Jesus was authorized to forgive sin also missed it.
“He should have waited his turn to get healed.”
“Look at the mess they made. Who’s going to pay to have the roof fixed?”
“Jesus does not have permission to forgive sins.”
“How can you argue with results? The man was healed.”
“The end does not justify the means.”
“If not the end, what does justify the means?”
Soon more people were chiming in with their opinions, and I don’t think anyone noticed when Jesus and I left.
After the news of the healing spectacle got on the village grapevine, it wasn’t hard for Jesus to draw a crowd wherever He went. I followed Him to Nazareth, where He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath. The rabbis were immediately suspicious of Him. I must tell you that I was amused at the irony of the situation. If only any one of them could have seen what was really happening. A demon and the Son of God go to church together, and guess which one made the religious elite nervous?
Jesus stood up, a sign to the others that He intended to read.
“I love it when He does this,” I said eagerly to a young boy who didn’t seem to mind sharing his seat with me.
Jesus took a scroll written by the prophet Isaiah from the hands of one of the elders. The room was immediately quiet in anticipation of what He was about to say. He looked over the scroll until He found what He was looking for and began.
“The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Then He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on Him.
“Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
If Jesus had pulled a torch from His robe and set His beard on fire, it could have had no more incendiary effect. The rabbis were horrified, the people were excited, and the chatter was ignited.
“Did you hear what He said?”
“He’s the Messiah.”
“I heard He healed a paralyzed man in Capernaum.”
“He must be the Promised One who will save Israel.”
“Wait a minute. Isn’t He Joseph’s son?”
“You’re right.”
“He’s nobody special. I’ve heard the stories. He’s the illegitimate son of Mary.”
“Who are you calling illegitimate? We know His father.”
“Joseph isn’t His father. Mary was impregnated by an angel.”
“Jesus,” a burly man called out, “if You’re telling the truth, do something here in Your hometown.”
“Yes, something like you did in Capernaum—heal somebody.”
Go ahead, Jesus, show them what You can do.
“A prophet is never accepted in his own hometown.”
“Put some action behind Your claims,” yelled a woman from the back row.
The crowd is getting ugly, Jesus. How about that man with the crooked foot? Not too showy; just enough to let them see You are who You say You are.
The more they insisted Jesus do a miracle, the more He refused. At last they started crowding in on us. Before I knew it they were pushing Jesus out the door and up a hill with a steep drop-off. We were right on the edge when Jesus abruptly turned around and walked away right through the crowd. The people stayed on the edge of the cliff arguing with each other as if they hadn’t noticed He left. Now, I walk through crowds all the time, and no one notices. But Jesus did it in a body of flesh, blood, and bones. How? I wanted to quiz Him about the physics involved, but before I could, He was off again toward Capernaum.
C HAPTER 13
O N THE NEXT Sabbath Jesus made His way over to the synagogue where, as had become common, a large crowed had already assembled. There were rumors that Jesus might be coming, so everyone got there early to get a good seat. The tittering began as soon as they saw Him but then quieted as He sat down to teach. I took
“He should have waited his turn to get healed.”
“Look at the mess they made. Who’s going to pay to have the roof fixed?”
“Jesus does not have permission to forgive sins.”
“How can you argue with results? The man was healed.”
“The end does not justify the means.”
“If not the end, what does justify the means?”
Soon more people were chiming in with their opinions, and I don’t think anyone noticed when Jesus and I left.
After the news of the healing spectacle got on the village grapevine, it wasn’t hard for Jesus to draw a crowd wherever He went. I followed Him to Nazareth, where He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath. The rabbis were immediately suspicious of Him. I must tell you that I was amused at the irony of the situation. If only any one of them could have seen what was really happening. A demon and the Son of God go to church together, and guess which one made the religious elite nervous?
Jesus stood up, a sign to the others that He intended to read.
“I love it when He does this,” I said eagerly to a young boy who didn’t seem to mind sharing his seat with me.
Jesus took a scroll written by the prophet Isaiah from the hands of one of the elders. The room was immediately quiet in anticipation of what He was about to say. He looked over the scroll until He found what He was looking for and began.
“The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Then He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on Him.
“Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
If Jesus had pulled a torch from His robe and set His beard on fire, it could have had no more incendiary effect. The rabbis were horrified, the people were excited, and the chatter was ignited.
“Did you hear what He said?”
“He’s the Messiah.”
“I heard He healed a paralyzed man in Capernaum.”
“He must be the Promised One who will save Israel.”
“Wait a minute. Isn’t He Joseph’s son?”
“You’re right.”
“He’s nobody special. I’ve heard the stories. He’s the illegitimate son of Mary.”
“Who are you calling illegitimate? We know His father.”
“Joseph isn’t His father. Mary was impregnated by an angel.”
“Jesus,” a burly man called out, “if You’re telling the truth, do something here in Your hometown.”
“Yes, something like you did in Capernaum—heal somebody.”
Go ahead, Jesus, show them what You can do.
“A prophet is never accepted in his own hometown.”
“Put some action behind Your claims,” yelled a woman from the back row.
The crowd is getting ugly, Jesus. How about that man with the crooked foot? Not too showy; just enough to let them see You are who You say You are.
The more they insisted Jesus do a miracle, the more He refused. At last they started crowding in on us. Before I knew it they were pushing Jesus out the door and up a hill with a steep drop-off. We were right on the edge when Jesus abruptly turned around and walked away right through the crowd. The people stayed on the edge of the cliff arguing with each other as if they hadn’t noticed He left. Now, I walk through crowds all the time, and no one notices. But Jesus did it in a body of flesh, blood, and bones. How? I wanted to quiz Him about the physics involved, but before I could, He was off again toward Capernaum.
C HAPTER 13
O N THE NEXT Sabbath Jesus made His way over to the synagogue where, as had become common, a large crowed had already assembled. There were rumors that Jesus might be coming, so everyone got there early to get a good seat. The tittering began as soon as they saw Him but then quieted as He sat down to teach. I took
Similar Books
