(Matthew 9:2-8) And they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, “Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven.” 3 And some of the scribes said to themselves, “This fellow blasphemes.” 4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, “Why are you thinking evil in your hearts? 5 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, and walk’? 6 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your bed and go home.” 7 And he got up and went home. 8 But when the crowds saw this, they were awestruck, and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
Then, because Jesus is God, Jesus KNEW what the scribes were thinking; and so He spoke to their thoughts. Because salvation and forgiveness is of the soul, only God can see into it, only God can judge, only God can forgive and bring spiritual healing... Meanwhile, because we can only see the physical, Jesus performed miracles to help mankind see who He was and is.
In the verses above, Jesus referred to Himself as the Son of Man when speaking to the scribes. The scribes would have known scripture and Daniel's reference to God's appearance (Daniel 7:13-14). And in the verses below, Jesus referred to Himself as the bridegroom when speaking to John's disciples. This reference speaks to a close relationship that Jesus has with all believers...
(Matthew 9:14-16) Then the disciples of John came to Him, asking, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?” 15 And Jesus said to them, “The attendants of the bridegroom cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.
Jesus also made a reference to His death, as well as the cut off point of the Jewish Age. But meanwhile, Jesus was right there, very visible to people, performing signs and wonders. Some people were amazed and some some people were already plotting against Jesus. And while Jesus knew what each person was thinking and feeling, and He cared for each one of them...
(Matthew 9:32-38) As they were going out, a mute, demon-possessed man was brought to Him. 33 After the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke; and the crowds were amazed, and were saying, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.” 34 But the Pharisees were saying, “He casts out the demons by the ruler of the demons.” 35 Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.
36 Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”
This should still be our prayer. And hopefully we also have compassion and a heart for the lost.
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