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December 1927
T h e
K i n g ' s
B u s i n e s s
power was a credential of His Messiah- ship. Suffering dates back to original sin. Suffering is sin manifested in the flesh. Christ was “God manifested in the flesh." The proof of His deity was seen in His power oyer both sin and sickness. “The Jews required a sign” (1 Cor. 1:22). Th'e signs were given, yet they rejected. If the purpose of Jesus, since His resurrection and ascension, was to reduce the sum- total of human suffering, we are forced to admit He has failed to attain His object. However, we read that His purpose was “to seek and to save the lost"; to “save His people from their sins." “There were certain scribes sitting there reasoning in their hearts ” (v. 6). Since Jesus had spoken the forgiveness of sins, they figured that He must be a blasphemer. “Who can forgive sins but God?" (v. 7.) If Jesus was not deity, He was indeed a blasphemer. But who could instantly raise up a paralytic but God? Jesús was “God manifest in the flesh.” . They were the blasphemers— those first deniers of His divinity. The miracle proved the deity and sin lessness of Christ (v. 9). The scribes saw all that was implied. He had spoken forgiveness in His own name. No man can forgive a debt but the creditor to whom it is due. There is no mistaking the claim of Jesus. “Immediately the paralytic arose, took up his bed and went forth before them all . . . . they were all amazed and glori fied God” (v. 12). How can the church today stir men to amazement and to glorifying God? They must see men com ing out of the church transformed by the power of His Gospel. That message must be declared which does for men what no other teaching ever has done or can do. The call of Matthew (or Levi) the tax gatherer, is next recorded (v. 14). A Jew who would hire out to the Roman renters of taxes (publicans) was de spised above all men. He would be looked upon as the meanest of grafters. No one can accuse Jesus of selecting disciples of wide influence. His choices revealed nothing but His love for sinners, and the power of His Gospel. “Jesus sat at meat in Matthew’s house," along with a company of publicans evi dently invited in by Matthew (v. IS). That was enough for the scribes and Pharisees. To His disciples they said: “He eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners" (v. 16). They could not conceive of anyone eating from a higher motive than social enjoyment. But He was seeking to feed the guests with the “True Bread from heaven.” How easily motives are misjudged! It is interesting to notice that these complainers, like modern kickers, made their charges concerning Jesus to His friends, rather than to Him, and in other cases we read how they went to Jesus with their fault-finding concerning the disciples. How few there are who are frank and open with their brethren! The injunction of Scripture is that if we have aught against a brother, we shall go to the offending one, not to others. In many cases it might be discovered that the brother was no more an offender than was Jesus on this occasion. o— P ith and P oint Where Jesus is living through a preacher or layman, the word is soon passed around (v. 1). The value of one’s; big sentiment about “the brotherhood of
man” may be tested by what he is doing for individuals. The greater one’s love for souls, the better his head will work (v. 4). God often delights to honor the extra ordinary means, the unconventional ways (v. 4). Faith expects from Christ what is be yond all expectation (v. 5). Often the sickness problem would be solved if the sin question were first set tled (v. 5). It’s a sure thing that Jesus didn’t pick men with a big influence to “put over” His propaganda (v. 14). S uggestive Q uestions Why did Jesus need no advertising? (V. 1. Cf. 7:24.) ' What four classes of people is God able to use in His service? (1 Cor. 1.27- 28. Cf. “four” in Mark 2:3.) What is the only New Testament in stance on record of one seeking Jesus exclusively for the pardon of sins? (Lk. 7:37-50.) What fact did Jesus always seek to put before men when they came to Him for healing of body? (Jn. 5:14.) Have Christians any wholesale promise in Christ of physical perfection prior to His second coming? (Phil. 3:21.) Is it evident that it is God’s will for some to suffer in body, even after their sins are forgiven? (Rom. 8:18.) What truth did the scribes need to learn? (Mk. 2:77. Cf.. Jn. 5:19.) G olden T ext I llustration I came not to call the righteous but sin ners to repentance (Mk. 2:17). Rom. 3 :23 was once quoted by a Chris tian to a man who prided himself upon his morality but rejected Christ. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." ' ■: . ... ■ ■ _ ; “Do you mean to say there is no dif ference between an honest and a dis honest man1—a temperate man and a sober man?” asked the moralist. “I do not say there is no room for com parison,” answered the Christian, but if the, two were standing right here, I would say one was an honest, sinner and the other was a dishonest sinner.” “I don’t like such teaching,” answered the man. “All right,” replied the worker, “I’ll admit that you are a superior sinner.” Who are the righteous Jesus didn’t come to call? Where are they? The point of the text is that a doctor cannot serve a man until he admits himself sick. Grace is extended only to those who feel the need of it. Their assertion that they are righteous enough without God’s righteousness is not a sign that they do not need it. \ 7 1. "And when He entered again into v ■ Capernaum after some days, it was noised that He was in the house." This entering Capernaum is at the conclusion of the first of the three tours of Gali lee which Jesus made. The expression “af ter some days" is in definite and it is quite possible that it may cover a period of at least six months, but one should not be dogmatic. He re turned to Capernaum doubtless because
He used that as a base for His opera tions. V. 2. “And many were- gathered to gether, so that there was no longer room for them, no, not even about the door : and' He spake the word unto them." The recollection of His miracles which He wrought at the beginning of this tour was still fresh in the minds of the popu lace, who, upon hearing of His return, thronged the place where He was. It is quite probable that the house where He was, was ,Peter’f f When He ■ saw the multitude gathered, He preached unto them the Word of God. Jesus preached the Gospel in season and out. Christians should .be ever ready to give a message of truth to those who are.in darkness. Vs. 3, 4. While He was preaching, four men brought a man sick of the palsy to the house, but, being unable to press through the throng to Jesus, they_ went upon the roof and digged through it and lowered the sick man into the room where Jesus was. Whether this disease was caused by an evil spirit, one may not be able to say, but many diseases in the days of Christ and doubtless today are caused by such malignant spirits. All sickness and disease are in tbe final analysis the result of disobedience and sin. There seems to be a close connection in the mind;of Jesus between sin and disease. (Cf. Jno. 5:14.) V. 5. Upon Jesus’ seeing the faith, not only of the sick man but of those who lore him, He said, “Son, thy sins are for given.” Faith always acts. Where there is not action o r ;obedience, there is no faith. To have one’s sins forgiven by the Lord, i. e., blotted out, and to be counted as if the sins had never been committed, is an act of profound grace and mercy. When God forgives sins He never re members them, which is the promise ful filled in the new covenant. Vs, 6, 7. Whenever anyone preaches the Word of God, Satan or some of his subjects are present to snatch away the word from the heart into which the good seed falls (Matt. 13:19), or he has some one who is not living close to God there to oppose the work. In this instance the Scribes, who outwardly were, the embodi ment of sanctity and piety but in the ma jority of instances were like white sepul chers as Jesus compared them (Matt. 23), were amazed,at Jesus’ granting forgive ness of sins to the man and in their hearts accused Him of blasphemy— speaking disparagingly of sacred things. Vs. 8, 9. In these verses Jesus, Who knows all things and before Whose eyes all things are bare (Heb. 4:13), knew the thoughts which were passing through their minds and asked them “Why reason ye these things in your hearts?” Their thoughts .were attended with evil and Jesus understood the motive actuating not only their thoughts but the very imagina tions of their thoughts. Of them Jesus asked the following question, “Which is easier, to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins are forgiven; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?” This is a very important question. A casual glance would seem to indicate that forgiving sins was the easier of the two things to do, but when one realizes the law as given by Moses, namely, “life for life" and a statement through Ezekiel, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die " he immediately sees that it is much easier to heal disease than to forgive sins. The prophets could heal diseases and did so at various times, but
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