“Why do you question these things in your hearts?” ~Jesus

Tags

Forgiveness, Healing, Heaven, Jesus, Jesus Sayings, Mark, Mark 2, Mark 2:6-12, Praise, Religious, Summary

Jesus has this way of baffling the religious community. The reaction is “He can’t talk that way” or “He can’t do that”. “That is blasphemy.” The religious elites are skeptical.

When Jesus arrives on the scene, miracles happen, and religious people cannot control what he is doing. When Jesus does His outrageous miracles, we rub our eyes.

We have never seen anything like this. He is doing what He sees the Father doing. He is bringing heaven to earth. Wow!!!

I have never seen anything like what Jesus can do. May I believe that in my core.

Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, ⁷ “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” ⁸ And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? ⁹ Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? ¹⁰ But 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.” ¹² And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!” ^[1]

(Mark 2:6-12)

In the second chapter of Mark’s gospel, we read about an amazing encounter between Jesus and a paralyzed man. The man was brought to Jesus by four friends who had faith that he could heal him. They even made a hole in the roof of the house where Jesus was teaching and lowered their friend down to him.

• But before Jesus healed the man, he said something surprising: “Son, your sins are forgiven.” (Mark 2:5)
• This caused some of the teachers of the law who were sitting there to think to themselves: “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (Mark 2:7)

Jesus knew what they were thinking and he asked them: “Why do you question these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” (Mark 2:8-10) Then he told the man to get up and go home, and he did.

This story shows us two important truths about Jesus.

1. He has the power and authority to forgive sins. He is not just a human teacher or prophet, but God himself in human flesh. He can offer us forgiveness and peace with God, something that no one else can do.
2. He has the power and authority to heal physical diseases. He is not limited by natural laws or human conditions, but he can perform miracles that demonstrate his love and compassion for people.

What can we learn from this story? We can learn to trust Jesus with our whole lives, both spiritual and physical. We can learn to bring our needs and problems to him, knowing that he cares for us and can help us. We can also learn to bring our friends and loved ones to him, especially those who need his healing touch or his saving grace. And we can learn to worship him as our Lord and Savior, who has done great things for us.

^[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Mk 2:6–12.