QUESTION #12 What is easier to say... thine sins be forgiven? or to say, arise and walk?

 QUESTIONS JESUS ASKED BIBLE STUDY 










     Read Mark 2:1-12 KJV: 

 

* Wherefore do you think evil in your hearts? (Matthew 9:4) 

   For what is easier to say to the sick of the palsy, thine sins be forgiven thee, or to say, arise, and walk? (Mark 2:9)

 

JESUS FORGIVES SIN

Reference: Matthew 9:1-8; Mark 2:1-12; Luke 5:17-26 

 

When Jesus came into Capernaum, straightway many people came and gathered at the house Jesus was in. There were so many that there was no room to come in by the front door. As Jesus was preaching, there came four brothers to Him, one sick with palsy upon his bed. When they could not press their way into the house to Jesus, they came by way of the roof. They uncovered the roof, broke it up, and let down their brother’s bed where he lay sick with the palsy. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the one sick with palsy, “Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.”

 

Christ has just told the paralyzed man that his sins are forgiven, the scribes (teachers of the law) around Him that saw it believed His statement of forgiveness was blasphemy as only God can forgive sins. Their thoughts were evil because in face of the mighty works and divine wisdom they still failed to recognize Christ was God. Then in verse 6 Jesus associated His power on earth to forgive sins with His identity as the Son of man, and proves His authority by healing the man.

 

So, Jesus asked the question - for what it is easier to say, “thy sins be forgiven -- or rise up and walk?” The one involves divine “power” and the other divine “authority” and neither can be done but by God. One is as easy as the other; and to be able to do the one, involves the right and power to do the other.

 

In the context of ministering to a paralytic saying, “Your sins are forgiven” is probably easier. Why? Because you don’t need an outward manifestation to prove that his sins are forgiven. But when you tell him, “rise up and walk” he must rise up and walk, or you will look very foolish. So that makes saying “your sins are forgiven” easier than saying “rise up and walk”.

 

The truth is, what is seemingly more difficult for man in the natural is not so for God. With God, physical healing is clearly “easier” for Him than forgiveness of sins. The latter is the “harder” and greater miracle because it required God to deliver up His beloved Son to take on all our sins and shed His blood on the cross.

 

But since God has done the “harder” and greater miracle of “having forgiven you all trespasses” there is nothing He will not do for you (Romans 8:32). In fact, if you think there is something that God is withholding from you, you are implying that there is something greater than the forgiveness of sins which Jesus died to give you. But nothing can be greater than the perfect sacrifice of Jesus.

 

Notes:

 

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