Why Does Jesus Speak Like This?

“Why does this man speak so?  He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins but one, God?”  Mark 2:7 (Byington)

The scribes sitting there were thinking to themselves and they could not find reason for Jesus to declare the forgiveness of sins.  They were completely right in that forgiveness does not originate from any man, only from God alone.  What they failed to understand was that they had God in the form of man right there before them.  With their very own thoughts and without knowing it, they would give testimony to the fact that Jesus truly was the Son of God to all of us in the generations to follow.  Without effort Jesus read what they were thinking in their hearts.

We humans like to think of ourselves as physical being which contain a spirit or a soul.  There is an intelligent spark of life that lives within us and gives us being.  It controls the wonderful machine we have for an earthly body.  When that flame goes out of the body the physical the fleshy frame soon turns to decay.

However, it does not stand to reason in the spiritual realms, that the temporary is first nor is it more important than this mysterious flame or soul.  Our true existence lies in this spirit and not merely on the fact that we have a physical body.  We cannot see with these created natural eyes the comings and goings of this spiritual world.  Yet if you believe in God, you should know that you have already admitted to its existence and its higher importance.

One of the Devil´s primary deceptions has been to hide this fact from us.  Were we to understand it even slightly, we would be far better prepared to lean upon our God to bring us safely through to His side.

Therefore this story of the scribes is a perfect illustration.  Jesus saw clearly into the thoughts of their hearts.  Evil spirits recognized Jesus easily too.  People who were dead were not completely lost to Jesus and at the sound of His voice they woke again to life.  Everything that Jesus said or did shouted out to us that God is infinitely greater and is constantly working marvelous things just beyond our powers to perceive.

It is time you and I start to realize that this spiritual world does lie all around us and does precede our own.  We need to know with all confidence that the kingdom of God, full of souls, spirits, angels and God Himself takes precedence over this temporary home.  This world that we see, with its laws of forces and nature, was created and serves its purpose.  But it serves a higher existence, one that is in no way limited to anything that governs what we see and know here today.  It serves our King Jesus Christ and His Father in heaven.

Dear Jesus, open our eyes to see your movement all around.  We realize that for now we may not see spirits or angels, but we believe that they do exist.  We know from what You have tried to teach us in Your Word, that the soul which lives inside and You gave us to bring us to life, has eternal intentions in You.  When our soul is filled with Yours then we are quickened into real life, life unending.  Do not let us fall back on what we can see or understand here in the flesh, but to lift up to You and trust in You for what we do not see.  Let our simple faith be a testimony to You and bring You glory.  As our faith in You and Your kingdom grows, may we see Your powerful arm at work all around us.

Amen