Many people came to Jesus expecting something to happen. They did not doubt that he would heal them (Matt. 8:3). However, those who believed were relatively few.
The battle between Christ and the powers hostile to God are now taken to a new level. Some believed Jesus could heal their friend, but now they heard Jesus saying that his sins were forgiven. (This is the first occasion we know of where this happened.) So did the scribes. Jesus showed how the reign of God would proceed. It would not remain as an outward display of mercy but speak to and bring relief to the conscience of each person who was prepared for it.
The scribes would not accept that Jesus had authority to forgive. Only God could do that (vs 7). So, they accused him of blaspheming. However, Jesus demonstrated that he did have power to forgive. In front of everyone, he told the man to get up and carry his bed home. Healing would be a sign to them that the man had been forgiven.
God had sent his Son to save them from their sins (Matt. 1:21). They should have recognised that Jesus was dealing with sins more truly than their own attempts to justify themselves.
Nothing in Israel’s background could contain what Jesus was doing. However, a ripple (or tidal wave) was reaching out across the community. ‘Who is this man?’ ‘What has he come to do?’ people asked.
All Israel was being called into this amazing demonstration of God’s reign among them. Jesus was the Shepherd of Israel calling people to receive this revelation of God’s mercy, and so, be servants of the kingdom.
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