“What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!”

Mark 2:7

For Meditation

The man was doing good, yet they took issue with everything He did.

In the account of Mark chapter two, the Pharisees and teachers of the law questioned the authority of Jesus to forgive the sins of a poor paralytic (Mk. 2:7). They did not verbalize their thoughts, but Jesus knew in His Spirit what they were thinking in their hearts. And when He interrogated their thinking, they failed to see the revelation in His actions. Their question should not have been, “Why does this fellow talk like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” But, “Could this man be the Messiah?” As they rightly said, only God can forgive sins. 

But that they may know that He is the Messiah, Jesus commanded the paralyzed man to get up, pick up his mat, and go home (10-11). In His reprimand to his Pharisee critics, Jesus called Himself the “Son of Man.” Still, they didn’t get it. The sick man responded to the authority in His command and walked away before their very eyes, yet they failed to perceive Him as the Messiah or wonder if He could be. Instead, they charged Him with blasphemy.

The issue is simple. The Pharisees had closed their hearts to what God was doing. That blinded them from seeing their Messiah before their very eyes. And that is the problem. 

Misconceptions, prejudices, hatred, and jealousies, among others, can pollute our minds and lead us astray and away from God and His visitation. Our Pharisee friends had that problem, so they took issue with everything Jesus did and missed their Savior.

Nicodemus, however, was so wise! He pondered over the words and works of Jesus carefully and perceived them as signs that needed understanding (Jn. 3:2). Though a Pharisee, Nicodemus broke ranks and went to Jesus with a heart of wonder. Jesus addressed his actual need, and he went away saved.

The point is this. Taking issues with the word of God will take you nowhere. Allowing your sense of wonder to send you to your knees before God to know what He is doing in every situation will lead you to find true life in Jesus.    

There are too many perplexing situations going on in the world today. God is working through them all for our good and His purpose (Rm. 8:28). Instead of taking issues with everything we see with a Pharisaic spirit, let us allow ourselves to explore them in wonderous guidance by the Spirit of God, that we may gain an understanding of what God Almighty is doing and be wise. Then we will know what to do and how to live through them with a heavenly perspective.