The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1896-01-30

| 80 ~ a. Oaas &.S WIZ
there from various motives, some
friendly, some curious, some honestly en-
quirink. md soms oritieising. Tbs Phar-
isees n4d doctors 81 NJ Law wsfs there,
tsbss interest that had been Ssofssd BY
tSs miracles and teaching Of our Lord at
this time. We must not yet, set these
Pharisees and doctors down as enemies of
Christ. They were doubtless at this
time, the curious ones, seeking to see for
themselves, some Of these miracles, and
hear this wonderful teacher.
"And the power OF the Lord was pres.
emit to heal them;" and this powers SO sig
nally displayed on this occasion, would
have convinced them, had they been uu-
preiudiced hearers. Mark, in chap. 2:1-12.
draws a more graphic picture OF this
scene Than Matthew or Luke. He repre-
sents the crowd SO great, that there was
not room to receive them, not even about
the door, and tells US that the helpless
paralytic was borne by Jour men. Mat
thew does not give us any details. Mark
and Luke tell Of their taking the man to
the roof Of the house and letting him
down in the midst. Never did men seem
more deter mined, or so full OF resources.
They we're doubtless kinsnen, or neigh
bors, of the sick man; and the man him
self must have been intensely in earnest.
In common with the sentiment Of his
day, this man, we presume, held the be-
lief, that his bodily affection vas the
result OF his sinful life, and his last hope,
now, Of relief lay in reaching the presence
OF his wonder worker and teacher. Fail.
ing to get near the door, we can we'll i'm.
agine how his heart must have sunk
within him; but necessity is the mother
OF invention, and his comrades were
quick to see q way Of surmounting all
obstacles. "Where there Is a will there
10 a way" was never more significantly
demonstrated than when these FIVE Wills
determined to get into the presence OF
Jesus on this occasion. To show that II
was a cooperative work Of faith, when
the man was let safely down, from the
hole in the roof, by these stalwart men,, 1t
Is said: sand when He saw their faith
He said unto him: man thy sins are for
given thee" And was this the sought
reward OF all their pains and determined
efiort7 The sick soul Of that poor help
less man could only give the answer Il
is useless to speculate here; but one thing
we do know, that the consciousness o
sin is the heaviest burden that eve
weighted down a human soul. On thu
part OF Jesus, what seeming rackless self
assertion was disappearing to forgive
sins! 1t had never reached such an atti
tude before.
II AND PHARIsEEs OFFENDED.
A climax was relched. Such words hat
never fallen from human lips. Sand tn
E Scribes and Pharisees began to reasoi
saying: Who 10 this which speaketh bias
phemies? Who can forgive sins, but Co
; ~alone2" From their standpoint, and as
= sumed premises, tNeir reasoning wa
! valid, and Jesus was a blasphemer. Je
sus did so presume: Therefore Jesus wa
a blasphemer. A false conclusion, be
' cause they failed to see that Jesus wa
divine, not a mere man, but the "God
man,"
And he at once, by a miracle Of knowl
edge, gave them evidence OF His divinity
"But when Jesus perceived theI
a thoughts, He answering said unto then
What reason ye in your heart'
Whether is 1t easier to say, Thy sins
e forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up an
walk?" Here was a new exercise OF Il
divine power OF Jesus, In reading the VI
u ex gressed thoughts Of these men. Mrs
: Giles OF knowledge ought to be ss cor
yincing as miracles Of physical power.
ps SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ANSWER.
Jesus answers'b by word and deed. No
y closely the argument. He doesn't a.
which miracle Is the easier to perform
for with Him one miracle 10 as easy
another. The difficulty 10 In attestii
the miracle-"to say" in such b way, tn
the thing claimed to be done, may
proved or ~disproved. Certainly In "
view it would be more difficult to ga
"Take up thy bed and wall" than to sa
"Thy aims are iorgiven;" for In the I'll
case, there were present~,hundreds OF pc
Va pie whose senses could take cognizance
~ the success or failure Of the act. But
this secopd. cas-, no ons but Christ q
tBe ~psrdonsd msn. eeald attest ~ z
ia|sEs y ~ 'ks'3eZsIEse1s
fhs sasisr XIX = powef 81 ths more ~
cult ons<-aispcwar y forgive ulns, By !
fdsmonsfratsd power Of causing 3 helPl'
~ paralytio to take up his bed and walk.
~ was an a priori argument that must
~ convincing to all candid and unpr
~ udiced minds. 30 he proceeds; "Butti
" We may know that the Son Of Man hi
y power on earth to forgive sins (He 81
unto the sick OF the palsy, l say VI
thee, Arise and take up thy couch, a
go into thine house." And The man !
nsdiately obeyed, glorying God,-as
=. took his departure, thus showing that
heart was renewed as well as his DO,
Amusement and solemn awe took h
:. of all who Witnessed the scene, and Il
=, HgloriHed God saying, we have 81
!. bstrange things to-day" Their won
was not 90 much the miracle OF cure
= the proof that Christ possessed pc,
and authority 70 remit the sins OF men
III AN ACTED PARABLE.
sss 1. Paralysis well represents sin--pai
an Eizing all the moral powers. 2. Like
al, paralytic, hearing OF the wonder
fphysician Of souls, the sinner seeks 4
Hin the face OF all difficulties. Q. II th
a., four helped him to the housetop and
NJ Thin down In the midst; 20 may We b
sinners to Christ by our prayers