Unlike the people of Gadara, the people of the town to which Jesus arrives seem to have faith in His authority. Word had travelled fast about the miracle-worker as this scene revolves around the faith of these men who bring a paralytic to Jesus for healing. Jesus approaches this work of grace differently because along with the men came the naysayers or critics.
Moved by faith, Jesus elects to forgive the man’s sins. This was a point of contention for the scribes and Pharisees. These scholars had been issuing words of forgiveness as if their judgment mattered. When Jesus speaks, however, His words carried merit unlike the words of the Pharisee. Their worthless declarations were exposed. Jesus can forgive because He has the authority as God to do so. The sad part is that anyone can issue forgiveness - that’s easy. Actually committing to forgiveness is the hard part.
Jesus backs up his authority to forgive by healing the man. The Pharisee were so blinded by their own religious prowess that they could not praise God for a miracle nor could they rejoice with this man. Instead, they were ready to proclaim that Jesus was a blasphemer. They could not win either way because those around Jesus were able to celebrate this wonderful miracle. Jesus authority to forgive was expressed through His authority and willingness to heal.
I often wonder how a person can argue against God’s authority and willingness to provide grace. Above this, He does so by revealing His authority through His power over creation whether through healing or through stopping time or through some other fantastic event. God speaks and creation obeys. Ignoring God and His acts in this world does not negate His existence. Ignoring His principles for living and pretending He doesn’t exist because you want to believe a scientific theory that cannot be proved does not make God disappear. Some people take this so far as to say evil’s existence proves God does not exist. Really? They claim that evil is ignorance propagated by religions. If that is true then why do so many “educated” men and women commit evil acts? Were they not educated enough? These same people, like the Pharisee of old, will argue against absolute truth. I want to know, why do they use absolutes to absolutely decry absolute truth? Are their absolutes absolute or the exception?
When I speak in absolutes, I do so because I know the Originator of truth. Jesus knows the Father and spoke in absolutes. I know Jesus and can speak about Him for He is truth. A Christian should not argue about Christ’s authority or Him being truth, however. This is our conviction revealed through the Holy Spirit. People cannot experience it without Him. Our job is to speak to others about how our life story has changed because of Him. Our job is to help others open the story of their life to Him so they may also have a real relationship. Until we do, we will be spewing out absolutes like the Pharisee.
I have to really think about this and hope I do not ruffle too many modernist views with my reflections on the post-modern thought processes. I will need to spend time thinking upon these things and to spend time in prayer.
- Do you find yourselves lost in the arguments of the world about the truths of Christ?
- Have you ever let your actions through living His life principles be your confirmation for truth?
- What can you change today that will let Jesus be more evident in your life practices?
- Do you have a hard time with forgiveness? Is it because you cannot bring yourself to be like Jesus or is there another reason? Pray about it.
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