Jesus of Nazareth: The God Who Forgives Sin

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All of us at some point in our lives will be forced to consider two critical questions: Can I be forgiven of my sins? Who can forgive me of my sins? That we must face such questions should not surprise us. Sin is our greatest problem. It is our greatest enemy and separates us from God. It renders us spiritually dead, and if left unforgiven, results in eternal death in a place called hell. Sin shatters relationships, causes us to think foolishly, leads us to make bad choices, and moves us to act in evil and destructive ways.

Can I be forgiven? The Bible has a wonderful answer: Yes! Who can forgive me? God can—the God who is revealed in the person of Jesus. This Jesus is the Son of God (1:1), the Son of Man (2:10), and the Holy One of God (1:24) who has come to take away the sins of the world. He is the only One who can deliver me from the penalty of sin, providing for my justification. He is the only One who can deliver me from the power of sin, ensuring my sanctification. And He is the only One who can deliver me from the presence of sin, promising my future glorification. In light of who Jesus is and what He can do, our text provides the appropriate responses.

We Should Bring the Hurting to Jesus

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Mark 2:1-5

Mark 2:1-3:6 is a single unit comprising five controversies between Jesus and the Jewish religious leaders in Galilee in northern Israel. There is another series of five controversies with the same antagonists in Jerusalem in Judea (11:27-12:37). In the present section, though, Jesus is back home from His preaching and ministry tour throughout Galilee (1:38-45), likely staying at Peter’s house once again (cf. 1:29).

They Need to Hear His Teaching (Mark 2:1-2)

Having heard that Jesus had returned, many gathered to hear Him speak. So many gathered that there is no room—even the doorway is jammed (cf. 1:32-33, 37)! They are certainly interested in Jesus, but their interest is for the wrong reason. They want another miracle, but instead Jesus gives them preaching. He preached “the message”—the word (Gk logos)—to them (2:2). This involved proclaiming the Scriptures (our Old Testament) and continuing His call to repent and believe the gospel in light of the coming kingdom of God (cf. 1:14-15, 22, 38-39). “More than any other expression in early Christianity, ‘the word’ defines the essence of Jesus’ ministry” (Edwards, Mark, 75). As benefactors of His gracious ministry, we need to hear His preaching.

They Need to Experience His Forgiveness (Mark 2:3-5)

During Jesus’ teaching, four men showed up with a man who could not walk (2:3). Obviously, they believed Jesus could heal their friend. However, because of the crowd, they could not get in to see Jesus (2:4). Undeterred, they took the outside staircase up to the flat rooftop. The roof was made of wood beams, cross-laid with branches and packed with a thick layer of grass, mud, and clay. One could easily walk on it. Conveniently, one could also dig through it. The men “unroofed” the roof, showering those below with dirt and sticks. They lowered the man on his bed until he lay there before Jesus. Jesus saw “their” faith, probably referring to all five men, but at the very least encompassing the four friends. In either case our Lord clearly was impressed, and He honored their faith by pouring out mercy on the paralyzed man.

Jesus addressed him as “son” (Gk teknon, “child”), revealing His great affection and compassion for the young man’s plight. And with this compassion Jesus told the man, “Your sins are forgiven.” This is interesting since the41 men probably came to Jesus not for forgiveness but for healing. However, Jesus gave them both! In this instance it appears personal sin and physical sickness are related, though this is not always the case (cf. the blind man in John 9).

Seeing the man’s whole situation, Jesus lovingly looked past his surface need and met his deeper need; He looked past the man’s immediate need and met his real need! Based on who He is and what He would accomplish on the cross, Jesus extended to a paralyzed sinner God’s full and complete pardon of sin. He may have needed healing, but even more he—like all of us—needed to experience the forgiveness of sins made possible by Jesus.

We Should See Jesus for Who He Truly Is

Mark 2:5-11

We are hardly stunned by the reaction of the scribes, the religious leaders of Israel. Upon hearing Jesus forgive the man’s sin, they immediately accuse Him of blasphemy, the very charge they will use to get Him crucified (14:64-65). To their credit they at least understood the significance of Jesus’ actions here. They recognized that the proclamation of forgiveness was not a passing comment but a declaration of deity: “Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

This was a serious charge with serious consequences. They understood Jesus’ words to be dishonoring and disrespectful to God. Blasphemy was a grave offense, punishable by death from stoning (Lev 24:15-16). Jesus’ words are indeed blasphemous—unless He is in fact God! The whole scenario leaves everyone questioning, “Who is this One claiming to forgive sins?”

Jesus Is God (Mark 2:5-9)

The scribes were correct: only God can forgive sins! That is exactly and precisely what Jesus was asserting, and He will prove it momentarily by healing this man. Later He will prove it for all time in His resurrection from the dead.

In Jewish thinking even the Messiah could not forgive sins! God and God alone has that authority and right. Those first-century Jews knew exactly what was going on: if He can forgive sins, then Jesus is God. Jesus immediately knew what they were thinking (another evidence of deity: omniscience). He immediately confronts them with two direct questions (vv. 8-9). “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, pick up42 your mat, and walk’?” Jesus knew, as did they, it is one thing to say it; it is something else to prove it.

Jesus Is the Son of Man (Mark 2:10-11)

Jesus introduces us to a specific title that will become His favorite self-designation. He refers to Himself as “the Son of Man.” The title is found 81 times in the Gospels. Why did Jesus use this term so often, and what did He mean by it? Why did He not more often use the term “Christ” or “Messiah” or even “Son of God,” since that is truly who He is?

A look at the way the term is used can help answer those questions. Sometimes Jesus shows Himself to be the Son of Man who is serving (2:10; 2:28). At other times Jesus is the Son of Man who is suffering (8:31; 9:9, 12; 10:33, 45; 14:21, 41). Finally, Jesus is the Son of Man who is coming in glory (8:38; 13:26; 14:62). The title occurs more often after Peter confesses Jesus as the Christ and Jesus begins to teach clearly about His own death (8:29).

In the Old Testament the term is used in several different ways. In Psalm 144:3 it simply means “human being.” However, in Daniel 7:13-14 it refers to One who will come to establish God’s kingdom:

I continued watching in the night visions, and I saw One like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was escorted before Him. He was given authority to rule, and glory, and a kingdom; so that those of every people, nation, and language should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and His kingdom is one that will not be destroyed.

Jesus uses the title to refer to Himself with both connotations. As God incarnate, He is a human being who identifies with sinful humanity as He serves and suffers on our behalf. As God, He is the coming Lord of glory.

Jesus avoided the term “Christ” (Messiah) because He was a much different kind of Messiah from what the Jewish nation anticipated in the first century. He first came to suffer, and then He would come in glory. Claiming the title “Son of Man” allowed Him to refer to the total scope of His Messianic mission without all the political overtones.

Only in this present text is the forgiveness of sins linked to the divine title “Son of Man.” By implication Jesus does this again in 10:45 when He weds the Son of Man of Daniel 7 to the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53, thereby redefining who the Messiah is and what He came to do. He is God, a divine heavenly figure who will receive an everlasting kingdom. That kingdom, however, will be realized through suffering service that will climax in death on a Roman cross.

We Should Glorify Jesus for What He Does

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Mark 2:5, 10-12

In spite of opposition from the religious aristocracy, this story has a happy ending. Those who bring the hurting in faith to Jesus will not be disappointed. William Lane says,

The announcement [of forgiveness] and presentation of radical healing to a man in his entire person was a sign of the kingdom of God drawn near. The paralytic experienced the fulfillment of God’s promise that the lame would share in the joy of the coming salvation. (Lane, Mark, 99)

The promise of Isaiah 35:6 is realized here: “Then the lame will leap like a deer.”

Jesus Forgives Our Sins (Mark 2:5)

Coming in faith to Jesus, this hurting man received more that he expected and exactly what he needed. He received the full forgiveness of his sins. He and his friends believed Jesus could meet their deepest needs. They were simply wrong on what was really needed.

Often we think we know what our greatest need is, but really we are only focusing on our circumstances. In reality the problem you are facing today is not your spouse, children, or parents. It is not your job, boss, or coworkers. It is not your lack of resources, shortage of time, or insufficient income. Just like this young man, your greatest need is for the Messiah Himself.

Jesus saw everything clearly—far more clearly than we do. He used this teachable moment to make the point concerning our greatest need in this life or the life to come! Jesus forgives the sins of all who come to Him in faith.

Jesus Heals Our Diseases (Mark 2:10-12)

As a proof of His power to forgive sins, something we cannot see, Jesus healed the paralytic, something everyone could see. He is simple and direct in His statement: “‘But so you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’ He told the paralytic, ‘I tell you: get up, pick up your mat, and go home.’” The man responds with the obedience of faith and does just that “in front of everyone”!

The response of the man and the crowd is appropriate. Even the Pharisees and teachers of the law, who “had come from every village of44 Galilee and Judea, and also from Jerusalem” (Luke 5:17), could not deny this man had been healed and his sins forgiven. Nor could they deny that it had all been done by this man named Jesus. They may not like it, but they could not deny it! Thus we see forgiveness of sins declared (2:5), questioned (2:6-9), validated (2:11), and recognized (2:12).

Excursus: Five Questions We Always Ask of Every Text

What does this text teach me about God? If the Bible is, in fact, God’s revelation of Himself in written form, then we should first be concerned not with what it teaches about us but primarily with what it teaches us about Him. In this text we can surely say that only God can forgive our sins. Jesus, the religious leaders, and even the crowds clearly understood that. We can also say that God is compassionate to those wounded by sin. Jesus did not leave the man paralyzed or in sin. He healed him both physically and spiritually. Finally, we see that God honors all who come to Him in faith.

What does this text teach me about sinful humanity? When studying Scripture, we must take into account that we are created in the glorious image of God, but that image is marred by sin. This text shows that our greatest need is not physical healing but spiritual forgiveness. It also teaches that those who are the most religious are often the most judgmental. The scribes and Pharisees exhibit this truth throughout the Gospels. We also see that sometimes, though not always, physical maladies and personal sin are related.

What does this text teach me about Jesus Christ? He is the crux of the entire Bible, so we must ask how this text relates to His person, work, and teaching. Mark reveals Jesus as God—who knows our hearts, who forgives our sins, and who heals our diseases. Ultimately He is the Son of Man who fulfills the glorious vision of Daniel 7:13-14, who has all authority in heaven and earth.

What does God want me to know? In other words, what truths are there in this passage that I need to learn? Here we learn that we need the ministry of the Word. God’s Word spoken into our heart is what He uses to transform our lives. Also, we need to flee to Jesus and Jesus only for the forgiveness of sins. Finally, God wants us to know that Jesus can forgive sins because He is God.

What does God want me to do? How does this text change the way I live? Mark reveals here that God wants us to act on our faith, just as these men did. He also wants us to glorify Him for all He does for us in Jesus. Indeed, worship is the only appropriate response to the work of God in the life, death, and resurrection of His Son, Jesus.

Conclusion

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In his classic work Mere Christianity, C. S. Lewis gets at the heart of the identity of Jesus with his famous “trilemma.” He pinpoints the astonishing claims of Jesus and carefully leads us to the logical and unavoidable conclusions we must face:

Among these Jews there suddenly turns up a man who goes about talking as if He was God.... [W]hat this man said was, quite simply, the most shocking thing that has ever been uttered by human lips.... I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him. “I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.” That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic—on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg—or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God; or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon, or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to. (Lewis, Mere Christianity, 54-55)

Jesus is the God who forgives sin. The questions you must answer are clear: Is He your God? Has He forgiven your sins?

Reflect and Discuss

1. What are the most important questions a thoughtful person should ask about life?
2. How was Jesus’ teaching more profitable than His healing ministry? Is the gospel still more valuable than health and wealth?
3. How is faith in God’s ability to do something through us related to our tenacious persistence in getting it done?
4. When you see someone who is crippled, starving, deformed, or poor, do you also think the person really needs salvation?
5. Can a Christian pronounce that another person’s sins are forgiven? (See Matt 16:19.) How would that be different from what Jesus did here?
6. Why is it easy to point at someone and make statements about their spiritual state? What else do charlatans say to and about people that is impossible to prove?
7. What does Jesus’ title “Son of Man” say about His purpose in His first and second coming?
8. 46What is the difference between circumstances and needs? How can the church avoid getting caught up in addressing circumstances and focus on the true needs of people?
9. Why did the people of Jesus’ day accept the healing of the paralytic as evidence that Jesus had forgiven his sins? Today, what serves as evidence of forgiveness?
10. Of the five questions we must ask of every Bible text, which one do you tend to overlook? Which one is most profitable?