format_quote Originally Posted by [COLOR="#0000CD"
Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible,by international team of 63 biblical scholars[/COLOR] ]
The surprise in the story comes when Jesus does not simply heal the man, but pronounces his sins forgiven
(v. 5: "Your sins are forgiven"). Some scribes (Luke 5:21 adds "and Pharisees") witness the event and, hearing Jesus' words, regard it as "blasphemy." They reason. "Who can forgive sins but God alone?" (v. 7). Why do the scribes think this? To answer this question, we must ask in what sense Jesus has forgiven this man's sins. Is his pronouncement an instance of the divine passive? If so, Jesus is saying, "Your sins are forgiven by God]." But in this case, the scribes should be accusing Jesus of presumption, for assuming priestly prerogatives (e.g., "Who does this man think he is? A priest?"). Or is his pronouncement based on his own authority, in which case the scribes' thoughts of blasphemy are better founded. The answer is suggested by v. lo, where Jesus says that "the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins." The self-designation "Son of Man" and the qualifier "on earth" point to Daniel 7, where a human ("one like a son of man"), coming with the clouds of heaven, approaches God (the "Ancient of Days") and receives authority (Dan 7:9-14). The "clouds of heaven" are antithetical to "on earth." with the latter presupposing the former. That is to say, because the "Son of Man" receives authority from heaven, he possesses authority on earth, among other things, to forgive sins. Only twice in Mark is Jesus accused of blasphemy. and both times Jesus identifies himself as the "Son of Man." The other passage is found in the hearing before Caiaphas the high priest. Jesus declares that he is the "Son of Man" who will be "seated at the right hand of Power, and corning with the clouds of heaven" (14:62). Caiaphas reacts in horror and calls the statement blasphemy . As the human being described in Daniel 7. the human being to whom divine authority is granted. Jesus has authority to forgive sins, or, in the case of someone like Caiaphas. he has the authority to sit in judgment. Jesus has not claimed to be God (if he had, the scribes would have reacted much more violently); he has claimed to be God's vice-regent on earth, proclaiming God's rule and offering forgiveness to those who respond in faith to the proclamation. The link between sin and sickness, forgiveness and restoration of health, is well illustrated in a later rabbinic saying: "A sick man does not recover from his sickness until all his sins are forgiven him, as it is written. 'Who forgives all your iniquities; who heals all your diseases' Ps 103:31'1(6. Ned. 41a). It is also worth noting that in the Aramaic paraphrase of Isaiah (i.e., the Tar gum) the suffering servant of Isa 5z:13-53:1z is understood in messianic terms as one through whom Israel's sins can be forgiven. A few phrases are instructive:"... in that we attach ourselves to his words our sins will be forgiven us ...before the Lord it was a pleasure to forgive the sins of us all for his sake ... he shall beseech concerning their sins ... yet he will beseech concerning the sins of many, and to the rebels it shall be forgiven for him" (Te. 11a 53:5, 6. it, tz). To defend his claim that he truly does possess divine authority to forgive sins, Jesus asks his critics: "Which is easier, to say to the paralyzed man, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or DO say, 'Rise, rake up your pallet, and walk?'" (2:9). The word of healing is harder because it can be verified; the word of forgiveness is easier because it cannot be verified. Therefore, to prove that he really can do the easier (i.e., forgive the man's sins) he does the harder (i.e., heal the man's paralysis). Jesus commands the paralyzed man to rise, take up his pallet, and go home (v. He does so, and everyone is astounded and glorifies God (v.12). This response stands in stark contrast to the grousing of the scribes only moments earlier. "We never saw anything like this!" No, they had not, because the authorized Son of Man had never before been among them. .
Bookmarks