MARCH 07 THE JESUS QUESTIONS
JQ#08 “Why do you think evil in your hearts?”
(Matthew 9:4)
LIVING FOR JESUS Daily Prayer
JESUS, Lord, Savior, the Prince of Peace, my Redeemer, what Joy it is
to awake to a new day and to know that I will not have to face this world
alone for You are with me. Lord forgive me of the many years I spent
running to my sin which is nothing more than running away from You.
Thank You Jesus for showing me that it is my sin that separates me
from You and that it is the purity of our lives lived through Your strength
and sacrifice that draws us nearer to You — I pray to always be moving
towards the Savior that my Joy may be made full. AMEN
THE JESUS QUESTIONS
JESUS addressed a very personal issue which is universal to mankind
when He addressed “evil” in
JQ#08 “Why do you think evil in your hearts?” (Matthew 9:4)
Our natural tendency is to suspect that the “evil” addressed by Jesus
was directed at those that had chosen to follow man’s law instead of
accepting the Truth of God. Indeed, Jesus had pointed out that God is
not limited to what the Pharisees and their interpretation of what God
“really meant to say”.
Usurping the Power of God makes the Pharisee’s actions “evil”.
God cannot be restricted in His Power and His Divine Sovereignty
by anyone or anything so for the scribes to witness God’s Power
being displayed through His Only Begotten Son in the healing of
the paralytic, the Pharisees should have reasoned that if only God
can do the things that Jesus was doing, then Jesus must be God!!!
Instead “at once” the scribes passed judgement on Jesus based on
the Pharisee’s laws and accused Jesus of blasphemy! Jesus knew what
was in their hearts so He immediately asked the scribes who were blinded
by the “legalism” of their day a second question, that if answered in the
Spirit of Truth, would result in their faith being elevated to the point that
their spiritual blindness would be healed and they would be able to see
that Jesus was what He said He was, the
SON OF GOD sent to do the work of THE FATHER.
The second question Jesus asked the “evil” scribes immediately was JQ#8b,
“For which is easier, to say ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’
or to say ‘Arise and walk’?” (Matthew 9:5)
which Jesus knew could only be answered by saying that “Only God”
could heal the paralytic and “Only God” can forgive sins so both are
above the power of men and only possible through the Power of God!
Jesus didn’t leave them hanging as He immediately told them the answer:
“But that you may know that the Son of Man
has power on earth to forgive sins” —
then He said to the paralytic,
“Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” (Matthew 9:6)
Just as Jesus pointed out that the “evil in their hearts” was the
fruit of their unbelief in Him, He immediately gave them a visual to
prove He was God as Jesus commanded the paralytic to “Arise”.
We witness the fruit of the paralytic’s belief in Jesus because the paralytic
“arose and departed to his house”! (Matthew 9:7)
Jesus never leaves us hanging and He always makes it clear what answer
we should give. The case of the scribes and the paralytic are no different.
The scribes refused to see the Truth of God and therefore the
“fruit of their faith in the doctrines of men” was “evil hearts”
whereas the paralytic believed Jesus
and the “fruit of his faith in God” was “healing”.
Both the scribes and the paralytic heard Jesus but it was the paralytic
that believed Jesus had the Power to Heal so he received healing
and the scribes refused to acknowledge what they had witnessed
so their hearts remained “evil”.
It was the tradition of the Jews that it only took two witnesses and in this
case there was a “multitude” of witnesses and the verdict of the multitude
was that they “marveled and glorified God” —
Jesus is indeed guilty — guilty of being the Son of God!
Jesus gives us the Truth of God but it is up to us to
“Arise and walk”!
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