Daily Devotions
Mark
"Therefore laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking."
Text: 1 Peter 2:1
HEADY ISSUES
Many issues were at stake. The scribes watched what Jesus would do next. The crowds also waited with bated breath how Jesus would resolve this conflict with the scribes. And of course, there were the four friends and the paralytic himself. The issues at stake were heady ones. They include the following:-
1. The issue of blasphemy
Did Jesus blaspheme when He spoke about forgiveness of sin to the paralytic? If He were a blasphemer, then the paralytic could not hope to get well. How would God aid a blasphemer?
2. The issue of the use of the phrase “The Son of Man”
No one else used this term with reference to himself, except Jesus. Was He the Messianic Son of Man, or was He just an ordinary mortal?
3. The issue of power
Whether it was the pronouncement of forgiveness of sins, or the healing of the paralytic, both would involve supernatural, divine power. How much power did Jesus really possess?
TO THE AMAZEMENT OF ALL
The acid test would not be resolved by mere verbal argumentation. The real test would be whether there would be power to heal the paralytic.
“Immediately he arose, took up the bed,
and went out in the presence of them all,
so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying,
‘We never saw anything like this!'”
MARK 2:12
1. There was most evident power to heal
Everybody was surprised! The paralytic did as Jesus instructed him. He arose, took up his bed and walked out of the house!
2. There was no hocus pocus
The scribes would not be able to say that Jesus engaged in tricks. The healing of the paralytic was instantaneous. The paralytic was healed by the words Jesus pronounced!
3. Glorifying God
Indeed, God must be glorified! Amazement was in order! But the scribes were noticeably silent at this point of time. Were they convinced that they were wrong? Did they conclude that Jesus was indeed the eschatological Son of Man?