When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” – Mark 2:5-7
Notice that the charge is blasphemy. Why is this so?
Let’s say I steal from my brother. He can forgive me for stealing. But can he forgive the sin itself? When I stole from my brother, I rebelled against God’s commandment not to steal (Exodus 20:15). Therefore my sin is against God, so only God can choose whether to forgive my sin of stealing.
Or put it this way…
I am Scott. If you sin against Scott, I can forgive those sins against me. Michelle Malkin cannot forgive those sins against me, because she is not Scott. Only I am Scott – only I can forgive sins against me.
Mel Gibson is Mel Gibson. If I sin against Mel Gibson, he can forgive those sins against him. Danny Glover cannot forgive those sins against Mel Gibson, because he is not Mel Gibson. Only Mel Gibson is Mel Gibson – only he can forgive sins against Mel Gibson.
Follow the logic so far? Good.
But if you sin against God, who can forgive that sin except God Himself? So by forgiving the paralytics’s sins – sins against God – Jesus was showing that Jesus is God.
So here we go once more…
God is God. If a paralytics sins against God, God can forgive those sins against Him. You or I or Mel Gibson cannot forgive those sins against God, because we are not God. Only God is God – only He can forgive sins against Him. But Jesus could forgive sins against God… So that means Jesus is God.
Do you follow the logic? The teachers of the law could, which is why they immediately accused Jesus of blasphemy – for equating Himself to God!
And yes, the paralytic’s sins were forgiven…
But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . . .” He said to the paralytic, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. – Mark 2:10-11
PS. Note too Jesus calls Himself the Son of Man, another declaration of deity – see Daniel 7:13-14 for why, and Matthew 26:63-66 for where Jesus uses the same language as found in Daniel and the High Priest immediately realizes the declaration of deity (“He has spoken blasphemy!”).
