Matthew 9:3

Wednesday, 2 April 2025

 

And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, “This Man blasphemes!”

 

“And, you behold! Some of the scribes, they said to themselves, ‘This, He blasphemes’” (CG).

 

In the previous verse, Jesus saw the faith of those who brought the paralytic who was lying on a bed. Because of how they came to Him, He said, “You embolden child! Your sins, they are forgiven you.” Now, Matthew continues with, “And, you behold! Some of the scribes.”

 

Luke provides the background for these words –

 

“Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem.” Luke 5:17

 

These men had heard about Jesus and had come to see what was going on. Whether those from Jerusalem and Judea knew of Him from His time there, or whether word had come about Him and they went to see Him isn’t known, but they were clearly there with the intent of ascertaining what He was doing. Having heard Jesus’ words to the man, “they said to themselves.”

 

One might question if this means they spoke to one another or if they spoke in their minds to themselves. The answer is found in Mark and Luke. Mark said they were “reasoning in their hearts,” something Jesus confirmed by asking, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts?” (Mark 2:8). Luke confirms this, essentially saying the same things.

 

This demonstrates a power and ability that is ascribed to God alone, such as –

 

“I, the Lord, search the heart,
I test the mind,
Even to give every man according to his ways,
According to the fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 17:10

 

This sentiment is found several times in the Old Testament. It is a capability only the Lord God possesses. And yet, the way the gospel writers have presented the matter, they confirm that Jesus is fully capable of this. It is a thought later confirmed in Revelation –

 

“I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.” Revelation 2:23

 

Understanding this ability of Jesus, who is God, it next says, “This, He blasphemes.”

 

Saying “This,” appears to be a contemptuous way of speaking of Jesus. That then leads to the thought of Him blaspheming, which is a new word in Scripture. The Greek is blasphémeó, a verb originally signifying to speak evil of, slander, or revile. In the case of God, however, Bengel rightly states –

 

“Blasphemy is committed when (1.) things unworthy of God are attributed to Him; (2.) things worthy of God are denied to Him; (3.) when the incommunicable attributes of God are attributed to others.”

 

Jesus is claiming an ability and a prerogative that belongs to God alone. That is noted, for example in Isaiah 43:25 –

 

“I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake;
And I will not remember your sins.”

 

It is true that there are times when one person will say to another something like, “Please forgive me of my sin.” However, that is referring to a matter between the two, not the forgiveness of transgressions against God that can only be forgiven by Him. What Jesus is doing is placing Himself between God and the sinner in a manner similar to the role of the priest.

 

However, a priest in Israel only performed a function that allowed sin to be forgiven according to the law set forth by the Lord. He was not the one who provided the forgiveness, only the means by which it was secured for the person. Jesus is actively saying that He forgives the man of sins against God, something only God can do. Of this, Kubel says the following –

 

“No passage of the Old Testament affirms that the Messiah himself will forgive sins. Thus Jesus ascribes to himself what even the highest Old Testament prophecies of the Messianic time had reserved to God; e.g. Jeremiah 31:34; Isaiah 43:25.”

 

This is correct. In Isaiah 53, it notes that Jesus would be the One to bear the sins of the people, but it was not fully understood that this meant both in the forgiving of them actively, such as in this case in Matthew, as well as bearing them in the manner which the animals under the Old covenant were supposed to do, meaning in a substitutionary manner.

 

Jesus provided both types of forgiveness before God, meaning He is equal to the Father.

 

Life application: The words of this short verse are filled with hints of the deity of Jesus. He is capable of reading the hearts and minds of the people, something that is ascribed to God in the Old Testament. He holds the approval to forgive sin. Again, it is an authority that belongs to God alone in the Old Testament.

 

And yet, these things are shown to be capabilities that belong to Jesus in the New. And it is not just during His earthly ministry to Israel that it is so. Rather, since His resurrection, He is the One to judge sin, wield the full power of God – having all authority in heaven and on earth, and He is the One who reads the hearts and minds of the people of the world.

 

The Bible leaves no doubt as to the nature of Jesus Christ. To deny these fundamental truths concerning Him is to deny what is clearly presented in the word. If the Bible is the word of God, then to deny what it clearly presents concerning Jesus is blasphemy against God.

 

Lord God, help us to understand the nature of Jesus intimately. May we pursue the knowledge of Him with every fiber of our being. We ask Your help in this because we know that in knowing Him, we will know You. Be with us in our pursuit of the wonderful Lord Jesus! Amen.