “paralytic” man, and the first question was concerning the “forgiveness” of his sins.
The verse continues, “ or to say, Arise, and take up your bed, and walk?” Mark added the words, “or to say” which means “or to utter, declare and proclaim”, “arise” or “rise up, be raised and erected” “and take up your bed” which means “and lift, carry off and move the paralytic man's pallet or camp bed which was rather simple and held only one person”, “and walk” or “and amble about”? Mark shared how Jesus presented the second part of His question to the “scribes” as to whether declaring to the “paralytic man” to be “raised up”, carry his bed and “walk” around would be an “easier” thing to “say”.
When we consider Mark's words in this verse, we see how Jesus put these “scribes” in a predicament as He question which of two options, “forgiving sins or raising up the paralytic man” would be easier to “say”. The proof of the statements would be indicated by whether they were true or not, and the implication is that Jesus was able to do “both”. Those who are wise understand that Jesus first desires to “save” people from the eternal “penalty for sins”, and if necessary, He is able heal temporary “physical needs” as well.
Next time Mark shares how Jesus says, “that you may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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