{"id":46746,"date":"2023-10-08T18:18:14","date_gmt":"2023-10-08T16:18:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kernbeisser.ch\/who-can-remit-sins-except-god\/"},"modified":"2025-01-15T15:23:26","modified_gmt":"2025-01-15T13:23:26","slug":"who-can-remit-sins-except-god","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kernbeisser.ch\/en\/who-can-remit-sins-except-god\/","title":{"rendered":"Who can forgive sins except God?"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/1″][vc_column_text text_lead=”yes” uncode_shortcode_id=”437223″]In Mark’s Gospel, we read about some scribes who said that Jesus blasphemes because he forgives sins. The statement is that no one can forgive sins except God. Today, this statement by the scribes is cited in reverse as proof that Jesus is “therefore” God and therefore part of a Trinity. We’ll consider this Bible passage a little bit.[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”174499″]The concept of God was properly confused by the doctrine of the Trinity. Instead of the “One” God, as witnessed throughout the Old and New Testaments, many centuries after the completion of these books, first a Trinity and again later a Trinity were invented and introduced. It is absolutely confusing for many people when they are first confronted with the fact that the Bible nowhere speaks of a Trinity. Many assumptions are based on tradition, not on Scripture. The following passage is interpreted in terms of the doctrine of the Trinity, as if Jesus were declared to be “God” (absolute deity, equal to the Father). But can this be deduced from the text itself?[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”539914″]<\/p>\n

Healing of the paralytic<\/h3>\n

Mark describes the following story:<\/p>\n

“After some days [Jesus] returned to Capernaum. When it was heard that He was at home, immediately so many gathered that they had no room, not even at the door. And He spoke the word to them.<\/em><\/p>\n

Then they came and brought a paralytic to Him, lifted up by four. Since they could not bring Him to Him because of the crowd, they covered the roof where He was. When they had dug it up, they lowered the mat on which the paralytic was lying. Noticing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, “Child, your sins are forgiven!”<\/em><\/p>\n

Some of the scribes were also there; they sat by and reasoned in their hearts, “Why is this one speaking like this? He blasphemes! Who can remit sins except the One – God?” Immediately Jesus, recognizing in His Spirit that they were thus reasoning with themselves, said to them, “Why are you reasoning this in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic: Your sins are forgiven you – or to say: Arise, take up your mat and walk?<\/em><\/p>\n

But that ye may know that the Son of man hath authority on earth to remit sins (He said to the paralytic, “Unto thee I say, arise, take up thy mat, and go into thine house.”). Then he stood up, and immediately picking up the mat, he went out in front of everyone, so that they were all beside themselves with amazement. They glorified God and said, “We have never seen anything like this!””<\/em><\/p>\n

Mark 2:1-12<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”186338″]<\/p>\n

Accusation of the scribes<\/h3>\n

The scribes said nothing. They were just thinking about something for themselves. Jesus hears nothing, but He “discerned in His Spirit” what the considerations were. To this He speaks aloud a response.<\/p>\n

The occasion was this: Jesus said to the paralyzed man “Child, your sins are forgiven”. This statement was more than suspicious to the scribes. In an effort to see God as unique, they resisted anyone who made themselves equal to God. This reminds us of a passage from the Gospel of John:<\/p>\n

“My Father works until now; therefore I also work!” Therefore, the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only abolished the Sabbath, but also called God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.<\/em>
\nJohn 5:17-18<\/p>\n

This is to say that the Jews more often thought that Jesus was equal to God. The question, of course, is whether He did.[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”201116″]<\/p>\n

Is Jesus saying that He is God?<\/h3>\n

The short answer is no. Jesus does not say that, and it is the scribes here who “conclude” that Jesus is “blaspheming.” Jesus does not make himself God, but the scribes make it look that way. Inferences are human, not divine.<\/p>\n

Within the framework of a theology of the Trinity, which is not mentioned in the Bible at all, one tries – like the scribes – to establish a “fact” by way of inference. Did Jesus falsely claim that He was equal to God? Or can He do so only because He is actually God? These things are all not mentioned. The scribes reasoned along the lines of the first question, while supporters of a Trinity fail because of the second assertion.<\/p>\n

The problem is this: Jesus does not say here that He is equal to God, but it is inferred that He is God, which is why He can make this statement. However, this appears to be a short circuit. The Christian short-circuit is this: Jesus forgives sin, “therefore” He is God. However, this was not claimed anywhere. However, people have become so accustomed to crooked conclusions that hardly anyone notices.<\/p>\n

If one lets go of these conclusions, one can devote oneself to the text. What does it say and what does it not say? What is it about? What does Jesus say? What is happening here?<\/p>\n