Verses 21-26 “21And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?
22But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts?
23Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?
24But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.
25And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.
26And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day.”Jesus knew the thoughts of the scribes and the Pharisees. God always knows our thoughts. “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do” (Heb 4:13). This is a fact that might seem both negative and positive to us, for He knows our sinful thoughts, but He also knows our honorable and good thoughts. He knows our best thoughts when we are misunderstood by others, and He knows our good intentions when we are falsely accused.
22But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts?
23Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?
24But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.
25And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.
26And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day.”Jesus knew the thoughts of the scribes and the Pharisees. God always knows our thoughts. “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do” (Heb 4:13). This is a fact that might seem both negative and positive to us, for He knows our sinful thoughts, but He also knows our honorable and good thoughts. He knows our best thoughts when we are misunderstood by others, and He knows our good intentions when we are falsely accused.
The thoughts of the scribes and Pharisees were that Jesus was being blasphemous for saying to the paralytic, “Thy sins are forgiven thee.” The scribes and Pharisees knew that no one can forgive sins but God alone. They did not know that Jesus is God. As God, He has power to forgive the sins of anyone on earth if they will come to Him in repentance and faith. It is a great miracle when Jesus saves a sinner, at least as great as healing the sick and afflicted, but it is a miracle that Jesus does every day. He stands today ready to forgive and save any sinner who will come to Him.