knew of the trusting faith in the heart
of the sufferer; and, looking compassionately upon the man, He said:
"Son, thy sins be forgiven thee."

Among the people there assembled were scribes, Pharisees, and doctors of
the law, not only representatives of the local synagog but some who had
come from distant towns in Galilee, and some from Judea, and even from
Jerusalem. The official class had opposed our Lord and His works on
earlier occasions, and their presence in the house at this time boded
further unfriendly criticism and possible obstruction. They heard the
words spoken to the paralytic, and were angered thereat. In their hearts
they accused Jesus of the awful offense of blasphemy, which consists
essentially in claiming for human or demon power the prerogatives of
God, or in dishonoring God by ascribing to Him attributes short of
perfection.[414] These unbelieving scholars, who incessantly wrote and
talked of the coming of the Messiah, yet rejected Him when He was there
present, murmured in silence, saying to themselves: "Who can forgive
sins but God only?" Jesus knew their inmost thoughts,[415] and made
reply thereto, saying: "Why reason ye these things in your hearts?
Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be
forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?" And
then to emphasize, and to put beyond question His possession of divine
authority, He added: "But that ye may know that the Son of man hath
power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) I
say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine
house." The man arose, fully restored; and, taking up the mattress upon
which he had been brought, walked out before them. The amazement of the
people was mingled with reverence, and many glorified God, of whose
power they were witnesses.

The incident demands our further study. According to one of the
accounts, the Lord's first words to the afflicted one were: "Son, be of
good cheer;" followed directly by the comforting and authoritative
assurance: "Thy sins be given thee."[416] The man was probably in a
state of fear; he may have known that his ailment was the result of
wicked indulgences; nevertheless, though he may have considered the
possibility of hearing only condemnation for his transgression, he had
faith to be brought. In this man's condition there was plainly a close
connection between his past sins and his present affliction; and i