To the scribes of Jesus’s day, His powerful displays of healing and casting out demons were most frustrating. His mighty works made it difficult to convince people that Jesus was an imposter, a charlatan, who was attempting to drum up a following for personal aggrandizement.

More offensive than that, though, was Jesus declaring someone’s sins forgiven. Though angering them greatly, the declaration of someone’s sins as forgiven could easily be dismissed by the unbelieving religious leaders with a simple charge of “Blasphemy!”

One such incident is recorded in Matthew 9:1-8. To Jesus is brought a paralytic man incapable of even rising out of his bed. Jesus had dealt with dozens of people in such unpleasant circumstances, and typically, He simply healed them of their infirmity.

This time, however, instead of immediately healing the paralytic, Jesus declares, “Be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven.” To the observing scribes, this was blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins, they reasoned. If Jesus claimed the authority to forgive a man’s sins, therefore, He—a mere mortal, in the scribes’ eyes—claimed to be God!

In response to their outrage, Jesus asks an interesting question, “Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you;’ or to say, ‘Arise, and walk’?”

So what was Jesus saying? What was His point?

He was asking these skeptical critics, “Through which of the two statements can an observer more easily verify or denounce my authority?”

The answer is the second.

It is easier to say the first statement, “Your sins are forgiven,” because an outside observer can’t know whether or not they have been.

It’s more difficult to say “Arise and walk,” because everyone will know immediately whether or not Jesus has the power to follow through on His command.

Jesus then turned the paralytic and commanded, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house,” which he proceeded to do. In doing this, Jesus demonstrated that, just as He had the authority to follow through on the more difficult statement, He had the authority to follow through on the easier one, too—He does have the authority to forgive sins; He is, therefore, God.

The observing crowd got the message: “they marveled, and glorified God, who had given such power [that is, authority, jurisdiction] unto men.”

If your sins have been forgiven by the grace of God, through the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ, then again today, marvel and glorify Him!