Daily Devotions
Mark
"Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever"
Text: 1 Peter 1:23
THE JUDGMENTAL HUMAN HEART
How swiftly the human heart rushes to pass judgment on others. How self-righteous a human being can be when it passes judgment, without even considering the full facts of the case!
THE MUMURING OF THE SCRIBES
The scribes did not voice out their misgivings, their unhappiness at what they heard from the lips of Jesus. Perhaps, if they had voiced out their doubts openly to Jesus, things might have turned out differently. What were their reasons for being so upset with Jesus?
1. They saw Jesus as a mere man
This was their first problem. They could not see deeper. What a contrast to the understanding John the beloved disciple wrote concerning Jesus.
“In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,
and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten
of the Father, full of grace and truth.”
JOHN 1:1, 14
a) They lacked spiritual insight.
b) They lacked spiritual depth.
They would have been well-advised to refrain from passing judgment when they are so limited in their spiritual comprehension.
2. They jumped to conclusion too swiftly
To accuse someone of blasphemy demands careful analysis of the words spoken! The scribes made no such attempt at all. They swiftly concluded that Jesus was a blasphemer based on a single statement that they heard. They should have asked Jesus for an explanation if they had not liked the way the paralytic was addressed! To conclude that a person was a blasphemer without further investigation would be an action unworthy of a scribe, who is supposed to be skilled in handling the law.
3. The issue of the forgiveness of sin
It is a fact that only God can forgive sins! No mere human being can do that! Why did the scribes not consider what Jesus sought to communicate when He said what He did, about forgiveness of sin! The scribes did not consider the possibility that the Messiah had come- and He was none other than Immanuel! And of course He can forgive sins!